Freckle-faced Ayla Allen, 9, of Brewer had a night to remember Friday during the Rascal Flatts concert at the Bangor Auditorium.

As an early birthday surprise, Ayla’s grandmother, Alicia Allen, of Brewer gave her a backstage pass to meet the performers at Country Music Television’s “Most Wanted Live Tour.” For the little girl who listens to Rascal Flatts every night and sang and danced in the aisle their songs, getting autographs and meeting the band was something to talk about.

“They were really cool,” Ayla said. And she will have further bragging rights as Rascal Flatts’ lead singer Gary Levox kissed her on the cheek.

“He kept calling me cutie pie,” she said. Ayla and her mom, Marcy Allen, also shared a story about their favorite Rascal Flatts song, “Prayin’ for Daylight.” Ayla’s 3-year-old twin brothers, Evan and Trevor, were born with a rare blood disease called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. “Prayin’ for Daylight” had just been released during one of the twin’s hospital stays in Boston, Marcy Allen said.

“I was staying at the Ronald McDonald House there at the time,” she said. “If you prayed for daylight and daylight came with no phone calls, then your babies were okay.”

Ayla then changed gears and held up her right hand, explaining that opener Chris Cagle had touched it.

Cagle thrilled the audience when he played his hit song “Chicks Dig It.” And although women were disappointed that Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney didn’t show his buttocks as he does in the group’s newest music video, the sell-out crowd was on its feet proving that it wasn’t only the women in the audience that dug the tunes of Cagle and Brian McComas and headliner Rascal Flatts. McComas, an up-and-coming country performer with his hit-single “99.9% Sure (I’ve Never Been Here Before),” gave an excellent performance despite not feeling well.

“My throat has felt like junk today,” he told the audience. “But I wouldn’t miss this.” By the end of McComas’ set, the audience was on its feet and ready for more.

And more is what they got as Cagle and his band took the stage opening with “Laredo.” Some audience members complained when Cagle requested that people be allowed to come to the edge of the stage.

“Let’s all just have a party and love one another,” he said. And although it was great for those who didn’t have front-row seats, people who had purchased floor tickets complained that they couldn’t see. After Cagle’s set, event staff asked audience members who had gone to the edge of the stage to return to their seats.

After a quick set change, Rascal Flatts took the stage, which had been transformed to a cityscape where the band played from an apartment building rooftop.

The group treated the audience to hits such as “I Melt” and “I Love to Love You Out Loud,” before taking it down a notch.

As the rooftop was transformed into a Nashville street scene, the very street on which the boys first started playing together, a blue grand piano was rolled out.

Jay DeMarcus traded his bass for a piano stool and the group proceeded to play a series of familiar tunes, such as Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” followed by a medley of songs from their first and second albums.

The playful attitude of the band members was entertaining and kept the energy level up throughout the performance.

As people were once again allowed to go to the edge of the stage, Rascal Flatts ended the show with “Prayin’ For Daylight.” But the audience wasn’t done with the country boys yet.

Thunderous applause called for an encore that was perhaps the most energetic performance of the night.