By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Jun 29, 2008 at 2:01 AM

For the BoDeans, Saturday night was more of a backyard party than a concert.

Headlining the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard, the local-boys-done-well crammed as a many of their sing-along hits as possible into an energetic set.

The set list was, for the most part, a "greatest hits" collection. Just a song into the show, the easily-recognizable guitar intro of "Texas Ride Song" whipped the crowd into a frenzy and old standards like "Still the Night" and "Naked" had people screaming along with the band.

For good measure, new songs from more recent work like "First Time," from the most recent album, "Still," were worked into the lineup, too.

"I always forget how much fun this show is until I get onstage," said Sammy Llanas, who along with Kurt Neumann, headlined the Big Gig for the first time back in the mid-eighties.

Still, while their days as mainstream rockers may have passed, the BoDeans still bring an energy to Summerfest that few other acts can. Maybe it's the hometown roots, maybe it's the local fan base ... or maybe it's just a couple of guys who really enjoy playing their music for people who really enjoy listening to the music.

The BoDeans won't give you flash. They will give you a fast-paced, heartfelt and fun show. That's exactly what their fans got Saturday night.