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.

Advertisement

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.

Help to Keep Great Journalism Alive in Arkansas

Join the fight for truth and become a subscriber of the Arkansas Times. We've been battling powerful forces for 50 years through our tough, determined, and feisty journalism. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, our readers value great journalism. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing and supporting our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage. Together, we can continue to hold the powerful accountable and bring important stories to light. Subscribe now or donate for as little as $1 and be a part of the Arkansas Times community.

Previous article A day of reckoning for lying Repubs? Next article How religious are we?