More than 8,000 country music fans sent Tim McGraw out with a bang Saturday night as he finished up his summer tour at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. He also gave a hint of what the future brings, playing the first single from his eighth album, due out November 26th.

McGraw claims that the next album will be “the best damn record we’ve ever made.” That will be a challenge considering he’s released 18 number-one hits since his debut album in 1993.

The Warren Brothers warmed up the crowd with eight feel-good songs and a hint of humor for the crowd that was obviously more interested in seeing McGraw.

“I just want to thank these security guys for keeping people from attacking us,” said Brett Warren, referring to the eight guards and the largely subdued crowd.

The blood was flowing by their seventh tune – a song called “Guilty” about a man’s ongoing denial that he needs a female presence in his life. They closed out their act with an impressive cover of the widely popular “Drift Away,” originally made popular by Dobie Gray.

The crowd flipped a switch and energy was immediately apparent as McGraw took the stage with a host of elaborate lighting.

What followed was hit after hit, including former number-one hits “Down on the Farm,” “Everywhere,” “Something Like That” and the fiddle-featuring “Indian Outlaw.”

McGraw mixed the hard-hitting honky-tonk with a variety of ballads including “Grown Men Don’t Cry” and “Cowboy In Me” from his 2001 release “Set This Circus Down.”

Sporting hair down to his shoulders and a black leather cowboy hat, McGraw churned out 13 tunes, closing with “Where The Green Grass Grows.” As the crowd roared to finish up the set, McGraw said the cheering crowds are the reason he plays music.

“That and the chicks,” joked McGraw, who is married to fellow country superstar Faith Hill. “It worked for me.”

McGraw jumped right back in with the addictive “Red Ragtop,” a song that deals with a young man’s memories with his girl and his car, also the first single off his forthcoming album.

The crowd’s roar reached new heights as McGraw played his hit “I Like It, I Love It,” which spent five weeks at number one in 1995.

After playing “Set This Circus Down,” he left the stage to a roar from the crowd and after a 35-second ovation, returned to finish out the show with “Angel Boy” and “Cowboy In Me.”

McGraw kept the crowd excited all night as he played 19 songs during the 90-minute show.

As McGraw’s band, the Dancehall Doctors, continued the beat to “Cowboy In Me,” McGraw took a swig of beer and signed several autographs for fans in front of the stage.

After leaving a second time, he came back shirtless to throw his tank top to the crowd, obviously impressing the ladies in the audience.

“I loved that,” said Jackie Cyrzan, a freshman in pre-journalism and mass communication from Waterloo.

Nate Meier, junior in agricultural business from La Porte City, and Cyrzan both said they enjoyed the show and its atmosphere.

“I always like it when they kind of silent it out and [the crowd’s] singing,” Cyrzan said. “I think that’s pretty cool.”

Overall, the two said the show was pumped up from beginning to end.

“It was pretty energetic,” Cyrzan said. “It was a good crowd. They stood up the whole time.”

Meier was much less enthusiastic about the half-dressed performer, but said it was a great show overall.

“It was all good,” he said.