A cartoon road stretched behind Alan Jackson and his Strayhorns Friday night at the Delta Center. On a scrim behind the singer and his band, there was a mural of a country freeway lined with billboards pasted with phrases like "Austin, TX. Home of the Largest Swine" and "Punxsutawney Phil."
This was Jackson's first concert in Utah in two years and his last concert of 1999.Jackson's style was all about simplicity. He was there to sing, entertain and take his listeners down that musical path of past hits that made him great and old covers that inspired him to pick up a guitar. This would explain why, for this show, he had chosen an image of a road as a backdrop.
His set was full of the songs that everybody loves -- "Gone Country," "Right on the Money," "Here in the Real World," "Livin' on Love," "Don't Rock The Jukebox," "Gone Crazy," "Summertime Blues," "Little Man," "I'll Go On Lovin' You," "Little Bitty" and "Who's Cheatin' Who." And most everyone knew every word.
Jackson also tossed in Hank Williams Jr.'s "A Blues Man" and Nat Stuckey's "Pop A Top," both from his new album, "Under the Influence."
These, he said, were songs that he sang a lot in bars when he was just beginning as a country act.
As the concert came to a close, Jackson finished with "Chattahoochee" and "Midnight in Montgomery," which were followed by the one and only encore number, "Mercury Blues."
With any good concert, there is a sponsor, and this one belonged to Ford.
"I'm gonna do a little something different with this last verse," Jackson began as he and the Strayhorns came to the end of the song. "I'm gonna buy me a Ford Truck . . . " Jackson sang as the crowd whistled and howled and belted out right along with him.
What a plug, and what a prince.
Alan Jackson also shared his wealth with opening acts Montgomery Gentry and newcomer Andy Griggs.
Griggs' act showed promise and spunk but was somewhat more mellow than what the audience wanted. His band is made up of young bucks who appear to have matriculated from the school of pop-country rather than the traditional style associated with Jackson.
They sprayed their musk, left the stage, and although Griggs and the boys received loud applause, it was quiet in comparison with the noise that followed with Montgomery Gentry.
Montgomery Gentry came on looking like outlaws, stomping their feet and appearing as if they had fallen out of a bar brawl.
However, despite their "in-your-face" class of country roaring, Montgomery Gentry served its purpose as a hype band warming everyone up for the comfortable and friendly Jackson.