Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

By ADAM SANDLER

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (The Forum; 18,679 seats; $ 32.50 top) Presented by Avalon Attractions. Reviewed April 18, 1996. Bob Seger poured every ounce of energy into his performance Thursday at the Forum as he scampered across the stage, often piercing the air with his fist to punctuate the beats of his solid, signature rock 'n' roll tunes. The 51-year-old singer showed no signs of slowdown after a nine-year absence from touring, often displaying more energy and style than many artists half his age. During the two-hour, nonstop perf, Seger mixed timeless tracks with some equally strong new material.
 
Band: Seger, Craig Frost, Chris Campbell, Alto Reed, Mark Chatfield, Tim Mitchell, Tim Cashion, Kenny Aronoff, Shaun Murphy, Laura Creamer, Karen Newman.
 

With the aid of longtime saxman Alto Reed, who created a show-within-a-show by aggressively working the crowd, Seger offered a flawless set that galvanized graying boomers and teenagers, and kept them on their feet throughout.

Though the crowd was clearly more interested in hearing Seger's tracks made famous in the '70s and '80s, some of the new material off "It's a Mystery," Seger's latest Capitol Records offering, also often struck emotional pay dirt.

Clearly the best received of the new tunes was "By the River," a powerful ballad crafted by Seger as an homage to his son Cole. Though the material is not likely to be widely embraced by radio in this era of fractionalized playlists, it nonetheless demonstrated Seger still has the touch.

But Seger was clearly in his element with the hits of the past and earned some of the night's biggest ovations during the opening keyboard strains of "Roll Me Away," the first tune of the show, and the chugging rhythms of the geographically appropriate "Hollywood Nights," which preceded a pair of two-song encores.

Seger and company -- which also included drummer extraordinaire Kenny Aronoff and guitarist Tim Mitchell, the latter offering lightning lick work that was as impressive as it was entertaining -- rarely slowed things down.

Except for a stint at the piano, where Seger inspired Bic lighters to be held aloft with his pristine reading of "We've Got Tonight," and when Reed got to test his considerable mettle with the haunting sax opening of "Turn the Page," it was full-throttle rock 'n' roll from the first timeless classic to the last.