As the Gator growled, the line dancing began.
Thousands filled Flavet Field to watch Gator Growl headliner and country singer Chase Rice perform with opening acts LANCO and Blanco Brown.
The country-themed homecoming concert began at 6 p.m. as host, YouTube personality and comedian Cameron “Scooter” Magruder, who graduated from UF in 2011, came out to greet the audience.
Rice was paid $65,000 and LANCO $52,000 for their respective performances. Magruder was paid $5,000 for hosting.
Magruder warmed up the crowd between acts throughout the evening with jokes and stories, often reminiscing over his time as a Gator and explaining his recurring tweet “THE FLORIDA GATORS WILL WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.”
“I always tweet the same tweet. I never say what sport, though, because we could win in so many things,” Magruder said.
The guitarist for LANCO performs on Flavet Field Friday night during Gator Growl.
Singer Blanco Brown kicked off the hoedown first. Brown ended his half-hour set with his hit song “The Git Up,” with crowd members following along to the song’s signature line dance.
Nashville band LANCO played next, performing songs off of their debut album “Hallelujah Nights.”
Prior to performing their new single “Rival,” lead singer Brandon Lancaster told the story of how the band got started.
“This is not some manufactured thing. This is actually five friends,” Lancaster said. “We all met in college. We started drinking, hanging out, playing music and now we’re in Gainesville with you all, so thank you for being a part of this dream.”
Fans cheer as LANCO performs Friday night on Flavet Field for Gator Growl.
Headliner Chase Rice finally reached the stage at 9 p.m., where he got the crowd roaring and dancing along to his song “Lions.”
Rice performed a collection of his songs, including “Do It Like This,” “Gonna Wanna Tonight,” “Ride” and “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line, which Rice helped write early in his career.
Rice, a Gators fan himself, told stories about seeing Gator games with his father as a child.
“The first football field I ever stepped foot on in my entire life when I was probably 8 years old was a place called Ben Hill Griffin Stadium,” Rice said. “The last game I ever got to see with my dad, he passed away years ago, was in The Swamp.”
Rice ended the night with his popular song “Ready Set Roll,” venturing into the crowd and high-fiving members of the audience.
Kirsten Olekszak, a 20-year-old UF public health junior, said being unfamiliar with the bands wasn’t necessary for her to have a good time.
“I think it’s always interesting to see a new artist,” Olekszak said. “And UF offers the ability to see new artists.”
Ben Kamberg, a 20-year-old UF political science sophomore, waits in line Friday evening to play a game of Plinko before the concert started at Gator Growl. Kamberg said he is a Chase Rice fan and that he likes country because he comes from a rural part of Florida.
