To fervent fans at Hilton, Brooks & Dunn are No. 1

Leah Robinson

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002 | 8:30 a.m.

She walked in embarrassingly late to the Brooks & Dunn concert Tuesday, but the woman in a fur-trimmed coat was about to become even more embarrassed.

"You missed a good opening," Kix Brooks said as he sat on the stage's edge at the Hilton Theatre.

With the spotlight shining on her, the woman smiled and laughed as Brooks lightheartedly questioned her time management.

"Were ya' gambling? Well, we'll get you up to speed," he said, encapsulating what the rest of the audience already knew. It was a good opening, all Brooks & Dunn, with no opening act to delay the gratification.

They spun around from behind a huge American flag, which was hung in place by two mirror-encrusted steer skulls, while singing a recent hit, "Only in America."

Red, white and blue confetti was blasted over the crowd while four U.S. Marines marched onstage to fold Old Glory. The song energized the sold-out crowd of about 1,800 -- many of whom were rodeo fans and participants.

Each of Brooks & Dunn's three shows at the Hilton started at 10:30 p.m. to accommodate rodeo-goers. The country hit-making duo delivered nothing but chart toppers during the hour-and-a-half concert, bringing fans to their feet more than once for favorites such as "My Maria," "Boot Scootin' Boogie" and "Rock My World (Little County Girl)."

Ronnie Dunn's melodic, honky-tonk voice sounded pure all night. His masterful range on "My Maria" was a pleasure to hear, highlighting why some consider his to be one of the best voices in country music.

Dressed appropriately in a black velvet shirt, black jeans and black crocodile-skin boots, Dunn was at ease onstage every moment. Frequently he signed a cowboy hat or album cover for a fan midsong, but never lost his focus.

In fact, both Brooks and Dunn seemed to relish the audience participation. With no burly security teams flanking the stage, fans were free at any time to take pictures, toss handmade gifts to the duo or get an autograph.

Brooks, too, loved engaging the crowd, once even popping open a Coors (the concert's sponsor) and giving it to a woman in the front row. Those antics are typical of Brooks, considered the comedian of the pair and whose onstage verve contrasts with Dunn's cool persona.

However, Brooks, dressed in a silver-studded black leather coat, Wrangler jeans, black boots and his signature black cowboy hat, showed he could carry off a soulful ballad, too. With "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone," Brooks paid tribute to late NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt (who eerily resembles Brooks). Earnhardt was killed in 2001 after slamming into the wall at the Daytona 500.

Dunn also shone singing "The Long Goodbye." It was one of the few times he put down his guitar and simply sung. Brooks' command of the harmonica during "Boot Scootin' Boogie" was also impressive.

For an encore, the pair choose a vintage hit, "Hard Workin' Man," which brought down the house -- literally -- as adventurous fans walked down front from their seats creating a floor show atmosphere.

Brooks and Dunn threw out guitar picks and a seemingly endless supply of drumsticks that Dunn was using to beat a cowbell.

In turn, Brooks later threw out his signature black cowboy hat -- something he is rarely seen without -- aiming it at least in the direction of the late-arriving woman with the fur-trimmed coat.