The chance to tour with Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for David Kersh.

Kersh, one of country music's most explosive performers, is winning rave reviews as the opening act for the high-octane show, which also includes Terri Clark.

Kersh, along with Clark, McEntire and Brooks & Dunn, will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College.

"It's going incredibly well," Kersh said. "It's an absolute dream tour. There's no better possible tour I could imagine being on.

"I have the opportunity to be out in front of thousands and thousands of fans every time I take the stage. You can't ask for more than that."

Kersh said he packs an hour of energy into his 22-minute set.

"I would like to have about 35 or 45 minutes," said Kersh, 27. "But with a 22-minute set, the opportunity is there for us to just come out and kick butt and leave. We get standing ovations every night, and that's really cool."

Kersh is best known for the hit ballads "Goodnight, Sweetheart" and "Another You." And because of that, many fans who've never seen him perform are shocked by his no-holds-barred live show.

"They don't expect me to come out and move around real well and work the crowd as I do," said Kersh, a native of Humble, Texas. "That's always been a challenge to me and I meet it head-on every night.

"Hopefully, I am blowing some people's minds and shocking a few folks and making them stop and take notice. I've got to do something special like that to make an impression, because look who I'm there with.

"They could easily forget who the opening act was, and I never let that happen."

Kersh said the reason he landed a spot on the tour is because McEntire is a fan of his.

"She had never seen me perform, but she likes my music," Kersh said. "She sent some of her people out to see my show, and they were happy about it."

When Kersh joined the Reba tour in July, his set included a rock 'n roll segment, at Reba's request. However, he recently took it out.

"Now, we're doing all David Kersh songs," he said. "We open with our brand new single, 'Something To Think About.' We do all of our hits except 'Wonderful Tonight.'"

Kersh said he closes his show with "Boys Will Be Boys," a fast-mover from his debut album.

"The crowd really gets into it. They go crazy and it's a great way to close my show."

There's no way to measure the benefits of performing with McEntire and Brooks & Dunn, Kersh said. "Reba and Brooks and Dunn are incredible performers and entertainers. She's the ultimate.

"Just being tied in with this show makes people take notice."