TAMPA — Gone was the raccoon makeup. Gone was the trademark tie and the arm socks.
Gone was the dark, pouty princess of the moody, broody, blues vibe.
The Avril Lavigne who showed up at the Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday night in a gray tank top and blue jeans was a full-on sultry, blond rocker chick. Even her opening number, the anxiety ode to missed love “Sk8er Boi,” was more anthem than sulk.
Five weeks shy of her 21st birthday, the Canadian offered the crowd of 7,000 an amazing crossover appeal.
Part girl-power, part sex symbol, part boisterous balladeer, Lavigne had something for everyone, from the pre-teen girls in blinking devil horns, to the tube-topped teens to the 50-something with the pot belly in Row R playing air guitar and belting out words to “My Happy Ending.”
Unencumbered by a mechanical stage show, Lavigne was Lavigne, strong, independent-minded, clearly enjoying the power to bring thousands to their feet as she bounded around, arms waving, hips shaking, often smiling coyly as she sang about anger and ardor and love and longing.
Unlike some pop divas, who are spoon-fed material, Lavigne, who pens most of her own, allows listeners into her world. The daughter of strict religious French Canadian parents, Lavigne shows she’s nobody’s fool, singing: “Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time? Did you think that it was somethin’ I was gonna do and cry? Don’t try to tell me what to do. Don’t try to tell what to say. You’re better off that way.”
Lavigne showed off her musicality, playing the smoky barroom chanteuse when a piano was rolled out for “Together,” strumming on the acoustic guitar for “I’m With You,” banging the drums on “Song 2” by Blur.
Through it all, the 10-year-olds danced, the soccer moms jammed on the air guitar.
