Review: LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR - RASCAL FLATTS at Grand Casino Arena
This concert was on January 23, 2026
Rascal Flatts rolled into Saint Paul on January 23 and turned a freezing winter night into something a lot warmer. With support from Chris Lane and Lauren Alaina, the evening at Grand Casino Arena felt like a full celebration of country music, drawing a crowd that blended longtime fans with newer listeners — all there for the same reason: songs they’ve been carrying with them for years.
Lane and Alaina set the tone early, warming up the arena with confident, crowd-friendly sets that had fans on their feet well before the headliners took the stage. By the time Rascal Flatts emerged, the room was ready.
The trio — Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney — wasted no time settling in. They opened with “Here’s to You,” easing the crowd into the night before jumping into “Yours If You Want It” and “Fast Cars and Freedom.” From the start, the band sounded polished but relaxed, like a group that knows exactly how to pace a room this size.
As the set moved on, the sing-alongs only got louder. “Stand” and “Mayberry” landed easily, while “Prayin’ for Daylight” and “I’m Movin’ On” brought things down a notch emotionally. One of the most memorable moments of the night came when Lauren Alaina returned to the stage to join the band for “My Wish.” It was a simple moment, but you could feel how much that song still means to people in the room.
The middle of the show kept things moving with “Banjo” and “Why Wait,” along with a playful cover of “I Dare You.” A surprise crowd favorite followed with “Sweet Caroline,” turning the arena into one giant chorus. From there, the tone shifted again with “Bless the Broken Road” and “What Hurts the Most,” two songs that hit just as hard now as they did when they first came out.
The final stretch of the night was all about energy. “Me and My Gang” and “Summer Nights” pushed the crowd back onto their feet, and by the time they closed with “Life Is a Highway,” the entire arena was fully locked in — singing, clapping, and clearly not ready for the night to end.
Rascal Flatts didn’t try to reinvent anything at Grand Casino Arena. They didn’t have to. The show worked because the songs still connect, and Gary, Jay, and Joe Don still know how to deliver them. On a cold January night in Minnesota, they gave the crowd exactly what it came for — and judging by the reaction, that was more than enough.
Thank you for a wonderful night of music! We hope to have you back again soon!
Photo courtesy of Rascal Flatts
|
Dirty Dancing: The Musical Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (8/12-9/06) |
|
Kate Wallich & Perfume Genius: “The Lesson” Northrop (4/01-4/01) |
|
The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical Pantages Theatre (12/14-12/15) |
|
The Songbook of Carly Simon, Bonnie Raitt & Rosanne Cash Crooners Supper Club (8/19-8/19) |
|
Cody Johnson Grand Casino Arena (8/29-8/29) |
|
The Spitfire Grill Commonweal Theatre Company (7/11-10/24) |
|
Student Matinee: Complexions Contemporary Ballet Northrop (3/19-3/19) |
|
Wicked Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis (7/08-8/09) |
|
The Who's Tommy Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis (3/30-4/04) |
|
Limón Dance Company Northrop (1/30-1/30) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.