Gretchen Wilson throws heckuva party at USANA

GRETCHEN WILSON, BLAINE LARSEN, RIVERS RUTHERFORD, USANA Amphitheatre, West Valley City, Saturday

WEST VALLEY CITY — Salt Lake City hosted a redneck revolution Saturday night as Gretchen Wilson kicked off USANA Amphitheatre's 2006 summer concert season.

The open-air venue rocked for more than three hours to country, jazz, bluegrass and even rock 'n' roll, starting with a singer who is better known for his song-writing skills, Rivers Rutherford.

Most country fans will recognize Rutherford's songs — such as "When I Get Where I'm Going," which was sung by Brad Paisley — but may not be familiar with his voice. But hearing a song from the man who wrote it gives it deeper meaning. Even the way he cradled his guitar showed Rutherford's passion for music.

Next onstage was up-and-coming country artist Blaine Larsen, whose second album, "Rockin' You Tonight," is scheduled to hit stores June 13. Fans got a preview of the album's new songs "Spoken Like a Man" and "They Don't Grow Enough Roses."

Larsen knows how to work a crowd. After his third song, he had audience members on their feet singing along, and one couple in the front row was dancing in the aisle. Adding to his audience appeal, after playing his newest single, "I Don't Know What She Said," Larsen bent down to give his guitar pick to a little girl.

Then came the moment the crowd was waiting for — the redneck woman herself.

Gretchen Wilson's performance actually began without her; all the audience could see was a black curtain covering the stage and videos of Wilson playing on the screens on either side. As the anticipation built, the curtain fell . . . and still, Wilson was nowhere in sight.

Then, from behind the stone pillars and white cubes on the stage, she strolled out singing "I'm Here for the Party" at the top of her lungs. The crowd was up, dancing around and singing along.

Wilson's stage presence went beyond engaging; she flirted with the audience. From the way she stood, leaning to the front of the stage, to the way she'd smile and flip her hair, Wilson drew the crowd in like they were in her back yard instead of a 20,000-seat amphitheatre.

And her song list showed she knows how to keep audience attention once she gets it. Wilson mixed up her country with some jazz, a few ballads, and most memorably, covers of Heart's "Barracuda" and Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog."

She saved her hit single "Redneck Woman" for the finale, keeping fans singing along and dancing until the lights came on.

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E-mail: jcloward@desnews.com