SAGINAW, Michigan — Kid Rock kicked off his Cocky

tour Friday night in his true white-trash-lovin' form.

As his band, Twisted Brown Trucker, played the "Wizard of Oz"-sampled

"Trucker Anthem," Kid Rock, wrapped in a white, full-length fur coat, rose

from behind a silver Airstream trailer from which lines of laundry were hung.

Pink flamingos, scantily clad dancers in cages and a mailbox made up the

trailer's front yard. Midway through the show, a Confederate flag unfurled behind

the rap-rocker's name in lights. Neon beer signs book-ended the Airstream. Call it blue-collar ambiance at its finest.

The two-and-a-half-hour show at the 5,000-plus capacity sold-out Wendler Arena

continued where his last tour left off. Many of the gimmicks, including the

Vegas-style "Kid Rock" in lights, and Rock's turn on each of the instruments,

were hand-me-downs from the American Bad Ass Tour of 2000. This time,

though, new songs and an inordinate number of covers filled the set, and

fans got an eye-full of his girlfriend, actress Pamela Anderson, who jiggled

near the soundboard on the main floor.

And it was an explosive performance. Before "Trucker Anthem" ended,

drummer Stefanie Eulinberg played atop a hydraulic lift, and there was enough

pyro to put Kiss to shame. Where could it go from there?

The band kept the momentum alive as it immediately rolled into "Forever," the

first single from Cocky. As the audience came down from that one-two punch,

spotlights scanning the arena eventually landed on Rock, who managed to sneak

into the middle of the venue. Surrounded by bodyguards and sheriff's

deputies, Rock performed "Where U At Rock" as he waded through the crowd, which spilled onto the walkway.

"I wanted to give the party to the people in the back," Rock said

breathlessly upon returning to the stage. "I don't mean to sound corny, but

you look good, Saginaw."

Confetti rained down after Rock issued a belated welcome with the appropriately titled "Welcome 2 the Party."

The party had its melancholy notes as well. During "Devil Without a Cause," Rock paid tribute to sidekick rapper Joe C., who died in 2000 from complications of celiac disease. Fans responded fervently when a giant poster of Joe C. unfurled from the rafters as taped

vocals of the diminutive rapper's most well-known contribution emanated from

the speakers: "I'm a freak ho call me sick/ Three-foot-nine with a 10-foot di--."

Contrary to his cocky reputation, Rock was clearly suffering from a case of

opening-night jitters. He seemed tentative at times, even sharing his

feelings about an hour into the performance.

"This is the first concert of the tour. We appreciate you spending your

hard-earned money to come to see us. We've been rehearsing all week and we

still don't know how to introduce this song."

He spoke of throwing money "down the toilet" and other mistakes he had made

in his life. Rock described how he would make amends for his debauchery when

he approaches St. Peter at the gates to heaven.

"Why should I let you in?" Rock, playing the role of St. Peter, asked.

"I can guarantee one thing if you let me in here. Because you never met a

motherf---er quite like me," the bullgod responded, sending the crowd into ravenous applause as he began the song "You Never Met a Motherf---er Quite Like Me."

It wasn't the only time Rock shared his discontent. A few songs

later, he described the Saginaw date as "the rawest show on the tour." "This is the one where we work out the kinks," he said before launching into "Lonely

Road of Faith."

There really was no reason for Rock to be nervous. The audience, which was

peppered with folks wearing automotive industry-related clothing, received

him warmly. Guitarists Kenny Olson and Jason Krause provided simmering dual

axe works, as keyboard and harmonica player Jimmie Bones added a blues edge to the

show. Several times, Rock took to the front of the stage to raise his arms and

drop them like a composer, showing the TBT's ability to stop on a dime.

Rock showed off his own musicianship with deft guitar playing and a sampling

of his "new toy," a steel guitar, during the bluesy "Baby Come Home."

The set list was a blend of his breakthrough album, 1998's Devil Without a

Cause, and the latest, Cocky, as well as "old-school jams" from 1992's

The Polyfuze Method. A notable omission: "I Am the Bullgod" from Devil Without a Cause. Covers of songs by AC/DC and others filled in as bridges to a

handful of songs. On the patriotic tip, he segued from "American Bad Ass" to

"America the Beautiful." Rock made up for the Confederate flag presence by

ending "America the Beautiful" with an American flag backdrop.

Donning the familiar black hat and white T-shirt, Rock struck an equally

familiar stance after many of the tunes — legs apart, left hand grabbing near

his left pocket.

He wrapped up his performance by honoring contributions to music by fellow

Michiganders Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, the Supremes, Grand Funk Railroad, MC5

and Eminem, who provided a fitting conclusion to the show. Snippets of "My

Name Is" led to Rock's standard proclamation: "My name is Kid," the beginning of

"Bawitdaba."

There was really no need to do that. After all, working-class Michigan is a

place where everyone knows his name.

Read about all of the shows we've recently covered in Tour Reports.