WATERLOO - Artists Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert are a whole lot country, and a little bit rock 'n' roll.

The country couple rocked a half-packed McElroy Auditorium Thursday night with hardly a pause during the nearly 2 1/2 hour "Seamless" show.

Shelton got the crowd on their feet and singing along with his opener "The More I Drink." His ability to mix music and humor made for a fun, but short first set, despite a couple of unfortunate acoustic hiccups.

Lambert took the stage ready to rock with her single "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," but left a little to be desired as she continued on with songs like "Guilty in Here" and her first hit "Me and Charlie Talkin." Though the performance was rock solid - - her head-banging skills rival the female vixens in just about any '80s hair band video - - her ability to connect with the crowd paled a bit in comparison with her easy-talking boyfriend.

The duo slowed it down a little with an acoustic set they said was reminiscent of nights on their Oklahoma farms spent around a campfire. The stripped-down songs were well done - - it's obvious they were singing together long before this tour started - - but it sometimes felt like the audience was intruding on a moment that was meant for just two people.

Shelton's second solo took the audience from his latest single "She Wouldn't Be Gone" to his first hits "Austin" and "Ol' Red." The trip down memory lane was a great one that had the audience on their feet, singing and dancing in the aisles.

Lambert kept everyone rockin' through her second set, which included "Gunpowder and Lead" and "Dry Town." She seemed much more relaxed this time around, playing to the audience and using her attitude to her advantage with both the men and women.

But it was a roadie named Mark who almost stole the show. When the man got a little lippy with Shelton, the star challenged him to play one for the crowd. Mark obliged, pulling off an upbeat, if not vocally perfect, rendition of the Steve Miller Band's "The Joker" and Shaggy's "Angel."

Shelton couldn't let the man who gave him his guitar all night get a better crowd reaction, so he promptly launched into a fist-pumping version of the J. Geils Band's "Centerfold." And Lambert couldn't let the guys show her up. She sent her boyfriend to the back of the stage and rocked the crowd with Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll."

Personally, I think the roadie might have won this contest, but Shelton and Lambert tied for a very close second.

Contact Emily Christensen at

(319) 291-1570 or

Emily.Christensen@wcfcourier.com