Eddie Montgomery & Troy Gentry/ Associated Press photo

It isn't easy competing against the Oscars (the only hint of surprise was another Meryl Streep win) and the NBA All-Star Game (it went down to the final shot). But Montgomery Gentry drew nearly 2,000 country fans to Mystic Lake Casino Sunday night.

It was the kind of performance that reminds you that Montgomery Gentry should stick to the supporting act category, not leading, er, headlining.

In their crowd-pleasing 90-minute set, Montgomery Gentry came across as a second-rate Brooks & Dunn. Troy Gentry showed an alluring tenor and handsome looks (think Donny Osmond on steroids or maybe Howie Long with dark hair) but his partner, Eddie Montgomery, proved to be little more than a big cheerleader with a big-brimmed hat, big belly and big red-and-black cowboy boots. The blowhard's gruff voice was ineffective musically (read often flat). But he gave several shout-outs to U.S. troops and consistently encouraged the crowd to party even though he knew this was a booze-free casino.

Besides Montgomery's voice, what keeps Montgomery Gentry as a second-tier duo is their simple-minded material. Almost all the rockers have the same dynamics — a loud kick drum, a stomping beat and harmony guitars. Too many songs have a variation on the same message — pride (with none of, say, Toby Keith's sense of humor). And most of the ballads are forgettable, save for "Roll with Me," a big pop blast.

To be sure, several MG hits brought the fans to their feet, including "Where I Come From," "What Do You Think About That," "No Law Against That," the sing-along "Hell Yeah," "One in Every Crowd" (yes, some dude in my row took his shirt off, as the song suggests) and "Gone," which featured Gentry's most soulful vocalizing.

Congrats to the couple in the row in front of me; he handed her a diamond during "Something To Be Proud Of." Judging by her reaction, she said "Yes."

Here is Montgomery Gentry's set list from Mystic Lake:

So Called Life/ Back When I Knew It All/ Couldn't Change Me/ Ever Stop Loving Me/ Something To Be Proud Of/ Hillbilly Shoes/ Speed/ Rebels on the Run/ Damn Right I Am/ Where I Come From/ Tattoos and Scars/ What Do You Think About That/ Hell Yeah/ Lucky Man/ Roll with Me/ Work Hard Play Harder/ My Town ENCORE One in Every Crowd/ Gone