Thomas Rhett received a wild hometown welcome in Nashville Saturday night (Oct. 12).

Rhett’s Very Hot Summer Tour, which virtually began in January at Mexico’s Crash My Playa with Luke Bryan, exploded with energy as Rhett filled the Bridgestone Arena stage with friends and surprises all night long. It was extra special since it was A) he and his wife Lauren’s seventh wedding anniversary, B) his dad, Rhett Akins', birthday the following day (Oct. 13) and it was the first time Rhett had headlined Bridgestone Arena.

“It’s the only arena I feel like in the country that I haven’t played with somebody,” Rhett told Taste of Country at a recent Nashville media roundtable. “So to finish it in Nashville on my anniversary is gonna be really, really cool.”

Cool is an understatement. Rhett blew the lid off Bridgestone Arena, and it was evident he and his pals were celebrating not just the end of the tour, but important family milestones.

The crowd was buzzing immediately at 6:58, when Rhett Akins took the stage (Thomas Rhett added two-and-a-half minutes to his set, so he could play one more song), and carried through the hits of Russell Dickerson and Dustin Lynch. It was a great package for fans as they group-sang to all the artists' hit songs when prompted, most notably to Rhett's 10-plus No. 1s.

Rhett opened his show by launching out of a chute (getting some serious air) to his latest No. 1 single “Look What God Gave Her.” From there, he consecutively rattled off hits “Crash and Burn,” “Get Me Some of That” and “Craving You,” and just seven songs in, invited his first guest, Little Big Town, to the stage. The quartet joined Rhett for “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” – just the tip of the iceberg – as Rhett later invited Hardy (“Nothin’ Out Here”) and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard for a stripped-down version of FGL hit (and Thomas Rhett co-write), “Round Here.”

Thomas Rhett's "Look What God Gave Her" Is the Ultimate Tribute to His Wife

Since the stars were out, the crowd could’ve expected Jon Pardi to make an appearance for the Rhett-Pardi duet “Beer Can’t Fix,” but instead of the California-born country star, Rhett was joined by Lynch, Dickerson and Rhett Akins. The three were wearing custom Nashville Predators jerseys ,and dear ’ol dad rolled out a cooler of beer for some late show refreshments. Bridgestone turned into a frat party for about two-and-a-half minutes as the country boys sent a cheers to the crowd, pounded a few beers, and eventually, just started pouring it all over each other (even in Lynch’s hat!).

The show segment ended with Rhett bringing his dad a birthday cake as the sold-out arena sang “Happy Birthday” to the Songwriter of the Decade Award winner. Rhett gave an “I love you, Dad!” and a shoutout to mom, as well, as he hugged Akins onstage.

Rhett kept an uptempo show throughout the night, only settling for a three-song stripped down acoustic break (which included one of several shoutouts to his wife and the unreleased ballad "To the Guys That Date My Girls" for his daughters) before plugging the energy back in. He also scaled back for his mega hit "Die a Happy Man," during which he said to the crowd:

“If Nashville is the last show I ever get to play, I would die a happy man.”

Rhett went out hot in the finale with "Unforgettable" and "T-Shirt," leaving everything onstage, no option for an encore – and on that night, he certainly didn't need one.

Thomas Rhett's Very Hot Summer Tour Setlist (Nashville):

Look What God Gave Her
Crash and Burn
Give Me Some of That
Craving You
Notice
Sixteen
Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time
It Goes Like This
Remember You Young
Nothin’ Out here
Life Changes
That Old Truck
Round Here
To The Guys That Date My Girls
Beer Can’t Fix
Vacation
Marry Me
Die A Happy Man
Unforgettable
T-shirt

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