Whirling dervish Messina energizes audience> Country singer full of surprises at Bangor show; opening act Paquette offers sizzling set

There was little risk of a power outage Sunday night at the Bangor Auditorium, not with all the energy being produced by the evening’s two performers.

Opening act Jenny Paquette and headliner Jo Dee Messina put on a dynamic show for the 1,984 in attendance on a chilly, rainy November night, and the crowd responded with a genuine outpouring of affection.

Messina, the Country Music Association’s 1999 Horizon Award winner, was a whirling dervish on stage, spinning, kicking and dancing as well as singing during her one-hour, 15-minute set.

The Massachusetts native was a charming hostess and natural storyteller, punctuating her introductions with her braying laugh. With her wild, fiery mane spilling over her black sleeveless top, Messina led the cheerfully singing audience through the bulk of her breakthrough “I’m Alright” album, along with her earlier hits “Heads Carolina, Tails California” and “You’re Not in Kansas Anymore.”

But she surprised as well. After telling of growing up the target of good-natured verbal abuse because of her summers at Bible camp and her love of country music, she said, “I can’t wait for my class reunion” and launched into the Huey Lewis ’80s anthem “Hip to Be Square,” complete with her own sax solo. During her Latin medley of Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening” and Gloria Estefan’s “Turn the Beat Around,” Messina proved that she knew her way around a snare-drum kit.

Messina continued to show why she is a crowd pleaser during her encore. A woman had passed her a note, asking to sing with her. Messina helped her up on stage, then handed her the mike and led the clapping during the woman’s commendable version of “I’m Alright.” After that, she led the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to Rochelle, a 13-year-old fan.

Messina’s show was short, almost by necessity, with only two albums of material from which to draw. It would have been nice to have heard more from her upcoming third album. Still she crammed more into that brief set than many performers would in an entire evening.

Paquette, a Saco resident, offers an equally energetic show. Dressed in an all-black ensemble of blouse, slacks and sparkly great coat, Paquette and her six-member band, North Country, ripped through a seven-song set which included songs from her debut album, “Time Will Tell,” and from her second album, due out in March.

At 30 minutes, the enthusiastic blonde’s time was too short. As the evening ended relatively early, it would have been nice to have heard more from this up-and-coming country singer.