Country act ends fair on a good note

Brooks & amp; Dunn's concert at the Canfield Fair was slick in appearance and sounded even better.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
CANFIELD -- Professionalism, patriotism, romance and remembrance were elements of a top-notch concert by Top Ten country music act Brooks & amp; Dunn during the final hours of the 2001 Canfield Fair.
Country music fans packed the grandstands again Monday night for Brooks & amp; Dunn's fourth performance here in the last decade, which practically makes the duo's music the unofficial soundtrack of the fair. Judging by the crowd's reaction, a fifth appearance would be welcomed.
Compact best describes this show. It clocked in at just less than 90 minutes, but it was crammed with new songs from Brooks & amp; Dunn's latest CD, "Steers & amp; Stripes," as well as old favorites. Small talk was at a premium. Audience participation was required. As a result, the pace never sagged.
There were touches from the duo's Neon Circus and Wild West Show tour from earlier this summer, a larger affair that featured four musical acts and street performers providing a carnival-like atmosphere before each concert.
Elaborate effects: This show didn't skimp on the effects, either. Close-up shots of the performers and music videos were shown on three huge video screens. Confetti cannons showered those in the track seats on two occasions. Blue neon lined the risers on which the backup band played, and inflatable props -- everything from a busty, dark-haired country girl to an evil-looking rattlesnake with glowing red eyes -- were part of the mix. Red, white and blue were the dominant colors of the evening.
The slickest part of the show was the music. From the opening strains of "Only in America," the No. 5 song on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles sales chart, Brooks & amp; Dunn treated the crowd to its winning country-rock sound.
Performance: Kix Brooks, wearing a bright royal blue western shirt and blue jeans, was the more excitable half of the duo. By show's end, he had picked furiously at his guitar, tossed his signature black hat into the crowd and jumped offstage to twirl around a few female fans during "Boot Scootin' Boogie."
Mellifluous Ronnie Dunn, whom Brooks jokingly called "Elvis" because of his all-black attire and leather pants, was less gregarious by nature. His finest moments came during some of the softer segments of the show, such as when he sang the love song "Neon Moon" from the duo's first album. He also served as storyteller leading into "Husbands and Wives," a tender reminder about the boundaries of love from the 1998 CD "If You See Her."
Local ties: Brooks noted that Nashville songwriter and Liberty Township native Bob DiPiero was traveling with them. DiPiero, in pre-concert remarks, said he's writing songs with Brooks and that the duo will release a Christmas album this year.
Brooks' rugged voice softened somewhat when he sang "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" in honor of his friend, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Sr., who died in an accident earlier this year. This was Earnhardt's favorite Brooks & amp; Dunn song, he said.
Concertgoers were ready to dance by the time the band began to play "My Maria." Brooks & amp; Dunn didn't make it easy to sit still from that point, moving into "Mama Don't Get Dressed Up For Nothin'," "Hard Workin' Man" and "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)," the latter becoming a sing-along led by Brooks & amp; Dunn.
About 50 people met the stars at a meet-and-greet party backstage before the concert. Brooks and Dunn posed for Polaroid photographs with individuals, who also received the duo's autographs and souvenir pins from tour sponsor Coors Light beer.