EDMONTON -- Staying true to the roots of country must be taking its toll on Alan Jackson.

The cry-in-yer-beer balladeer seemed a little tuckered out during his show at Skyreach Centre last night. This pop vs. country battle being waged in Nashville must take a lot out of a guy. Like the rappers arguing over who's "keeping it real," you just know someone's going to get hurt.

Maybe I should give Jackson the benefit of the doubt and say he was "keeping it low key." There was little flash in his show, no explosions, no bare midriffs, not a single instance of a country superstar suspended by wires over a screaming crowd. Besides, the 8,500 folks who paid good money for their tickets were thrilled to have Jackson and his vast catalogue of hurtin' songs back in town - even if he did look a bit dull next to opening act Brad Paisley. More about him in a moment.

The show opened with a short film: Rolling down the highway (probably in a Ford truck), as a radio time machine went through the legends of country music: Hank, Patsy, George, Johnny, Merle, Loretta, Tammy, Dolly, Hank Jr., Dwight and finally ... the latest step in the evolution of country music, Alan Jackson in the flesh! As his crack country combo sparked up Gone Country behind him, the star slowly walked to the stage, awash in cheers. He moseyed, he sauntered, he seems like the kind of guy who's never in a hurry.

Promising a show filled with songs about "life and love and all that stuff in between," Jackson's twangy tenor was in fine form. For the first while, he and his band ambled straight down the middle of the country road with no potholes to get in the way - and that was mighty fine. Right On the Money and Don't Rock the Jukebox (visual aid: A rocking jukebox) were early highlights. The band also got the chance to shine during the smouldering instrumental, Strayhorn Pipe.

The show started to lose steam during a medley of older songs, barely a minute of each arranged with little rhyme or reason. Jackson seemed like he was on autopilot. Later came the tune www.memories from his new album, When Somebody Loves You, featuring gems like this: "If you feel like love just click on me." Ugh. It's no Chattahoochee.

I'm hoping the show picked up after that. I left during Summertime Blues. Visual aid: a Ford truck.

And now, kudos to Brad Paisley - who kept it real and proved to be an exciting performer. Yes, you can have both. This guy is one smooth operator. He's got the voice, the looks, the songs, the band and the guitar chops. If he were a gunfighter, he'd be Billy the Kid. Take that chip off his shoulder about our aforementioned "real country" issue and he'd be brilliant. Just do it, man - we don't need a sermon.