BILOXI --Despite reports that he'd been under the weather during the day, when Taylor Hicks took the stage Friday night at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, there appeared to be no lingering effects.

The winner of "American Idol's" fifth season delivered to the crowd of mostly die-hard fans exactly what they wanted: rich vocals and a soulful delivery, all packaged in a non-threatening, reassuring stage presence.

Hicks took that stage at exactly 9 p.m., following a well-received set by opening performer Michael Warren, who was accompanied on bass guitar by a very competent fellow named Brandon White.

The concert had an official starting time of 8 p.m., and just as the crowd edged toward unruliness (or as unruly as a crowd of Taylor Hicks fans can get) with cries of "Let's get on with it," the performer took the stage, launching into a tune titled, "It's a Soul Thing."

"Hello Biloxi! How's everybody doing this evening," Hicks greeted the crowd, which, at 8 p.m., numbered about 1,652.

Hicks, dressed in jeans, an untucked long sleeve blue shirt and black shoes, is a very competent singer, as he displayed both on the television show and at Friday night's concert. Most of Friday's songs were soulful, groovy numbers that were both pleasant and safe.

Consequently, when he sang lines like, "For I'm the type of guy who gives a girl the eye, everyone knows, but I love them and leave them, break their hearts and deceive them," it sounded good, though hardly believable, coming from the affable Hicks.

Nevertheless, much of the crowd ate it up, rising to its collective feet to join in on songs such as "Heaven Knows" and "The Right Place."

"I wrote this song on the Gulf Coast. Thanks for letting me play it here," said Hicks, transitioning into a tune he called, "The Deal."

Though the Coliseum's theater arrangement boasts a capacity of 3,500, and there were many open seats, the attending crowd was solidly in Hicks' corner, with a number of women, and men for that matter, rising constantly to their feet on the floor to dance and sing their encouragement.

Hicks left the stage at 10:09 p.m., returning moments later for a one-song encore, a cover of the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Running (Without Love)."

"Thank you everybody. I'm Taylor Hicks, and we had a good time tonight," he said, before exiting the stage for the final time.