Nickelback shows flair for gab, rock

NICKELBACK, HINDER, PAPA ROACH, SAVING ABEL, USANA Amphitheatre, Aug. 26

WEST VALLEY CITY — Nickelback lead singer/guitarist Chad Kroeger has the gift of gab.

The man engaged the audience in a few one-sided discussions during his band's set at the USANA Amphitheatre Wednesday night. And, this is no exaggeration, there were times when at least 20 minutes would pass before he or the band played a note of music.

Kroeger talked about Jack Daniels and Coca-Cola, tequila, getting arrested for trying to lift a Motorhead T-shirt when he was a kid and then going and getting stoned at a Metallica concert with his brother.

He also ordered one of his roadies to pour tequila shots into the mouths of waiting fans.

Oh, and he asked the audience how many times he could say the F-word in two hours.

For the record, at least one fan lost count after 30.

Still, the audience didn't mind, because the band played its turbo-charged brand of rock 'n' roll.

The innuendo-laced "Something in Your Mouth" got things started with a literal bang, thanks to the pyrotechnics.

In fact, the pyros were shooting off all night, at least when Kroeger shut up and let the band play.

The fuel-injected "Because of You" and the sentimental-memories anthem "Photograph" displayed the bipolar dynamics of the set.

Kroeger — joined by his bassist brother Mike, drummer Daniel Adair and guitarist Ryan Peake — also offered "Rockstar," "If Today Was Your Last Day" and "Gotta Be Somebody" to the nearly sold-out, party-happy crowd.

The mischievous "Figured You Out" and acoustic versions of "Savin' Me" and "Far Away" were played after Kroeger told a young fan to go have sex.

And in the same lull, Kroeger asked stage hands to throw cups of beer and shoot T-shirts into the audience.

Hinder singer Austin Winkler joined Nickelback on stage for a rousing and loyal version of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," and Kroeger and the boys reached back into their past with "How You Remind Me" and the more recent "Gotta Be Somebody."

The band, which has a devoted fan base because of the down-to-earth image, endeared itself even more with the insightful "If Today Was Your Last Day" and "If Everyone Cared." The latter featured video spotlights of world-renowned political activists such as U2's Bono, Nelson Mandela and Doctors Without Borders.