Red and pink lights bounced around the packed auditorium while the backdrop showed an orange calligraphy drawing of a J and N with the words “Joe Nichols” cutting through the middle of the letters. As people shrugged off their coats, they stared at the backdrop in anticipation, waiting for the country singer to walk out.

Many of those walking into H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center were briskly walking in to get away from the winds and Nichols’ warm demeanor helped keep the crowd moving and far from cold on Saturday.

Nichols kicked off the night with “Hard To Be Cool” and “Hee Haw”. Nichols and the band seemed to be comfortably enjoying themselves as the night progressed.

During “Size Matters (Someday)” he asked the crowd to stand up. He asked the crowd to participate as much as possible, seeming to want them to have as much fun as he was having.

After Nichols got through the first few songs, he greeted the crowd and said that he called his wife in Texas, who complained about it being 65 degrees there. He joked that he hung up on her at that point.

Nichols then sang “The Impossible,” the first single he released. He had been fiddling with his earpiece up until this point, but after the song ended he explained he had a cold and wanted the crowd to know that was why his singing might not be its best.

It was times like this where the music stopped for a short while and it was Nichols just talking to the crowd. That seemed to be when he was having the most fun. Every time he went upstage to wipe off his face, many audience members shouted and hollered, which only made him smile widely and laugh. There was even one point where a woman screamed, “I love you, Joe.”

“I love you, too,” Nichols said. “I don’t even know you and I love you.” During the end of the show Nichols had audience members strumming his guitar while the other band members played on.

Other highlights included when the majority of band went off stage, leaving Nichols and a guitarist to play “I’ll Wait For You.” The pink and red lights only accented the fact that it was Valentine’s Day weekend. Looking around, many couples seemed to lean in closer as the song progressed.

After the other guitarist left, leaving him alone on stage, Nichols said that this was the scariest part for him since it was all on him to carry out this part of the show. But the fear could not be seen as he covered Keith Whitley’s “I Want My Rib Back,” prefacing the song with, “Ladies, don’t be offended.”

Another highlight was Nichols prefacing a song by explaining how he did not know how everyone felt about rap being incorporated with country. He said that he could not speak fast enough to rap but that he could turn rap into country. Nichols then proceeded to cover “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. This was probably one of the most hilarious moments in the night, just watching the crowd roar with laughter and cheers. He seemed unsure of doing it, but as the crowd kept going he just smiled more.

Although, the best part of the night was after Nichols left the stage and then came back on for a three-song encore. For these three songs, the majority of the crowd was standing, waving and clapping their hands, as well as singing at the top of their lungs.

Nichols encouraged this, making the show feel less like it was in an auditorium and more like it was in a stadium. At several parts he turned the microphone toward the audience and let them sing.

So as the audience streamed out, grabbing coats, hats and gloves, rushing toward their cars in the cold winds, many knew this was a concert that they would not soon forget.

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