IT'S HARD to argue with Nickelback's success.

But I'll try anyway.

The multi-platinum-selling Canadian metal monsters delivered a predictably loud-rocking sonic assault last night at Scotiabank Place. And while it was a nearly faultless performance, they stuck so close to the same script they've been using for 10 years, you could see their setlist a mile away.

Touring their fourth album All The Right Reasons, which mysteriously took six Juno Award nominations, the most of any Canadian release in 2005, Nickelback didn't leave one arena-rock cliche unturned in their two-hour gig.

Opening with concussive bombs and fiery pyros, the band ramped up the testosterone. And there was a lot of that last night. But it wouldn't last long.

See, when you've heard one Nickelback concert, you've pretty much heard them all. Of course, the 11,000 fans last night would disagree.

When you're in the market for conveyor-belt rock with power chord vocals and anger-management issued lyrics that makes you howl at the moon, few do it as well as the boys from Hanna, Alta.

But, as I said, it's an act we've seen many times before.

Opening with the accelerating heartbeat and firebombs, Nickelback kicked the show off with the power-ballad Animals, while frontman Chad Kroeger and his bass-playing brother Mike walked the centre catwalk on Woke Up.

EARLIER HITS

Predictably, Nickelback covered All The Right Reasons extensively, playing Animals, Savin' Me and Side of a Bullet, as well as earlier hits Remind Me and Someday.

For visual distraction, there was a lot of promotional video footage cut-ins on the big screen backstage and centre-ice, including a montage of family photos on Photograph, flashes of women flashing their boobs and later, the paid tribute to rocker Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott, who was shot to death in a Columbus, Ohio, club in 2004. Meanwhile, Kroeger's vocals and guitar were solid although he seemed to run out of steam early. Neither he, nor guitarist Ryan Peake, were really energized enough to rock the catwalk much.

Perhaps that's why their set, the final Canadian date on the tour, was on the short side. By the time they finished playing their two-song encore Rockstar and Figured You Out, the whole set was barely 90-minutes long.

NEW DRUMMER

The only real surprise of the night was Daniel Adair, who recently replaced the band drummer Ryan Vikedal. He turned out to be a real powerhouse who performed his own fireworks on a drum solo during Follow You Home.

So getting back to where we started, why mess with a good thing when it comes to Nickelback?

Opening for Nickelback was Live.

REVIEW:

Nickelback

Scotiabank Place

'Close to script !'

-- DENIS ARMSTRONG

Sun Rating: 2 out of 5