A shockingly subtle dose of hick-hop

Call what Kid Rock does white-trash metal or hillbilly hop. Doesn't matter. What the Kid did when selling out Borgata's Event Center in Atlantic City on Saturday was show that he was all of those things - only better, louder, and, occasionally, shockingly subtle.

It's hard to talk "subtle" about the audience, mostly lasses in low-cut necklines and tight jeans and the boys with them. Yet Kid's lyrics appealed to all. When he took a swipe at ex-wife Pam Anderson during the barroom honky-tonk of "Half Your Age," men barked the chorus ("She's half your age and twice as hot") while women empathized with Kid's need for unconditional love and nicely folded garments.

Kid didn't stop the self-confessionals there. He sang about his assault arrest at an Atlanta Waffle House during the country psychedelia of "Only God Knows Why," and explored fears about raising children during the swishy acoustic rocker "Amen."

Though his voice was a lovely coo through the sweetly huffy ballad "Roll On," Kid kept his usual cackle. Stalking the stage in a white suit, he howled through the wall of crunching guitars of "Rock n' Roll Jesus" and the rap clap of "Welcome 2 the Party."

Though Rock's messy mash-ups were seamless, when he borrowed, he made it obvious. The hand-clapper "Lowlife" had a T. Rex snap. And "All Summer Long" had snags from "Werewolves of London" and "Sweet Home Alabama." From the smile on his face, it was clear the Kid was proud to make them his own.