Aletia Powers/ZIdaho.com

Country trio Rascal Flatts performs in the round after being transported to a second stage at the Idaho Center in Nampa Thursday night.

NAMPA - One little girl had a magical sixth birthday - thanks to a bit of country showmanship, and a lot of chance.

Courtesy Jessica Parsons

Jessica Parsons and her daughter Kierra Singer take a camera phone picture during the Rascal Flatts concert Thursday evening.

Jessica Parsons and her daughter Kierra attended the Rascal Flatts concert Thursday night at the Idaho Center. A representative for the band approached Jessica and asked if she and her daughter would like to sit up front. The concert worker was unaware that Thursday was Kierra's sixth birthday

Little did they know - but Kierra's big day would soon be hard to top. During the show, guitarist Joe Don Rooney knelt down on one knee and kissed Kierra's hand.

Later, near the midpoint of the show, lead singer Gary LeVox brought little Kierra up on stage, and serenaded her to My Wish. The song's lyrics say "My wish for you, is that this life becomes all you want it to, your dreams stay big." For Kierra, and her mother - reality was bigger than any dream.

"(Before the show), she was telling everyone that I called Rascal Flatts and asked him to do a concert for her birthday," Jessica Parsons said. "I don't think anyone expected this. I'm on cloud nine after what happened."

Concert catered to locals

Every band that comes through the Boise area – or any town for that matter – throws in a couple of local references to help warm up the crowd.

Rascal Flatts lead singer LeVox clearly didn't need an assistant to brief him on the Treasure Valley's big source of pride this winter: The Fiesta Bowl Champion Boise State Broncos.  After the band's first few songs, LeVox cracked the mic and asked the crowd "What do you all want to talk about? The statue of liberty maybe?"  

Promoting their latest CD "Me and My Gang," the trio rolled their signature mix of country, rock and pop together to amp up the nearly sold-out Idaho Center crowd Thursday night.  The band's crossover appeal showed itself in the crowd – with older couples mixing with parents of small children, teens and twentysomethings. 

Hits from the band's latest disc mixed with older classics and a mix of rock covers.  The staging was a typical setup of large video screens, lights and rigging – but the centerpiece proved to be an unexpected floating platform that transported LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney from the main stage at the east end of the arena to a smaller stage positioned near the middle of the floor.  

The real life magic carpet rose up above the crowd on a large overhead track and set them down to perform several songs in the round.  Quick hits from Rick Springfield's Jessie's Girl, Lynrd Skynrd's Sweet Home Alabama and Bryan Adams' Summer of 69 provided a dose of classic rock, while the crowd quickly filled in from the bleacher seats to see the band up close.

The band took the stage just before 8:30pm, and played a nearly two-hour set, wrapping up with encores What Hurts the Most and Life is a Highway from the Cars movie soundtrack.

Opening act Jason Aldean played several of his chart-topping hits, as well as a rock set of his own – including Sweet Child of Mine from Guns and Roses.  Aldean finished up with top hit Hicktown – even bestowing the meant-to-be-a-compliment title on the City of Nampa.