Justin Moore brings his "You, Me and Whiskey" tour to Grand Forks

Feb. 4—GRAND FORKS — For many fans who braved the sub-zero temperatures and biting wind, heaven seemed a little closer to home when Justin Moore took the stage on Friday night at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Moore's cover of Dallas Davidson's ballad, "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," brought out emotion in fans, with many in the crowd of approximately 6,000 singing along to the chorus and waving flashlights. Moore's version, recorded in 2011, was his second No. 1 hit.

Moore took the stage around 8:45 p.m., after opening performances by Jake McVey and Priscilla Block.

"How y'all doing out there Grand Forks?" Moore asked the crowd after his third song of the night, "You Look Like I Need a Drink." "I didn't know if anyone would come out tonight being as cold as it is. I heard you're going to have a hot day tomorrow, so I asked a lady from here what hot means for y'all, and she said 10 (degrees)."

Moore's Grand Forks show was just the second on his "You, Me and Whiskey" tour, which kicked off on Feb. 2 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Moore, a native of Poyen, Arkansas, has charted 18 times on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs, including 10 No. 1 hits. He was the 2014 recipient of the Academy of Country Music Awards' "New Artist of the Year."

His most recent album, "Straight Outta the Country," was released in 2021.

Chad Kugava, who traveled from Kellogg Minnesota for the show, said he's been a fan of Moore's for years.

"It was an awesome show," said Kugava. "He does a great job of keeping the crowd entertained."

Moore's set was a mix of old and new material, including his 2022 single "Get Rich or Drunk Trying." Toward the end of the show, Moore launched into his first No. 1 hit "Small Town USA," an homage to his upbringing in Poyen, with a population of just 263.

Moore also paid tribute to the military with his 2018 hit, "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home."

"My parents always instilled in me the importance of the sacrifices our service members make," Moore said as the crowd cheered approvingly. "This one goes out to all the brave men and women out there keeping us safe so we can be here tonight."

Moore finished his show with a three-song encore, bringing Block back onto the stage for a performance of "You, Me, and Whiskey," a duet the pair recorded in 2022, and the tour's namesake.