Martina McBride wails at the X/ Star Tribune photo by Marlin Levison

There was not room in my review of George Strait's Cowboy Rides Away Tour to discuss Martina McBride's opening 70-minute set.

She proved once again that she has powerful pipes, great restraint and one of the prettiest and best female voices in Nashville. Her material was not as consistently impressive as her voice. (Do we need to hear rote covers of "Rose Garden" and "King of the Road"? The latter is hardly a woman's song.) But she conquered the crowd with "Broken Wing," which earned a standing ovation, and "Independence Day," which fired up the fans and the singer.

As for Strait, he was more chatty, more smiley and even more animated than usual.

Here is Strait's set list:

Here for a Good Time/ Ocean Front Property/ Check Yes or No/ I Saw God Today/ Drinkin Man/ A Showman's Life/ Love's Gonna Make It Alright/ Arkansas Dave/ with Martina McBride: Jackson (John Cash/June Carter)/ Golden Ring (George Jones/Tammy Wynette)/ Blame It on Mexico/ Her Goodbye Hit Me in the Heart/ 80 Proof Bottle of Tear Stopper/ Honky Tonk Crazy/ Marina Del Rey/ A Fire I Can't Put Out/ The Chair/ River of Love/ How Bout Them Cowgirls/ Stars on the Water/ Give It Away/ Living for the Night/ Amarillo by Morning/ Give It All We Got Tonight/ I'll Always Remember You/ ??? ENCORE All My Ex's Live in Texas/ Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)/ The Cowboy Rides Away