"While we’re raising all this hell, let’s have a round of applause for Amber Dotson and hometown boy Dierks Bentley," Strait said, seeming as if he didn't want to take total credit for the crowd’s response. Reba McEntire-esque newcomer Dotson and ACM Top New Artist Bentley opened the performance.

"We got a lot of tunes for you tonight," Strait added simply before launching into "Stars on the Water" and "Run."

As usual, Strait rarely spoke between songs, and instead let the music speak for him. He strummed his guitar, occasionally smiled, shrugged his shoulders to the beat and tipped his hat to thank the audience. He performed in the round, changing position nearly every song so that each section of the audience was offered prime seats. Four giant video screens further enhanced the experience.

He whipped through "Amarillo By Morning," "Check Yes or No," "Honk If You’re Honky Tonk" and "I Can Still Make Cheyenne" before pausing briefly to introduce "Murder on Music Row" by acknowledging fellow country singer Alan Jackson, who helped write the song.

Strait sauntered through a series of hits during the two-hour performance, also including "She’ll Leave You With a Smile," "I Hate Everything," "Cowboys Like Us," "The Best Day of My Life" and "Heartland."

Strait received the most response when he winked or curled his upper lip at the audience during "Milk Cow Blues." Women and men alike went wild when he tipped his black hat each time he changed sides of the stage.

Opener Dotson performed a brief, 20-minute set, and was followed by Phoenix-bred Bentley--who admitted that his parents brought "about 200" people to the show to watch him perform.

Bentley was the exact opposite of Strait, running circles around the stage, jamming with fellow bandmates and frequently talking to the audience.

He debuted his latest single, "Lots of Leavin’ Left to Do," from his forthcoming album, tentatively titled "Modern Day Drifter." The song--which tells about future conquests--and the follow-up track, which told of ever-lasting love showed conflicting views of romance.

Bentley frequently stopped in between songs to reference his love of white tank tops (as told in his song "What Was I Thinkin’" and the video for "How I’m Doin’," both of which he performed).

He seemed genuinely touched to be playing at home.

"The last time I saw a concert in this building, I was in the very last row. I could seriously touch the roof," he said, adding the concert was Garth Brooks in 1992.

"To be on stage tonight with the dude of all dudes, the king of country music" is amazing, he said.