By Shirley Jinkins

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - Alan Jackson is Alan Jackson is Alan Jackson.

Anyone who expected something wild, something edgy, something different from the tall Georgian during his concert Friday at Smirnoff Music Centre is just not on the same page with Jackson or his bedrock fans.

Gone Country was the opener as well as the thematic statement, and multimedia screens of varied sizes flashed different images to keep things lively during a bombardment of Jackson hits: Little Bitty, Livin' on Love, Drive (for Daddy Gene) and Where I Come From.

The triple-bill show with Sara Evans and The Wrights was as pleasant for its cool mid-September weather as for the singalong, family-friendly country music.

Who couldn't phase into a better mood with It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (with partner Jimmy Buffett singing along on video) or Summertime Blues or Chattahoochee?

Jackson has also been successful in revisiting a number of country standards, including the trio he played Friday: Pop A Top, Texas Women and Who's Cheatin' Who.

Oddly, Jackson didn't showcase his latest album, What I Do, except for the flirty Too Much of a Good Thing and the bitter Monday Morning Church, a heartbreaker even among country songs.

So what was wrong here? This Jackson show seemed identical to the last one and maybe the one before that. Consistency is a good thing, Alan, but it's not the only thing.

Evans had a lively set just before Jackson's, mirroring the run of success that has her performing on concert stages with Jackson and Brad Paisley throughout this year.

Evans' fourth album comes out next month on the heels of her current No. 1 song Real Fine Place to Start.

But it was her wonderfully multitextured ballads I Could Not Ask for More, Born To Fly and No Place That Far that thrilled the crowd.

The honesty and sheer beauty with which she delivers those are timeless.

The Wrights, a married duo featuring Jackson's nephew Adam Wright and his wife, Shannon, opened the concert with music from their album Down This Road. There's much that is traditional in their sound, but there's also a fresh approach.

The Wrights aren't blessed with a lot of stage presence, but their delivery and voices are good, and the material is well-selected.

GRADE: B+

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Shirley Jinkins, (817) 548-5565; syjinkins@star-telegram.com