Rogers makes splash in Bangor

Kenny Rogers remembers his last visit to the Bangor Auditorium. After all, it’s probably the only indoor facility the crossover superstar has played where he had to use an umbrella to fend off dripping water.

“I thought I’d do a free show here, so you could get your roof fixed,” Rogers told the near-sellout crowd of 6,100 Wednesday night. “But I’d have to come on a day when it wasn’t raining.”

Fortunately, the roof has been fixed since Rogers’ last concert here in October 1988. So the burly, bearded singer could concentrate on performing for the appreciative crowd of all ages. From the opening strains of “She’s a Mystery to Me” through the final notes of his hit with Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream,” an hour and 10 minutes later, Rogers had the audience in the palm of his hand, as he strode confidently around the circular stage.

The singer, resplendent in a white suit and royal blue shirt, seemed acutely aware that he had played in Bangor a mere 17 months ago. He made every effort to vary his playlist from his previous concert.

This meant performing his versions of such songs as Huey Lewis and the News’ “Working for a Living,” Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful” and Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” He also did some of his lesser-known songs such as “Share Your Love With Me,” “Crazy” and “I Don’t Need You.”

Of course, Rogers also played his big hits, including “Love Will Turn It Around,” “Daytime Friends and Nighttime Lovers,” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” “Coward of the County,” “The Gambler,” “Lucille” and “Lady.”

Confident in his appeal to women, Rogers pointed out the men who didn’t want to be at the concert. He cajoled one man to uncross his arms, remove his tie and bring it to Rogers.

“You guys should at least pretend to have a good time,” he said. “They pretend to do things for you.”

The audience gave Rogers a standing ovation as he finished. Then he strode out through the crowd as laser lights washed over the stage.

Also receiving a standing ovation was Capitol artist Eddie Rabbitt, the evening’s second performer. In his 45-minute set, the Brooklyn-born Rabbitt performed his hits like “Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight,” “Drivin’ My Life Away” and “I Love a Rainy Night.” He also played “On Second Thought” and “Running With the Wind,” two cuts off his latest album, “Jersey Boy.”

Rabbitt also related well to the Maine crowd. He told the story about his 8-year-old daughter getting a kitten, a Maine coon cat, which she named Miss Kitty.

Opening the evening was T. Graham Brown, flashy in an aqua suit with a pink-and-aqua tie-dyed shirt. Resembling and sounding like a country Huey Lewis, Brown performed spirited renditions of his hits “Brilliant Conversationalist,” “Darlene,” “Come As You Were” and “Never Say Never.” He got the audience well warmed up for the bigger names that followed.