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When rising country star Trace Adkins takes the stage, the audience takes notice.  Sure the southerner stands at 6'6 and weighs in at a hefty 250 pounds, but it's his ability to change from soft country ballads to a more contemporary country rock sounds that gets them drawn in.  At Adkins' Chicagoland show in support of his last album "More," he alternated speeds and mixed up the set between that disc, 1997's "Big Time," and his debut "Dreamin' Out Loud." 

He opened the show with one of his standard get on your feet hits "Big Time."  Backed by a seven-piece band, he launched into the equally exciting "There's a Girl in Texas."  The first slow number of the night was his standout hit from the "More" album called "Don't Lie," a tune which speaks of being true to oneself and honest in a relationship.

Another touching ballad came later in the night with the fan favorite "Every Light in the House."  As the house lights turned up, the crowd sang along to every word of this early career hit.  Adkins glowed in genuine sincerity for his fan's appreciation and also shared a bit with the crowd about his humble roots before "Working Man's Wage." Adkins told the crowd how thankful he was to be able to do what he does for a living and he will never forget the closeness of his family and all of his father's financial support in their upbringing no matter how famous he gets.

The only downfall of the evening was Adkins occasional rambling on about a song and not really having an idea of what he wanted to talk about in the back of his mind.  It didn't detract from the music, it just took a bit away from would have been an amazingly tight show.