George Strait

Photo By Gary Miller

George Strait

Since George Strait turned into country music's version of Perry Farrell, curating his annual Country Music Festival, the real-life cowboy has opted more and more to stay home on the range outside San Antonio. Sunday was Strait's first Austin appearance since 1996, and the sold-out arena was ready to welcome him back. An ocean-like roar began as the lights went down and the Ace in the Hole band enticed its leader onstage with "Deep in the Heart of Texas." This swell repeated itself several times, most often during the opening strains of beloved standards like "The Chair" and "Amarillo by Morning." That said, Strait's set was relatively light on such Eighties standbys; there was no "Ocean Front Property," no "Baby Blue," no "Fool Hearted Memory." Instead, the two-hour set leaned heavily on Strait's more recent material: "Write This Down," "Blue Clear Sky," and "The Best Day," to name a few. All were buoyant and well played, though not as savory as a hair-raising turn through George Jones' "When Did You Stop Loving Me" or a frisky "Fireman" that featured the entire 11-piece band in a barnburning frame of mind. Strait's vocals were as sure-footed as ever, even on cuts from his most recent album, The Road Less Traveled. In lesser hands, the spare, keyboard-heavy arrangements of "Run" and the title track would've resulted in watered-down, MOR country; instead, they showed off Strait's prowess as a pure pop vocalist. But not too pop: a late-set Western swing double-shot of "Take Me Back to Tulsa" and "Milk Cow Blues" had twin fiddles and steel guitar in abundance, Strait rattling off the verses like he just played the Broken Spoke last week. Finally, Strait reminded everyone how he's lying every time he sings "Murder on Music Row." According to the song lyrics, "Someone killed country music, cut out its heart and soul," but those vital organs have simply been transplanted deep in the heart of Texas, somewhere south of San Antonio.