DAUGHTRY
Dec. 18, Verizon Arena
Chris Daughtry has been a much bigger winner than almost all of the real winners of “American Idol.” The fourth-place finisher in the show’s 2006 season – Taylor Hicks? The winner? REALLY? – Daughtry struck quickly, his self-titled debut release selling a million copies in five weeks, the fastest selling rock album in history.
One of the primary complaints about Daughtry that came out of rampant “Idol” over-analysis was that he was too wooden, too serious, almost robotic. Three years later, a mixture of experience and confidence has transformed the North Carolinian into a warm, outgoing rocker who connected early and often with the 5,667 fans who nearly filled the lower bowl of Verizon Arena for his 90-minute Dec. 18 concert
Having six bona fide radio hits guarantees plenty of connection points with the crowd, and Daughtry – the singer/leader and also the rest of the hard-charging band that shares the name – did a credible job with them all. “No Surprise” – the power ballad that was the first hit from “Leave This Town,” the second DAUGHTRY album – was a sing-along highlight, as was “Feels Like Tonight,” the predictable encore. “It’s Not Over,” a Grammy nominee for Best Rock Song,” and “Feels Like Tonight” were other crowd favorites.