Dierks Bentley [ tickets ] has ridden the strength of his major-label debut single to an opening slot on the current leg of George Strait's tour. A one-off club stop on Friday (1/31) between Strait dates showcased Bentley as an artist with some promising instincts and plenty of room for growth.

Bentley, a charming everyman who looks younger than his 27 years, has knocked around Nashville for nearly a decade, honing his craft in the city's clubs. An early day-job in the tape library of former country-music cable channel TNN forced him to watch early country greats regularly, and their work informs Bentley's songwriting and concert song-selection, with Bentley dipping into covers of country music's pre-Garth lineage early and often. Over the course of his set, Bentley covered Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Hank Williams, Jr. and Johnny Cash.

The fact that these songs blend easily with Bentley's own material speaks well for his writing chops. At the same time, it also highlights a potential drawback: Bentley's own artistic voice and style can appear somewhat fluid and anonymous. His writing and singing hit a wide array of touchpoints, both in concert and on his current self-titled debut for Capitol Nashville.

On CD and on stage, a distinct freshness and energy permeate Bentley's delivery, creating a few standout moments, like the infectious radio hit "What Was I Thinkin'?" and the night's opener, "Bartenders, etc."

Musically, the set rallied on the versatility of Bentley's voice and some terrific fills and leads by guitarist Rod Janzen, who shone most brightly on a playful cover of Hank Williams' "Mind Your Own Business" (with a few verses of Williams' "Move It On Over" mixed in) and later on Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'" and on Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."

On the downside, a Friday-night, Hollywood-club crowd, particularly one that skews to the young side, isn't looking for balladry, and the slower material seemed to drag in this setting, including the sentimental "My Last Name," Bentley's current single. The song, replete with imagery of family heritage and national pride, likely speaks more effectively to arena audiences, whose members have a place to sit and ponder.

In all, the show was a solid preview of a promising, young talent worth watching.

Bentley is on the road with George Strait through the end of February, and soon is expected to announce a spring tour with Kenny Chesney.