Live

Kid Rock

What was preconceived to be a night full of mullets and wife-beaters turned out to be the total opposite. Rockers, bikers and cowboys of all ages bulldozed through the gates of Casino del Sol's AVA Thursday night for Kid "Motherfuckin'" Rock.

During his first Tucson appearance in more than five years, Rock pulled out all of the rock clichés for his two-hour performance. After DJ Dime introduced all members of the Twisted Brown Trucker Band, a huge pyro explosion brought Rock onto the stage to kick off the show.

"Hank Williams told me that there's no swearing in country songs," Rock told the hyped crowd. "Well, this is a rock song," finished Rock, before kicking into "You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me," which featured a jam of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird."

Dancers at each end of the stage joined the circus during "Devil Without a Cause." Rock kneeled while a backdrop appeared bearing the image of Joe C., Rock's partner in crime who passed away in 2000. Joe's voice played over the sound system, but the crowd belted out the famous last line, "3-foot-9 with a 10-foot dick."

After strapping on a Flying-V guitar, Rock and band rolled into "Jackson, Mississippi." TBT's guitarists, Kenny Olson and Jason Krause, traded off solos, which included a version of Van Halen's "Eruption" that would satisfy even the massive ego of Eddie himself.

Throughout the night, Rock and TBT performed many covers of their musical influences; AC/DC's "Back in Black" and Queen's "We Will Rock You" were played during song breaks. An updated cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love" featured Rock's dancers demonstrating positions of how they felt like making love.

TBT drummer Stefanie Eulinberg substituted beautifully for Sheryl Crow during Rock's country duet "Picture."

Showing off his musical versatility, Rock was all over the place during the performance. He jammed on guitar and slide-guitar, blasted some ferocious drum beats and scratched records as if he were Jam Master Jay before the encore.

"I make no excuses, but it's dry as fuck here," Rock announced after going silent on "Only God Knows Why."

Rock's breakthrough cut, "Bawitdaba," ended one of the most surprisingly entertaining performances around here in recent memory.