Kenny Chesney: A cool drink for thirsty fans at Qwest Field

Kenny Chesney fans — many of them women — arrived at Qwest Field as early as noon Saturday for the Sun City Carnival Tour, though doors for the concert venue didn't open until 3 p.m. Concertgoers were encouraged to cool their heels and quench their thirst at the indoor Sexy Tractor Lounge — or outside at the Tailgate Troubadours party, which Chesney plugs on his Web site.

Does anyone see a theme here? The show may have been billed as a carnival, but it was more akin to a frat party, with plenty of reminders about the Corona sponsorship.

Chesney is a solid entertainer — a top earner on the tour circuit. He treated fans who filled three-quarters of Qwest Field to more than 20 tunes over the course of nearly two hours.

The singer-songwriter is at his best when he breaks it down a little, and goes nearly acoustic. Halfway through the set, he brought country legend Mac McAnally to the forefront for "Down the Road," a sweet country tune about falling in love and a parent's worry that the beloved is the right one for their kin. The sight of five guys — including Chesney — on guitars just made the tune and a few subsequent ones, including "Me and You," authentic. Plus it's the perfect way to hear Chesney's smooth, easy and, OK, even sexy country voice.

On the flip side, when Chesney performed upbeat hits like "Out Last Night," "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" and "Keg in the Closet," he appears frantic. He constantly shifts, looking left and right in an effort to please the masses. Even his hand gestures seem forced. Sure Chesney looked happy, but his mellower side is easier on the eyes and ears on the slower tracks.

Despite his star power, Chesney is a generous performer. He shared the stage all night with his bandmates, allowing solos for guitar and horn players and front-and-center time with bandmate Drummie Zeb of the Wailers.

Chesney and his country counterparts showed Saturday night how country continues to blur the lines a bit and cross over into rock and even pop music. As part of his encore, he took a stab at "The Joker" by the Steve Miller Band and U2's "With or Without You." Earlier in the day, Miranda Lambert covered Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll" while Sugarland performed Pearl Jam's "Better Man."

This was Sugarland's second show after having to cancel a few recent performances on the Chesney tour due to vocal fatigue. Lead singer Jennifer Nettles showed no fatigue vocally or otherwise, and spent the set in high energy mode with bandmate Kristian Bush. The duo was the most polished of the opening acts, and treated fans to "It Happens" and "Something More." Lady Antebellum and Montgomery Gentry were also among the openers.