The sold-out crowd inside the Allstate Arena, just outside of Chicago, is on the brink of exhaustion but the beat to "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me", one of Keith Urban's preeminent songs, provides a second wind. The stomping beat is in sync with the heartbeats of everyone in attendance, and onto the walk way, front and center, Urban superfluously bends the low G string of his guitar out of tune as he kneels to the floor in an inexplicable moment of rock God awesomeness. The manner in which Urban delivers this nimble note is the equivalent of a great lover who brings their partner to climax without ever obtaining carnal knowledge. This simple act of down tuning one string bestowed an indescribable surge of adrenaline to the 13,000 in attendance. Urban sang the first few words ("Got no money in my pockets) and proceeded to let the audience take it over from there. The lyric "'Cause I'm ridin' with my baby" reminds us of the uncomplicated joys of life while "It's a brand new day" provides solace and "We're on the wheels of an angel�Flyin' away" restores faith. As the crowd sung "And the sun is shining!" the band kicked in full-force as they drove the sold-out crowd down the path of resurrection. The soul searchingly bright chorus is executed with blissful conviction. Through the sheer power of his six-string, Urban delivers exhilarating sexual tension in a way few, including Keith Richards, can master merely by the way their hands stroke the instrument. Others can copy it, some may execute it better but at the end of the day can they make the instrument in their hands an extension of their body and soul?

As I sat in my seat waiting for the concert to begin, I thought to myself�"There is no way tonight can be as religious as the Milwaukee show last summer". However, the Chicago concert attested that my watershed show in Milwaukee was no fluke. This time around, after the intro music prepped the crowd, the lights dimmed and an elated roar infused the arena. Center stage found a shadowy Keith Urban teasing the crowd with "Once in a Lifetime". This wasn't the album arrangement or even the one from a few months back but a restrained rendering accentuating Urban's vocal before the band soared with vigorous momentum after the first chorus. As the song reached its conclusion, Urban channeled his inner Slash for a storming finish that achieved arena rock perfection. He very easily could have coasted through the next two-plus hours resting on his good looks but he did no such thing. Urban's stage presence conjures a feral array of sensations with his captivating melodies, beguiling hooks, meditative lyrics and his titanic solos.

Keith Urban may possibly the preeminent live performer touring the arena circuit at this moment for reasons that extend beyond the high-spirited performances. His tickets are priced affordably (between $30 and $60) and his stage set up is one of the best without being distracting in the least. It's very fan friendly with a walkway, B-stage, unbelievable high definition screen and a pristine sound system. This is no easy feat in the Allstate Arena; just last month Van Halen performed in the same building and produced the worst sounding show I've heard in fifteen years. When I wrote about it in my review, their soundman sent me an email saying there was "no way to get good sound in that building". Whoever is doing Keith's sound should have his salary doubled and show Van Halen how it's done.

If you listen to a Keith Urban album in its entirety, you encounter a number of ballads, which makes his reviving concerts all that much more unanticipated. He understands how to frame a show and thematically connect his material in a way that ignites the audience. The energy in the room was palpable as the pop-wise "Shine" (with its iTunes-inspired video behind the band), the western swing of "Where the Blacktop Ends" and the Peter Frampton-esque "Faster Car/All Right Now" immediately showcased the multitude of sounds and genres that define Keith Urban. The show melded a dozen distinctive musical styles that complimented the deeply personal narrative structure of Urban's catalog. In concert, the ballads tend to be more affecting than sentimental as the genuine and searing intensity he brings to each and every song can not be denied. There were songs I loved immensely that I came to love more ("I Told You So") and others I originally dismissed but in concert, the poignant force and cohesiveness forced me to rethink my original stance ("Tonight I Wanna Cry"). Just a few days after the show, Urban released what will be the first of many �Greatest Hits' discs, entitled '18 Kids'. In concert, he performed fifteen of these "kids" and I'd be lying if I told you I didn't want this collection the second the show ended for the ride home, even though I own most of his albums. It's a near perfect album (my vote is for the deluxe edition with a bonus DVD of twelve videos) that would compliment your collection or serve as the ideal introduction to Keith Urban.

