As local "American Idol" hopeful LaKisha Jones competes on the nation's largest talent show stage in Hollywood, former "Idol" finalist Chris Daughtry is touring smaller rock clubs and theaters, which brought the best-selling rocker's band, Daughtry, to Flint's Machine Shop on Sunday.

Sporting an eponymous debut album that currently tops the Billboard charts, Daughtry's Flint visit sold out in record time, drawing a far more diverse crowd than most Machine Shop acts.

Appealing to rock and pop fans alike, Daughtry's sound is not unlike the bands that influenced its vocalist, such as Live and Fuel, even if some of the long-winded ballads owe a debt to oft-ridiculed Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger

Daughtry's catch, however, is that his delivery is often quite believable. As much flak as the vocalist receives for his attempts to distance himself from "American Idol" (his set opened to a recording of The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star") his Machine Shop performance left little doubt that Chris Daughtry was born and bred in smoky rock clubs, far from the pop glitz of the show that made him a household name during Season 5.

Daughtry's nearly hourlong set predictably covered a majority of the band's lone album. Dedicating "Over You" to any fans who had been dumped recently, Daughtry mildly broke away from his self-serious persona to interact with the crowd.

Most of Daughtry's onstage banter referred to his recent success. Sporting a black Machine Shop tee, the vocalist thanked the crowd for helping him achieve his top-selling status and noting that pre-encore closer "Home" is the song that sealed the band's RCA record deal.

The largest response of the night came with the opening notes to the hit single "It's Not Over," though "Crashed" and the encore selection, "There And Back Again," proved to be fan favorites.

The show was opened with Cinder Road, sporting a crunchy pop-rock sound, and Eve to Adam, which showcased a dirtier post-grunge sound.

While it remains to be seen if Flint will soon sport its own Idol in Jones, Daughtry's Sunday performance was a close-enough Idol encounter for many area music fans.

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