George Strait got excited at Target Center

Star Tribune photo by Carlos Gonzalez

Four hours of country music. That's what the George Strait/Reba McEntire/ Lee Ann Womack provided Thursday at Target Center. And that's excluding the intermissions. Strait was great, as I stated in my review. (Loved the hi-def screens and camera work.) Reba, who has played many elaborate shows before in Target Center, did not fit comfortably into this no frills in-the-round production. Until, that is, the encore, when a taxi delivered her to the stage, she stepped out in a stunning red sequined dress and did "Fancy." Womack, too, seemed like a fish out of water. Not only did she not have the voice or stage presence to connect in this kind of arena setting but her set list (which included "San Antonio Rose" and a limp "Nightlife") did not project confidence or a clear direction. Strait's set list: Twang/ Oceanfront Property/ Honk If You Honky Tonk/ I Can Still Make Cheyenne/ I Hate Everything/ Wrapped/ Run/ Seashores of Old Mexico (Merle Haggard)/ Check Yes or No/ The Fireman/ Heartland/ Texas/ She'll Leave with a Smile/ Arkansas Dave/ Where Have I Been All My Life/ How Bout Them Cowgirls/The Breath You Take/ River of Love/ The Chair/ I Gotta Get to You/ I Saw God Today/ Amarillo by Morning/ Living for the Night/ Give It Away/ Troubadour/ Unwound ENCORE High Tone Woman/ All My Ex's Live in Texas/ Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)/ Cowboy Rides Away Reba's set list: Can't Even Get the Blues/Fear of Being Alone/ Strange/ the Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia/ Is There Life Out There/ I'll Have What She's Having/ Fallin Out of Love/ I Keep on Lovin You/ Nothing to Lose/ Somebody Should Leave >For My Broken Heart >Does He Love You (with Lee Ann Womack)/ The Greatest Man I Ever Knew/ Consider Me Gone/ I'm a Survivor/ Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)/ Why Haven't I Heard from You/ Turn on Your Radio (which sounded like it should be a Shania Twain song) ENCORE Fancy