Daughtry in Concert

Daughtry came to town to open its "Leave This Town" tour, and delivered a rock performance that didn't disappoint. The 5,000 or so in attendance got their money's worth with two solid opening acts, Cavo and Theory of a Dead Man (the group that seemed to bring out the, er, raunchier behavior of a few members of the crowd), and a pure rock performance by Daughtry. The show didn't end until 3-1/2 hours after the house lights went down. The opening acts did their job of providing a fun show without outshining the headliner.

Daughtry, led by American Idol season 5 winner Chris Daughtry, is a dynamic guitar band -- but I enjoyed watching the drummer perform more than any of the others probably. Drummer Joey Barnes was amazing, and loaded with energy. Of course, when you are the drummer for a band in which everyone else is holding a guitar, it's easy to standout from the rest. But stand-out he did, and Chris Daughtry obviously made a great choice when he picked Barnes.

As a singer, Chris Daughtry showed off his rockin' pipes that many still feel should have earned him the American Idol title -- but he is proof that you don't need to be the show's winner to be a success in the music business. He connects well with the audience, and his stage juts out into the crowd so he can get close and personal with the fans.

My favorite part of the show was when he sat on a stool out on the walk in the midst of the crowd and offered his rendition of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight," which led into the band's own "Call Your Name" -- my favorite track from the "Leave This Town" record.

It was also fun to watch guitarist Josh Steely, who I had the privilege of interviewing last week, Steely doesn't look like a cliché rocker, but a pro who just flat-out loves performing the music.

Having grown up with 80s-era rock, I think Daughtry offers timeless rock that every generation can enjoy. Topeka can be honored that the band chose Topeka to launch its first-ever tour as a headline act.