Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 3, 1993 TAG: 9312030208
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: EXTRA-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He began his concert Thursday night at the Salem Civic Center with a new song, "Throwin' Stones," that had a promising and playful groove to it.
Then he followed with two of his better songs, "She's Not Crying Anymore" and "Wher'm I Gonna Live," from his first album. He played both pretty straight, other than a butt-wiggle here or there.
The first real low came next with a dreadful version of a good song, Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'. The sneaker-wearing Cyrus should lose this one.
He showed his vocal shortcomings on "Somebody New," a ballad where his voice seemed to disappear when he went for the low notes. Cyrus had trouble with the low end all night.
He is not a strong singer. He is more of a growler.
Cyrus teased the audience of 5,513 throughout the first half of the show with false starts at taking off his top shirt to expose his muscle shirt and the muscles below.
There was plenty of whooping in response.
"Now what would you think if I stood up and shouted for you to take your shirt off?" Cyrus teased at one point, milking the silliness for all it was worth.
Of course, the crowd went bonkers when he finally did ditch the shirt and launch into his signature song, "Achy Breaky Heart," which he milked with equal vigor.
Cyrus let the audience do the singing the first time around, then he climbed aboard a platform hanging out above the seats and did the song his way with his jiggles and his "Achy Breaky" steps.
The routine naturally proved to be a real crowd-pleaser.
Another up in his 90-minute show was a simple and somber acoustic take on "When I'm Gone," although he detracted from it by playing through the song with a string of bras that had been tied together and left on stage.
Cyrus also fared well on some of his heavier, down-and-dirty songs that better fit his growling vocals. These included "Ain't Your Dog No More" and "Talk Some."
Toby Keith, another of the new nondescript, country-rock country hunks of Nashville, opened Thursday's concert.
Like so many opening acts in country music - and some of the headliners - the newcomer Keith was adequate, but nothing special or particularly distinctive.
He had enough hunk appeal to solicit some interest among the women - a prerequisite of today's mediocre country.
His songs were catchy enough, but that's where it ended.
Keith split his 40-minute set between predictable middle- of-the-road ballads and more hard-driving material that flirted with Southern rock - also a trademark of mediocre country.
Vocally, Keith again was adequate, but average.
The best of his offerings was "A Little Less Talk (And A Lot More Action)." The worst was an uninspired cover of Bob Seger's tired on-the-road cliche, "Turn The Page."
Ho-hum.
Let's hope Nashville soon stops playing it so safe and offers up something a little more original.
by CNB