More than 700 students flooded the Anderson Student Center Woulfe Alumni Hall Thursday night to see Phillip Phillips, one of St. Thomas Activities and Recreation’s two scheduled fall concerts, perform.

American Idol winner Phillips and his acoustic set partner performed a one-hour set list, including hit songs like “Home,” “Gone, Gone, Gone” and surprised the crowd with covers of hip-hop songs like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.”

Thursday night’s acoustic concert was Assistant Director of Campus Life Krysten Edwards’ first STAR concert.

“I think it went well for a Thursday night,” Edwards said. “From what I’ve heard … I think it was pretty comparable to what we’ve heard in the past and more successful.”

With the line of students starting as early as an hour and a half before the concert, Phillips supporters, like self-proclaimed “super fan” sophomore Nicole Stevens, were excited to see him perform.

“It was phenomenal,” Stevens said. “It was the best moment of my life.”

Freshman Tim Stammeyer said he enjoyed hearing Phillips live and in a small setting.

“He definitely met my expectations. I got to hear my favorite songs. It was awesome,” Stammeyer said.

Freshman Caroline Hutcheson also enjoyed the intimate atmosphere.

“He had such great energy and interacted well with his audience. I had no idea he had such skills on the guitar,” Hutcheson said.

But not everyone loved the entire show.

“Phillip Phillips had a great performance,” freshman Annie Moylan said. “I was bummed that he didn’t play my favorite song of his, ‘Tell Me a Story.’”

Sophomore Bekah Nelson noted Phillips’ talent.

“I do wish that the full band could have been with him, though,” Nelson said.

For Stevens, the concert was well worth the wait after it was cancelled last spring. She said at one point, Phillips looked right at her and sang to her.

“He did, he definitely did,” Stevens said. “No one can deny that.”

The second of the two STAR concerts, country singer Jana Kramer, is set for Wednesday, Dec. 11 in Woulfe Alumni Hall.

Caroline Rode can be reached at rode8318@stthomas.edu.