Nickelback [ tickets ], known for its sexually tinged lyrics, kept its Friday (3/3) performance at the Phoenix area's Glendale Arena PG-rated for the most part, even resorting to shooting T-shirts out of air cannons.

After an inexcusable hour-long wait following second opener Chevelle, Nickelback kicked off its set at 10 p.m. with the hard-driving "Animals," a tale of a couple who get caught getting amorous in a back seat by the girl's father. Pyro effects accompanied the song, adding extra punch to lead singer/guitarist Chad Kroeger's chunky riffs.

Nickelback--which also includes bassist Mike Kroeger, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Peake and drummer Daniel Adair--broke down "Animals" to allow Chad Kroeger to welcome the audience.

"I have one question for you. Are we going to have a good time?" he asked before leaning back on his spidery legs and laying into a guitar lick. The song ended with a wall of flames on either side of Adair's drum kit.

Nickelback peppered its 70-minute set with a collection of songs from its latest album, "All the Right Reasons," and hits from previous works. The group even reached back to March 2000's "The State," playing the opening track "Breathe."

Tapping into tracks from 2001's "Silver Side Up," Chad Kroeger and Peake proved their guitar prowess by playing solos at the tip of the perimeter-lit catwalk that protruded from the stage.

"Someday," from 2003's "The Long Road," turned into a sing-along with the nearly sold-out crowd. Chad Kroeger allowed the audience to sing "someday I will," just before he broke into the chorus.

The only downside of the otherwise stellar show was when Chad Kroeger invited roadies to shoot free T-shirts via air cannons in the audience, which included Hockey Hall of Famer and ex-Calgary Flame Lanny McDonald.

Besides the nod to McDonald, who sat stage right, Nickelback paid tribute to slain Pantera/Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. When Chad Kroeger mentioned "Side of a Bullet," a song on which a sample of Abbott's work appears, he said, "A good friend of mine and the best guitar player was taken from us. He was shot on stage doing what he loved to do." That led to a censored videotaped homage to Abbott's career, with interviews and homemade footage. Videotaped scenes of Abbott playing guitar accompanied "Side of a Bullet."

Nickelback ended the show with hat trick of hits--"How You Remind Me," "Too Late" and the encore "Figured You Out."

"This is how people say good night at a concert," Chad Kroeger said before accompanying his brother and Peake for a solo at the tip of the catwalk.