Concert review: No surprises, but still plenty of fun at Rascal Flatts show

For the sixth consecutive year, Rascal Flatts played a big-time concert in the Twin Cities in the late summer/early fall. For the second straight year, Rascal Flatts had the hottest country star of the moment as an opening act (Taylor Swift last year, Darius Rucker this). For the first time, Rascal Flatts was caught offguard by the reaction of their usually worshipful audience.

Twice, actually, on Saturday at sold-out Xcel Energy Center.

First, when bassist/pianist Jay DeMarcus mentioned that country's biggest group of the '00s was going to do a song from the Hannah Montana movie, some of the 14,000 fans booed. He was taken aback. After all, Rascal Flatts -- not Hannah (Miley Cyrus), the Jonas Brothers or Hilary Duff -- are the most successful Disney music recording act of all time.

"There's no reason to boo 'cause we were in it [the movie]," DeMarcus scolded. "I don't know if you know, but I actually won an Oscar for the portrayal of myself. An Oscar Meyer Wiener." His humor helped convince the fans to sing along with the "Hannah" song, "Backwards," about country clichés being reversed.

Just two songs later, lead singer Gary LeVox got a little miffed when he asked the crowd to join in on "American Living," a brand new song. "Oh, that's pitiful," he said of the tepid sing-along response.

Well, at least Saturday afforded Rascal Flatts a rare chance to be spontaneous. Their high-tech, highly choreographed, slicker-than-LeVox's hair-product show was fun but predictable and pro forma. The only time LeVox got fired up vocally was on "Take Me There." Rucker ignited Flatts on the encore when he belted "Hold My Hand" (his hit with Hootie & the Blowfish) with the star trio on lovely harmonies. Then Rucker and LeVox traded lead vocals on a spirited rendition of "Life Is a Highway," the old Tom Cochrane rock hit that Flatts reworked into a country favorite in the Disney movie "Cars."

That was the only cover that connected. An encore of the Beatles' "Revolution" lacked sparks, and LeVox doing Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" was a flat capper to an unexpectedly creepy segment. Remember, Rascal Flatts play Disney country music (safe, sentimental, sometimes sweet, often sappy) but after LeVox invited a young girl in Ugg boots (who looked to be about 6) onstage to pose for "an album cover photo" and then ride on the bus with them, she returned to her parents; LeVox next turned to "I Melt," the trio's hit ballad, accompanied on a giant screen by its steamy video clip, complete with bedroom and shower scenes for the eyes of a PG-13 audience. Then he sang "Let's Get It On." What were these guys thinking?

Rucker, who fronted one of the biggest pop bands of the 1990s, showed better taste when he did a really southern, really soulful reading of Prince's "Purple Rain" (it might have been nice to acknowledge he was in Prince's hometown in the same way he gave shout-outs to Vikings Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre). Rucker was convincing on his own country tunes as well as covers of Hank Williams Jr's "Family Tradition" and a mandolin-tinged treatment of Hootie's "Only want to Be with You."

For a set list, go to www.startribune.com/poplife

Jon Bream • 612-673-1719