On Saturday, Feb. 6, it was 50 degrees and storming all day, but that didn’t stop fans from showing up to the first of 14 Mardi Gras concerts at Universal Studios Orlando. Fans were packed in the courtyard of Universal in hopes of staying dry while attending Hunter Hayes’ concert. Before the concert began, there was a Mardi Gras parade full of purple, yellow and gold beads, elaborate floats and even Cajun cuisine such as beignets and jambalaya.

   Around 8:30 P.M. the crowds were screaming at the top of their lungs waiting for Hayes to begin his performance. He began with a crowd favorite, “Tattoo,” keeping fans singing along through the entirety of the song. Hayes sang both old and new songs such as “Somebody’s Heartbreak” from his first album release to “Suitcase,” which Hayes recently recorded in 2015 with Lady Antebellum.

  He was able to keep the crowd involved during his entire performance, walking into the pit, high fiving and even taking selfies with ecstatic fans. Hayes gave his country roots a bit of a pop twist by singing Walk the Moon’s hit, “Shut Up and Dance.” As the night was winding down, Hayes went back to his own songs, leaving his two most famous one for the end. He sang “Wanted” and “I Want Crazy,” keeping fans singing along until the very last note.

   If you aren’t a fan of country music or didn’t know there are concerts at Universal, don’t worry—there are still 13 more concerts to choose from! The Mardi Gras concerts are on Saturday and Sunday nights from Feb. 13 through April 16. The bands performing range from pop and rap to alternative to R&B. Some of the headline artists at Mardi Gras are Fall Out Boy on Feb. 27, The Fray on March 12, T-Pain on April 2 and Jessie J on April 9. Be sure to come to one of concerts at Universal with friends or family while enjoying some authentic food! For full list of all of this year’s performances, go to: https://www.universalorlando.com/Events/Mardi-Gras/Live-Concerts.aspx!