Monday, Nov. 4, 2002 | 8:34 a.m.
Just before Toby Keith took the stage Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center, his signature bulldog appeared on the big screen, lifting his leg over a picture of Osama bin Laden.
The flag-waving crowd of about 7,000 went wild with anticipation for Keith's No. 1 hit, "The Angry American." The vengeful ballad promises terrorists that the U.S. will put a "boot in your ass" for the Sept. 11 attacks.
The song gained notoriety this year when ABC producers and Peter Jennings, deeming the lyrics too inflammatory, pulled Keith out of the network's Fourth of July special. That move sparked petitions and protest letters to ABC, which stood by its decision.
Keith reserved his trademark song for the end of the show, and the rendition was complete with gold fireworks and red, white and blue confetti. He also had a message for a certain Canadian-born news anchor: "I don't give a damn what Peter Jennings thinks about anything."
And it's that unapologetic persona that fans came to see. As the proverbial cowboy strummer from Oklahoma, Keith, dressed completely in black except for a white cowboy hat, let his lyrics do most of the talking.
The 17-song performance featured a sampling of Keith's many top-10 and No. 1 hits. He sang only one slow love song -- his hit "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You?" -- he then grinned, gave a playful curtsey and said, "That's about as tender as I'm gonna be all night."
Keith's current hit, "Who's Your Daddy?" was a standout performance for both the singer and his band, which featured a talented horn section. The New Orleans-inspired sound, coupled with clever lyrics penned by Keith, combined for an energetic delivery.
Keith's steely cool manner often was punctuated by a childlike grin during his other upbeat feel-good tunes such as "You Ain't Much Fun (Since I Quit Drinking)" and "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action."
The crowd -- sporting numerous cowboy hats and Texas-sized belt buckles -- perked up for the song "Beer for my Horses," a cut from Keith's newest album "Unleashed." The recorded version of this hang-'em-high ditty about cowboy justice features a duet with Willie Nelson, who was not onstage
However, Nelson did inspire a hilarious "bus song" Keith wrote and performed with one of his band mates about life aboard Nelson's tour bus, named Honeysuckle Rose. "I'll Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again" poked fun at the pony-tailed crooner's penchant for puffing.
But many in the audience clearly were there to see Rascal Flatts, the opening act, just as much as Keith. The trio's stage energy surpassed Keith's, although lead singer Gary LeVox's pleasing tenor voice was a little overpowered by a booming bass.
The band got great response from its newest single, "These Days." The song tells the story of a heartbroken guy whose gal " ... ran off to Vegas" -- causing the crowd to hoot, holler and whistle. Their other big hits, "Movin' On" and "Praying for Daylight" were audience pleasers as well.
Keith didn't leave without a final encore featuring "How Do You Like Me Now?" the smash hit from that album. The bulldog on the big screen had a final word too -- a lifted leg over Peter Jennings' face.
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