When veteran rocker Bob Seger [ tickets ] busted into "Rock and Roll Never Forgets" as the final song of his nearly two-hour set Thursday night (3/1) in Los Angeles, it was a fitting finale to a long-awaited night his die-hard fans won't soon forget.

It's a good thing the memories will be positive, as judging from Seger's track record, it might be a while before he tours again.

In the midst of his first North American tour in more than a decade, the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee put his 40-year career on display in front of a near-capacity crowd at The Forum in Inglewood, CA. The 24-song set spanned his catalog, from the title track of his 1968 debut, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," to six cuts from his latest release, last year's "Face the Promise."

The new album debuted an impressive No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart and quickly achieved platinum status, marking the 11th platinum effort of Seger's heralded career. To his credit, the new material doesn't stray far from his comfort zone, and the tracks made comfortable additions to a hit-laden performance.

Opener "Roll Me Away" immediately shifted the night into gear, the heartland's favorite rocker aiming his set for the open road and never looking back. It was the early, back-to-back billing of "Main Street" and "Old Time Rock & Roll" that got the equally veteran crowd off their feet in a big way, though, Silver Bullet Band saxophonist Alto Reed kicking off the first, and piano man Craig Frost hitting the intro notes that put Tom Cruise on the map in "Risky Business."

Seger, for his part, sounded strong, his voice warm, weathered and raspy, and showing nary a sign of wear (possibly due, in part, to its limited use over the past 10 years). Dressed down in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, and accessorized by a black headband, the frontman was as stripped-down as his stage show, which offered little more than robotic light-trusses that wouldn't have been considered high-tech even the last time he toured.

The presentation was so bare bones, even the upper-most riser, behind the modest drum kit, didn't get used until Reed climbed atop to play his sax during the night's closer. But bells and whistles weren't necessary.

Backed by his six-piece Silver Bullet Band, the four-piece Motor City Horns and three female backing vocalists (Laura Creamer shared the spotlight on the duet "The Answer's in the Question," recorded on the new album with Patty Loveless), Seger sat behind the piano for "We've Got Tonight" and "Turn the Page," donned an acoustic guitar on "Night Moves" and "Against the Wind," and even fired up the electric six-string, serving up his latest title track with an adrenaline rush that defied his years.

When he wasn't behind an instrument, he worked the stage with an assertive savvy that drove the crowd to return the same, his fists pumping, theirs pumping back, his legs braced to the floor and fists clenched in delivery, and the crowd dancing in appreciation, even if not always in rhythm.

Even the tabloid headline-stealing Kid Rock couldn't rob Seger of his roaring thunder. The fellow Detroit native joined the elder statesman for a run through "Real Mean Bottle," "an ode to Merle Haggard, Cali-style." It was a one-off highlight for the Hollywood crowd that would have normally been reserved for one of the pair's hometown throwdowns.

It was working-class rock, as delivered by the working man's rock-and-roll messiah.

If the night were any more blue collar, Dickies would have been required dress, and Union cards would have discounted the $22 parking. But there was magic in the blue-collar missives delivered on this night. While classic ballads may have rekindled broken hearts, and broken hips from excessive dancing might have worried some in the crowd, the man they came to see ultimately proved exceptional.

Bob Seger is more than just an acclaimed rock-and-roll legend, he's part of the American fabric. In Los Angeles, that fabric, however simple and understated, felt as comfortable as ever.

Like the best pair of jeans, there's no denying slightly worn and timeless.

Setlist:
"Roll Me Away"
"Tryin' to Live My Life Without You"
"Wreck This Heart"
"Main Street"
"Old Time Rock & Roll"
"No More"
"Face the Promise"
"Sunspot Baby"
"Betty Lou's Gettin' Out Tonight"
"We've Got Tonight"
"Turn the Page"
"Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser"
"Real Mean Bottle" (with Kid Rock)
(intermission)
"Simplicity"
"Ramblin' Gamblin' Man"
"C'Est la Vie"
"The Answer's in the Question"
"The Fire Down Below"
"The Horizontal Bop"
"Katmandu"
(first encore)
"Night Moves"
"Hollywood Nights"
(second encore)
"Against the Wind"
"Rock and Roll Never Forgets"