Fans pack Chevy Centre to see ‘Idol’ star Carrie Underwood

By KATIE SEMINARA

Vindicator Staff Writer

YOUNGSTOWN — With an eight-piece band behind her and more than 6,000 fans in front of her, Carrie Underwood sang her way into the Valley when she performed at the Chevrolet Centre downtown.

“I’m expecting loud, awesome, amazing singing,” said Ashley Likens, 15, of Cortland.

The Underwood concert Wednesday night was Ashley’s first concert, and she was sharing it with her mother, Joan Ashton, and friend Kaylee Miller, who is visiting from Alabama. All three wore different colored cowboy hats and said they thought Underwood was the best of the “America Idol” contestants.

“It’s amazing that she was just a small town girl,” said Ashley.

Some fans didn’t come from as far as Alabama, but did come with their Underwood garb.

Standing in her Underwood shirt — and waiting for her mother to buy another one — Laura Ring, 48, of Mogadore, was seeing Underwood for the second time.

“We saw her back in March in Dayton,” said Ring. “She was awesome and my fianc is in love with her. She will be in Cleveland in the fall and we’ll hit that one up too.”

Ring and her fiancee bought the tickets as Mother’s Day gifts for both their moms.

What were mother’s day gifts for some fans were “out of school” gifts for others.

“This was their end of school surprise. They didn’t know we were coming until we started driving,” said Troy Sauerwein, 38, of Greenford. He was surrounded by his wife, Laurie, two daughters and his niece.

“This is our first country concert of the summer and it’s a whole family affair,” said Sauerwein.

A country concert is what they got. The show kicked off with Jason Michael Carroll, who recently started touring with Underwood. He played songs from his album “Waitin’ in the Country,” some new stuff and also popular hits like “Livin’ Our Love Song.”

“We would have come to just see him,” said Carlie Dumais, 15, of Buffalo. Carlie and her mom, Merrie Dumais, 44, just saw Carroll four days ago in Nashville.

After Carroll geared the audience up for the main event, Underwood rose from a trap door with glitz and glam, and her fans made it clear they were there to hear the former “American Idol” winner sing their favorite songs.

Underwood’s energy was up from the start, and she even took time to autograph a sign made by Jordan Whitman, 8, of Orwell.

Along with three costume changes, Underwood took time to speak to the Youngstown crowd during her set, saying: “I don’t know how much you guys know about me, but I love to sing.”

Underwood’s performance was entertaining, endearing — and she didn’t forget to take a moment to thank her fans for all of their support.