Fans anticipated an electric performance. Many had bucks of beer in anticipation of not leaving their seats. What they all were waiting for was the entrance of one of Nashville’s small town country stories that made it big in the country business.

Bryan grew up in a very small Georgia town named of Leesburg. He worked hard helping his father with the family peanut and fertilizer businesses, while all along working on his art of song writing, singing and playing his guitar. He really started pursuing his dreams when his father told him to leave the farm and actively pursue the vision.

Off Bryan went to Nashville to acquire a country music career on Sept. 1, 2001. Within two months, Bryan signed a publishing deal with a company owned by songwriter Roger Murrah. Bryan spent time honing his material, building up a catalog of songs. Capitol Records released his debut album in 2006.

His current 2009 tour promotes the recent album, "Spring Break," which was released this March under the Capitol Nashville label.

Most fans were drawn in by Bryan's boyish, down-home charm and witty personality. The great songs flowed for more than 90 minutes. Many favorites were played such as "First Love" and "We Rode in Trucks" along with some of Bryan's favorites including Alabama's "Play Me Some Mountain Music" and Charlie Daniel's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" that included a great fiddle tribute.

The crowd stood and cheered in great country style when Bryan's band started his first Capitol Records Nashville single, "All My Friends Say,"

The feel in the room brought me back to what Nashville is all about — Good times, good friends and lyrics all about life’s experiences. Some of the women in the audience even yelled for Bryan to take his shirt off when he imitated Elvis who is mentioned in the song.

Many fans were very excited to see this venue re-opened by Fantasy Springs after a two-year hiatus. Fans Falyn Holmes and Erica Weber of Palm Springs mentioned they had watched other performers here, such as Brian McComios and Rocky Lane a few years back. Secretly they were hoping not many would find out just how amazing the venue is so they could get tickets in the future without being disappointed in sell outs.

The down-home feel came from even more then the up-close-and-personal seating. It was a pleasure to see local radio hosts Corey James and Randy Houston be a big part of the event and treat their listeners as if they were family. I guess this is why I hold country so dear to my heart. It's a bunch of people drawn together by their passion for great music meaningful lyrics and surrounded by down to earth people.

The band was gracious enough to come out after the show. Fans Belinda Zaparinuk of La Quinta and Tina Bellfield of Riverside waited patiently hoping to get a chance to meet Bryan. Bellfield was quoted as saying, "Luke was on Fire." They found Bryan's bass guitarist Keith Horn walking about and offered to buy him a beer.

Guess that gesture paid off since joining him was the drummer of the band Kent Slucher. Bellfield proceeded to ask Slucher for a drumstick from the evening (no not the chicken type) for her 18year-old son Chris's collection. He graciously obliged.

As I exited, I found a group of women crowding around lead guitarist Michael Carter and noticed what a following the group had. I asked the band members if Bryan would be out anytime soon for a possible interview after this outstanding show. With still no Bryan in site, the band members joked with me that he must already be playing in the casino.

Bryan himself joked during the concert with his fans they should be glad he did not have any type of lucky streak playing before the show began or there may not have been a show.

The night was amazing. I left with a great feeling that small and personal venues are not dead in America and the recession has not touched the music industry in these difficult times. My conclusion of this down-home country night was that no one with either country or a bit of rock 'n' roll in their soul could have been disappointed in the venue or the artist.

Thank you Fantasy Springs Resort Hotel & Casino for re-opening this amazing venue. Thank you also KPLM Radio and Todd Marker of KPLM for letting Desert Cities Entertainment have a look at the class act they helped promote along with Coachella Valley Ford.

To see more Yvonne Scott photos of Luke Bryan's performance, click here.

For more about Luke Bryan, click here.

For more about KPLM Radio, "The Big 106," click here.

For more about entertainment at Fantasy Springs Resort Hotel & Casino, click here.