Out of the club circuit and into the arenas, country's top group is feeling out its way on a bigger stage. Lonestar played Cincinnati Gardens Friday night, and only toward the end of the band's 80-minute set did things take on the feel of an arena-size show.

        Their step-up in venues is a bit of a stretch. The turnout was somewhere in the middle of a sellout and the intended occupancy of the Mighty Ducks' penalty booth.

        Those who did turn out enjoyed Lonestar's bland pop, exactly the stuff passing for country music on the radio. The quartet, augmented by three side men, created a middle-of-the-road sound suggesting a true disdain for the slightest hint of a country riff.

        The first hour of the show highlighted the band's hit ballads. Lead singer Richie McDonald has a plain, mildly pleasant sort of voice, a perfect match for his band's music, and his mawkish delivery on “Amazed” and “I'm Already There” connected with the crowd.

        Lonestar ran through their songs as if mimicking one of their CDs — note-perfect renditions played one after another, saying little between. It was not a very compelling act until the last song of the set, “No News.” The song was stretched out with Mr. McDonald leading some crowd-participation bits. It was arena cliches to be sure, but at least the band was finally trying something.

        They returned for an encore beginning with a drum solo that segued into an instrumental medley of tunes by Van Halen, Boston, Joe Walsh, ZZ Top, Kansas and AC/DC. They closed the show with ZZ Top's “Gimme All Your Lovin'.” Again, it wasn't much, but it was better than uncut Lonestar.

        Opener Jamie O'Neil doesn't seem like a big fan of real country music, either. Her set was more of the same Lonestar-light pop, with covers thrown in of “Son of a Preacher Man” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

        She told the crowd how much she liked Cincinnati from her childhood, when she and her family toured the country as a musical group playing fairs and such.

        “Does anyone know Bob Braun?” she asked the crowd, who cheered in response. “I grew up doing that show every year with my family. I love Bob Braun.”

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