Kelly Clarkson [ tickets ]'s Saturday (11/7) show at the Arizona State Fair's Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix was all about that voice.

The first "American Idol" winner has enough hits to pack a two-hour show, but peppered in a worthwhile handful of covers, referencing the artists who sometimes influence her music.

"These are two of my favorite songs--two really great songs that I wish I could have sung on one of my records or wrote them," she said before mashing up Alanis Morissette's "That I Would Be Good" with Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," much to the excitement of the fans. The crowd cheered when she sarcastically sang Morissette's line "I would be good even if I gained 10 pounds," an obvious nod to those who criticize Clarkson's weight.

More of Clarkson's favorite songs were featured throughout the set, such as "Lies" by The Black Keys, a two-man duo comprising singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. Her warm, sultry take on the song was a favorite among the young pop fans, most of whom probably had never heard of The Black Keys.

"I love bluesy music," Clarkson said. "Whenever I get to pick covers, I always pick the bluesy ones. Dan Auerbach is so ridiculous. It's much better when you hear it from him."

On the "bluesy" tip, she continued with Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight," for which she was accompanied by two guitarists and a trumpet player. She stripped most of the country out of the song and replaced it with her powerhouse raw, blues-influenced vocals.

Clarkson, accompanied by a robust band that included a horn section, DJ and back-up singers, kicked off the "All I Ever Wanted Tour" with, appropriately enough, "All I Ever Wanted." She quickly slammed into "Miss Independent" as an array of orange lights danced to the music overhead. The band played a few bars of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" just as Clarkson went into the second verse.

Clarkson strolled across the stage, exuding less energy than shows past. But, admittedly, she became more animated as the show wore on. "I Do Not Hook Up" was more aggressive than the recorded version, thanks to her crack band, which really made the show. "Are you ready?" Clarkson yelled before inviting the audience to sing along with the chorus.

The 90-minute concert was a virtual sing-along, with the packed house serenading Clarkson with her own music--and the singer encouraged it. "If the person standing next to you isn't singing," she said in introducing "Breakaway," "you have my permission to smack them. ... I'm just kidding."

She continued with the techno-influenced "If I Can't Have You" from the album "All I Ever Wanted," which she mashed with The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." Fans rabidly responded every time she held a long note or hit an overtly high note, like in "Never Again."

Clarkson simplified some of her hits, cutting out the production in "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and performing it acoustically, for example, and silencing her voice during the chorus as the audience sang it.

But her commanding voice was the centerpiece of the concert. Couples swayed to "Because of You," a song she said she wrote as a "kid," and fans jumped up and down when she nailed the high notes. "Walk Away" and "Since U Been Gone" also got a raucous response from the crowd. But perhaps the most emotional part of the evening was her take on her latest single, "Already Gone." With help from a beautiful backing band, she showed fans exactly why she won "American Idol."