But the attire was appropriate. Strait's music unabashedly celebrates such aesthetics and, often without sinking into cliche, charmingly extols elements of heartland living.

Dressed in a crisp blue-plaid shirt, jeans and his signature black cowboy hat, Strait, who looks much slighter in person than he does in promo shots, opened with "Honk if You Honky Tonk," a rowdy crowd-pleaser. The 55-year-old performer and his fine 11-piece Ace in the Hole Band appeared on a square stage in the middle of the arena floor. It was an in-the-round configuration that included four microphone stands at strategic points, allowing Strait to sing for different parts of the house as his every move was caught on overhead screens.

Each song (Strait sang more than 20 hits) breezed by. Strait and his band didn't exactly rush through the numbers, but they didn't allow much room for embellishments or improvisations. They stuck closely to arrangements heard on the albums, which Strait fans undoubtedly appreciate.

The set was well-paced, with defiant, swaggering tunes such as "Ocean Front Property," "I Hate Everything" and "Run" upfront. Midway, Strait delved tenderly into matters of an aching heart, his velvet-and-leather voice giving gravity to "She'll Leave You With a Smile" and "I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore." Then, he smoothly segued into songs extolling his Southern roots. During "Texas," a tune that sounds like a commercial for the state, images of the Dallas Cowboys and the state flag flashed across the overhead screens.

After a lengthy run of old hits, Strait performed two prime cuts from his latest album, Troubadour, released last week. The title track and the slightly drippy ballad "I Saw God Today" sounded much like the past hits. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The country star radiated an easy, neighborly charm, and the crowd was ecstatic the entire time. After each number, he tipped his hat, flashed a handsome grin and mouthed "thank you." The gestures seemed sincere each time.