DETROIT--Duets with opening acts Kenny Chesney [ tickets ] and Mark Collie [ tickets ], a giant video wall and a guest appearance by rock-rapper Kid Rock [ tickets ] were among the surprises under country singer Tim McGraw [ tickets ]’s big top when his "Set This Circus Down" tour landed in Clarkston, Mich., on Thursday (7/26).

From the opening number, Elton John’s "Tiny Dancer"--which McGraw performed from the middle of the DTE Energy Music Theatre’s pavilion--to the encore jam of Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley’s "Just Good Ol’ Boys" with Chesney, Collie and Kid Rock, McGraw’s performance boasted unbridled energy.

McGraw and his eight-member band, the DanceHall Doctors, stripped out the stage banter and focused on music for two hours. "We’re not gonna BS all night and talk a lot and tell ya jokes," he told the sold-out crowd. "You bought a ticket to hear music and we’re here to play music for you."

The set was sprinkled with songs that spanned his 14-year career, including tracks from his latest album, "Set This Circus Down" (Curb). His breakthrough hit, "Indian Outlaw," as well as "I Like It, I Love It," "Where the Green Grass Grows" and the somber "Don’t Take the Girl" sparked fervent responses from the audience. For the closing verse of the touching "Don’t Take the Girl," McGraw turned the microphone to allow the crowd to finish the tune.

There were frequent, subtle references to McGraw’s marriage to fellow country star Faith Hill throughout the show. She appeared in videos on the 17-feet tall, 38-feet wide, seven-panel screen that served as a striking backdrop. McGraw’s sleeveless tight shirt revealed a "Faith" tattoo on his upper right arm, which he tapped in recognition during "I Like It, I Love It."

In one of the few down-sides to the performance, McGraw edited down eight hits into a medley--including "All I Want," "Everywhere," "My Best Friend" and "For a Little While."

"I hope we hit one of your favorites. If we don’t, maybe you’ll come see us next time we come through town," he said before heading into the medley.

Kid Rock strolled out and provided drinks--bottles of Bud Light, the tour’s sponsor--for a toast during "The Cowboy in Me," from "Set This Circus Down." As the song wrapped up, McGraw introduced his father, former baseball star Tug McGraw, to the audience.

Singer Mark Collie’s opening set of mostly old Johnny Cash tunes drew a side-stage visit from Kid Rock, who tapped his chest to the beat of the music.

As perhaps a bit of an inside joke, the DJ at the soundboard mixed Kid Rock’s "Cowboy" with snippets of Chesney’s "She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy" in between Collie and Chesney’s sets. The latter of the two held his own, proving his strength as a burgeoning country star.

The bill returns to the DTE on Friday (7/27) for the second of a two-night stand. In a summer that’s filled with overpriced concerts, this triple bill is definitely worth the money.