Brad, Miranda + Justin Make Friday a ‘Saturday Night’ Party

Before wrapping up the American Saturday Night tour in Charleston, S.C. on Saturday night, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore brought the crowd in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. to their feet with a night of high energy performances on Friday.

Justin kicked off the night's entertainment with a short set, featuring his No. 1 single 'Small Town USA' and 'Backwoods,' among others. He dedicated the song that originally got him signed to a record deal, 'I Could Kick Your Ass,' to former University of Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin, who left after just one season to head up the football program at USC, which made the crowd scream and yell in approval. He said prior to the song, "I hope you lose every game" to Kiffin.

After a short break, Miranda started her set with 'Only Prettier' from her album 'Revolution,' and commandeered the stage like she owned it by launching into songs such as 'Kerosene,' 'Famous in a Small Town,' ''Dry Town' and Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Travelin' Band.'

Miranda also covered Rod Stewart's 'Stay With Me' during her show, stomping back and forth across the stage stating, "That's how we roll!" She took it down just a notch, by sitting on a stool on the front of the stage to perform her new single 'The House That Built Me.' Her first No. 1 'White Liar' came next, before the Texas singer-songwriter brought out one of her best friends and frequent co-writer, Ashley Monroe, to perform Jason Aldean's 'The Truth,' which Ashley wrote.

Brad's show was a cacophony of music, smoking guitar licks and huge video screens, which featured images related to his songs, as well as showcased his own creative animated shorts. Sans Keith Urban, he greeted the crowd with 'Start a Band,' followed by the title track of his album as well as the namesake of his tour 'American Saturday Night.' He continued with 'Mud on the Tires,' 'Wrapped Around' and 'Celebrity,' which brought the video screens to life once more as a bigger-than-life celebrity version of the video game 'Guitar Hero' was played. Opry members Little Jimmy Dickens and Bill Anderson went head-to-head, before Little Jimmy took on Brad's one-time opening act Taylor Swift. Another previous opening act, Dierks Bentley, showed up on screen to sing part of the song in place of Brad.

Brad sang a sweet rendition of 'Waitin' on a Woman,' before complaining over the long winter Tennessee has been experiencing. "I'll shoot the groundhog myself next time he comes up," Brad said in reference to the fact that Puxatony Phil saw his shadow, marking six more weeks of winter. The superstar then tipped his hat to summer and delivered his next single, 'Water.'

Other tunes the crowd was treated to included 'The World,' 'Catch All the Fish,' 'She's Everything' and 'Letter to Me,' while photos of a high school-aged Brad flashed up on the screen.

The Knoxville crowd roared at the top of their lungs when Brad gave them a rollicking version of 'Rocky Top,' the unofficial theme song of the University of Tennessee, followed by Alabama's 'Dixieland Delight,' 'Then,' 'She's Everything,' 'Ticks' and 'Online.' Brad came back onstage to sing 'Welcome to the Future' and was joined by Miranda and Justin on the final song, 'Alcohol.'

Backstage prior to the show, Miranda chatted briefly about the most recent rescue dog she found wandering around a Pilot gas station while out on the road. The singer and her boyfriend Blake Shelton didn't keep the dog, but instead a friend with a farm has taken her in and given her a good home. Miranda also gushed about Blake's ACM nomination for his collaboration with Trace Adkins on 'Hillbilly Bone.' She revealed she was actually the one to suggest to Blake that he do the song with Trace, but jokingly lamented she never gets any credit for brilliant ideas.

After the show, Justin showed off his new shorter haircut, which he said first began with a trip to a mall salon on the road. He added he later had to get it "corrected" by a hair stylist in Nashville.

Brad will hit the road this summer with his H20 trek, taking Justin back out with him, while Miranda's Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour opens in Beckley, W.V. on March 18.