Tim McGraw got close to the fans at the Grandstand

Star Tribune photos by Kyndell Harkness

Saturday night live concerts mean early deadlines for the Star Tribune. So some readers of the Metro edition of the paper may have received the early version (mid-concert) of my review (if there wasn't anything about opening act Julianne Hough, you got the first version). Others received the late review, written after the concert. For McGraw, this was a post-Southern Voice Tour gig, meaning a no-frills production. Explained the superstar: "We don't [bs], we just play music." That's what he and the Dancehall Doctors did for 95 minutes. The set might have seemed a bit short (it was about the same length as a similar no-frills show to inaugurate the new 3,000-seat events center at Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing in 2008) but the sell-out crowd of 13,240 liked it, they loved it, they would have welcomed more of it (like Don't Take the Girl). Acutely aware of where he was performing, McGraw mentioned "Vikings country" at the end of Where the Green Grass Grows. He pledged allegiance to his homestate New Orleans Saints and then acknowledged that he's been a "pretty big fan of No.4 my whole life," referring to his now-buddy Brett Favre (to whom he dedicated a tune). McGraw is clearly a fan, as well, of Jackson Browne (Tim's Sing Me Home echoed a Browne ditty) and Bruce Springsteen (Tim's preacher-like intro to Things Change sounded like it was copped from a Boss concert). At least in Southern Voice, McGraw name-checked many of his influences, including Chuck Berry and Tom Petty (whose sounds could be heard in the song). As for Hough, the 22-year-old dancing queen looked like Kelly Ripa (with honey hair; it's no longer brassy blonde) trying to become Shania Twain. The perky, pretty newcomer had a Reba-like break in her voice but it was a wisp of a voice (with a curious Southern accent for a Utah native now living in Los Angeles) that was as anonymous as her songs. Carrying on for 55 minutes was probably twice as long as we needed from Hough. The 13.240 fans could have used more from the hunk and less from the hottie. Here is McGraw's grandstand set list: Real Good Man/ Last Dollar/ Where the Green Grass Grows/ Let It Go/ She's My Kind of Rain/ Back When/ Just to See You Smile/ Still/ Down on the Farm/ Everybody Hates Me/ Indian Outlaw (dedicated to Favre) / Tiny Dancer (Elton John)/ It Felt Good on My Lips/ Things Change/ I Like It, I Love It/ BBQ Stain/ Southern Voice ENCORE Sing Me Home/ Angel Boy/ Live Like You Were Dying/ Cowboy in Me

Julianne Hough came to the State Fair to dance and sing