Predictable, familiar—and fun

CHARLOTTESVILLE These days, Jimmy Buffett is more a brand than a musician.

The restaurants, the beer line, the newly renamed Miami Dolphins stadium after the beer line, the upcoming casino in Biloxi, Miss. -- it all induces a bit of nausea.

But say this for the ol' guy, when it's time to hit the stage, he works it.

At his Charlottesville stop last night -- one of the last dates of his current tour -- the 62-year-old Peter Pan of the beach rolled through nearly 30 songs in 2½ hours, giving this nearly sold-out crowd of 12,000-plus exactly what they required: escapism.

Nothing about Buffett's music even hints at artistry. Every song, from "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude" to "Cheeseburger in Paradise" to "Volcano" follows the familiar pattern of steel drums tinkling behind breezily strummed guitars and the occasional pedal steel guitar.

In other words, every song sounds like "Margaritaville," even his version of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl." But his fans aren't looking for artistry. They're looking to get plastered, enjoy what is, for many, their only concert outing of the year, and scream along to "Fins."

Considering the thousands of times Buffett has played these songs, give him credit for performing them with youthful gusto. Throughout the show, the silver-haired sailor exhibited a jocular personality, frequently cracking jokes and making sure to work in references to the U.Va. Cavaliers and the Downtown Mall.

Though the sight of Buffett performing indoors -- definitely not his natural habitat -- remained a strange one, he and his 10-piece band and two backup singers perfectly executed a tropical vibe on a stage decorated with bamboo fencing, palm trees and a 3-D video screen that rotated through scenes of rippling water.

It also made for a comfortable environment for his Parrotheads, most of whom were clad in more Hawaiian shirts and leis than seen at a "Magnum P.I." convention.

But it's good to remember that early in his career, Buffett was more than a surf-and-sun cowboy peddling his good-time Fantasy Island.

When the singer pulled out "Come Monday" last night, one of his earliest hits from 1974, his weathered voice imbued the ballad with a poignancy that is rare at a Buffett party.

A little more of that guy and a little less of the one flanked by beer posters wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or .