If the fist pumping barnburners don't convert you then a contemplative performance like the acoustic "Raining On Sunday" will. It showcases an unvarnished side to Urban not encapsulated on his records. As mesmerizing as "Raining On Sunday" proved to be, it was the unexpected raw emotion of "Stupid Boy" that erected understated perfection. Astoundingly, he didn't even write the song, but one never would have guessed from the reactionary colossal nerves he struck. The six-minute track builds subtlety until the reprise finds Urban channeling staggering intensity as the heartrending performance ripens to a combustive climax. After the relentless and aggressive "Used To The Pain", the band made their way to the B-stage, where as they were setting up, Urban invited a young boy on stage that had drawn a picture for of a turkey for him. The young child was rewarded by gracing the stage and conversing with Keith for an amusing and priceless moment. "You're My Better Half", "Making Memories of Us" and "You'll Think of Me" all redefine themselves as captivating secular testimonials rather than light FM in this intimate setting. The B-Stage (where I was 3 seats from) allows those in the back to see the inner conviction Urban gives each song as he proves to be earnest, genuine and deeply poignant. I've managed to not be affected by "You'll Think of Me" before this show, but the picturesque acoustic strummer penetrated with vulnerability that was emotionally intoxicating. It is the perfect antibiotic for a tormented psyche and if not for this intimate performance, I may have continued to underestimate this reflective number.

The most classic rock moment of the evening found Urban playing riffs from some of the most illustrious songs ever recorded; "You Shook Me All Night Long", Smoke On The Water", "Walk This Way", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Stairway To Heaven", "Crazy Train" and "Seven Nation Army" before he and the band unveiled "You Look Good In My Shirt", a deep cut from his �Golden Road' record. This was not included in set lists earlier in the tour and as I watched Urban channel the power of his emotions, through his guitar as an extension of his body, I wondered how the hell this was left off the set list a few months back. He even sang one verse from the stands in the crowd. It's remarkable what an extra intro, outro, arrangement or shuffling of songs can do for a show and Urban doesn't just know this, he puts it into action.

No one can deny Urban's stage presence, but in Chicago he substantiated what an unparalleled musician and band leader he truly is. Immediately after the final note of "I Told You So", a marching band graced the stage for a thunderous drum line performance. Moments after its completion, Urban and his fastidious band segued into the open road romanticism of "Days Go By". Once begun, the arena shakes�literally. You think the walls are going to cave in on you, which is how potent the response is to not just this song, but the entire show. Urban's alluring melodies are easily digested via the FM dial, but in concert they come out of their cocoon and flourish into rebellious rock anthems. "Better Life" and "Somebody Like You" prove to be more than warhorses as the band and Urban showcased their penchant for exceeding expectations with a crashing and surreal climax. No one playing an arena should be this good. There's still a hunger inside Urban despite having made it to the big leagues. I saw this determination in July and it was unexpectedly outdone in Chicago. A few months back while watching the Nashville singer/songwriter Will Hoge, I found myself questioning, "Can anyone truly be this good?" In both instances, the answer is a resounding "yes".

One of the reasons parents feared rock n' roll upon its birth in the 1950s was that they thought it would corrupt the youth and to an extent they were right. Even though today's pop stars leave little to the imagination, in truth they are far less sexual and precarious because everything they do is calculated and forced, whereas it came natural to the forefathers of rock n' roll. Back in the 1960s, the Rolling Stones were feared for good reason; they were indeed out to compromise your daughters. It wasn't because of the way they looked, but the swagger they evoked in their music and on stage. The way they wielded their instruments was enough to drive fans into a fury. As Urban fired off the solo to "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me", it made me feel invincible and alive and free. In a year where I witnessed the live magic of the Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen, the Police, the New Pornographers, the Allman Brothers Band and a few dozen others, none could evoke the feelings Urban did with this five-minute performance. The best music on the planet provides a release that is physical, mental and sexual. Keith Urban doesn't do just this, but he does it�just like a Rolling Stone.