"I know what my fans want," Dierks Bentley insists, "a kick-ass show, an affordable ticket and a good parking lot scene to get the pre-gaming going!" 

Let the pre-games begin: Bentley's headlining Riser Tour begins Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will crisscross the country through September. In celebration of the trek, the country star shares with Rolling Stone these exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the road and tour rehearsals, along with photo captions in his own words.

"The Riser Tour is something I've been looking forward to my whole life," he says. "For me, going really big means starting really small — just our band leader Dan Hochhalter and me locked in a room for days working on the set list."