Lauren Alaina/ Star Tribune photo by Marlin Levison

Too short, too slow and too many covers. Still, I enjoyed Jason Aldean's performance Friday at the sold-out Xcel Energy Center.

Is 80 minutes long enough for a headliner? I think 90 minutes should be the minimum. Granted, Aldean did all his singles but he could have added a couple of non-radio tracks from last year's best-selling "My Kinda Party" or maybe some high-energy covers (we heard too many mellow ones).

As for the pacing, four slowish songs followed by a four-tune acoustic all-covers set, that didn't make sense. As soon as Aldean and opening act Luke Bryan launched into the acoustic duets, there was a steady stream to the rest rooms and beer stands. Alas, beer sales were cut off about the time Aldean hit the stage.

I already gushed about Bryan's opening set in my newspaper review but let's give props to the other opener on this all-Georgia natives bill — Lauren Alaina. Remember, she's just a high school junior but the 17-year-old "American Idol" runnerup from 2011 showed style, confidence and a strong, alluringly raspy voice.

Props, too, to Deejay Silver, who spun songs (on a satellite stage) before Aldean took the stage. It was a smart if obvious mix of winners as he segued from Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places" to Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" was in there along with LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," Brooks & Dunn's "Play Something Country" and AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long."

Here is Aldean's set list:

Johnny Cash/ Crazy Town/ Amarillo Sky/' Big Green Tractor/ Why/ The Truth/ Fly Over States/ acoustic set w Luke Bryan on satellite stage: Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old) (Garth Brooks)/ Sunday in the South (Shenandoah)/ Love in the First Degree (Alabama)/ We Rode in Trucks (Luke Bryan)/ full band: Tattoos on This Town/ Relentless/ Don't You Wanna Stay (with Lauren Alaina)/ My Kinda Party/ She's Country ENCORE Dirt Road Anthem/Hicktown