Emerson Drive, its opening act, Ryan Shupe, and the Rubberband were well received by an audience who showed their enjoyment through claps, stomps and singing along.

More than half of the nearly 525 floor seats were filled with country fans.

“It’s encouraging because the people who are here are enjoying it,” said Mallory Taylor, University Board concert coordinator.

In the beginning of Emerson Drive’s act, fans rushed to the stage and stayed throughout the rest of the show.

“It (was) awesome,” said Brad Mates, lead singer of Emerson Drive. “I like smaller crowds like that.”

Emerson Drive has played for about 50 other colleges before Eastern.

“We are one of the only country acts tapped into colleges,” Mates said.

Since Emerson Drive started its band during high school and none of the members went to college, members said they find it enjoyable to play for the college scene.

“We (feel we) are back in college for a day,” Mates said.

College shows also enable the band members to perform their new songs to get audience reaction. And at Friday’s show, the audience reacted well.

Emerson Drive performed its newest song “A Good Man” twice for the audience. The song was released about a couple weeks ago as a single.

“We look forward to making a hit out of this,” Mates said about the song.

Fans of Emerson Drive did not just hear new songs; they heard some older favorites as well.

Megan Clifford, a freshman business major, heard one of her favorite songs, “Fall into Me.”

“It is one of the first one’s I heard,” she said. “It’s fun and catchy.”

All together the band played a total of 14 songs plus two encore songs and an instrumental jam session.

“They’re like the newer country for the younger generation,” said fan Kelly Glynn, a senior middle level education major. “They have more up-beat music.”

Some of Emerson Drive’s new music, including the song “Moments,” which they performed, is from the band’s newest album coming out in July.

It has been about two and a half years since the band last recorded.

“Getting back into the studio was great,” Mates said.

The band made time for the fans after the show by signing autographs.

Ashley Carter, 20, from Toledo, Ill., was even able to get her picture taken with bass guitarist Patrick Borque.

“He smells really good,” she said. “(Emerson Drive) are energetic, true performers.”

Emerson Drive performed for about 1 hour and 15 minutes while Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband performed for about 45 minutes.

Clifford said Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband were funny, in a good way, through its songs, personalities and choreography.

“It added to their music,” she said.

The Ryan Shupe band members at one point during their performance asked the audience how many had heard of them and more than half raised their hands.

“We have some great people in the audience,” said lead singer Ryan Shupe.

Audience members asked The Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband to play one more song. The band came back on the stage and jammed to its song “Walk the Walk.”

After a show, Emerson Drive normally likes to hang out around town because of the adrenaline rush members get from performing.

“(It) takes about three hours to wind down,” Mates said.

However, the band could not stick around after Friday’s performance. It was back on the road for them.

For more information about the bands go to www.emersondrive.com and www.shupe.net.