Taking in vaudeville, cabaret, rock, rap and metal, Kid Rock put on a performance straight out of a strip-show revival. As ringleader of party central, Rock presented his straight-out-of-Las-Vegas, trailer-park chic world, complete with buxom dancers, American flags and fireworks.

Kid Rock in concert, 11/1/99 photo by Glenn Emerstone © NY Rock

Combining the best and worst of Americana, with a style that was tongue-in-cheek yet seriously delivered, Kid Rock provided the goods, living up to the hype and posturing of recent cover stories for the likes of Spin and Rolling Stone magazines.

As the outspoken king of bad-boy rock/rap, the message was loud and clear, to party hardy with a smile and "not take shit from anyone," a message that was taken in earnest by the mostly teenage crowd in attendance at the New York City venue.

Descending upon the stage in his trademark '70s pimp garb of white fur, hat and cane, like Superfly, cocksure and grinning, Kid Rock quickly got down to business with opener "Welcome 2 the Party." Part frat-boy lullaby and battle cry, the song was a call to arms, and joints for that matter.

With a five-piece backup band on the bluesy "I Got One for Ya," Kid Rock donned the electric guitar for some tasty licks, providing talent beyond the mouth and, incidentally, dedicating the song to Hank Williams, Jr.

Creedence Clearwater's "Fortunate Son" followed and bled into Grand Funk's "We're an American Band," showcasing the band's '70s roots. The trashy, mean and funked-up "Fist of Rage" was followed by the cowpoke slacker anthems of "Cowboy" and "Wasting Time."

The obligatory evening encore, "Bawitdaba," had Kid moving from instrument to instrument displaying his talents and musical acumen on guitar, keyboards, drums and turntables. Rock acted as conductor Kid Maestro, orchestrating the band's finale with his back to the audience and drum sticks as batons ordering up the beats, piercing guitar solos and drum rolls.

December 1999