Country musician Chase Bryant got “Closer” to the audience when he covered The Chainsmokers’ hit song Thursday night.
Bryant left the stage behind him and stood on one of the auditorium seats to perform the track.
The singer opened for country group Parmalee in the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
Bryant sported many pastel-colored guitars throughout his set and opened with a pale pink one while he performed “Getaway Car.” The lefty is known for playing a right-handed guitar upside-down.
Another of his signature looks includes tight jeans and a good haircut, Bryant said. He acknowledged the fact that most of the men at the concert might not understand his attire, but Bryant instructed them to “look at your girlfriend and look at the smile on her face."
Bryant performed some of his own songs, including “Little Bit of You.” He also sang covers of Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You” and “Pickin’ Wildflowers” by Keith Anderson. During a performance of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin',” Bryant gave his respects to the men and women in the military.
“More than anything my heart goes out the men and women overseas who are fighting for our country and our freedom," Bryant said. "There is a reason why we're free and get to drink cold beer and listen to country music."
Hites’ favorite performance was “Take It On Back” — the song Bryant closed his set with.
“You always got to love the finale,” he said “The finale is always the best."
Parmalee opened its set with “I’ll Bring the Music” followed by their hit “Already Callin’ You Mine.” When the group performed its song “Damn I Just Wanna Kiss You,” it transitioned into the chorus James Bay’s “Let It Go.” During the track “Musta Had a Good Time,” a man wearing a foam 10-gallon hat loaded a t-shirt gun and shot them at the audience.
“Ohio University, I hear you like to party, right? Where are my day drinkers in the house?” Matt Thomas, the lead singer of Parmalee said before playing the group’s song “Day Drinkin’.”
Megan Eagle, a senior studying journalism, enjoyed the part where Parmalee performed new music. Her favorite song was “Last Night.”
“It’s really nice to hear new music and know that they’re still working on new music for us,” she said.
Parmalee covered “My House” by Flo Rida and followed in Bryant’s steps by performing its own version of “Closer.” The country group closed its set with “Carolina.”
“(Parmalee) was really interactive with the audience,” Eagle said. “Plus, it helps when they’re pretty attractive.”
