SPECIAL DELIVERY

The Long Beach Arena played host Thursday to two bands with a lot in common.

Opener Bad Company’s old songs are distilled straight from the British boogie tradition, while its new material is virtually indistinguishable from the Journey/Starship pap that fills the airwaves.

Headliner .38 Special’s old stuff, on the other hand, is distilled straight from the Southern boogie tradition, while its new material is virtually indistinguishable from . . . . You get the idea.

The difference is that where Bad Company’s only strength is in such old faves as “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love,” .38 Special’s strength goes beyond its not-so-special music. This is a band that’s got, as the title of its most recent album puts it, “Strength in Numbers”--the numbers of people who made the album a million-seller and who nearly filled the arena on Thursday.

A group that built its reputation on the road rather than on the radio, .38 Special demonstrated that it knows its audience and knows how to play to it. With co-lead singer Donnie Van Zant serving as cheerleader, the Florida sextet (augmented by a keyboardist and two female singers) gave the crowd just what it wanted: good-time, Southern-accented pop with few frills.

The smoother, more recent tunes sung by guitarist Don Barnes now take a more prominent role than the crunchier old tunes like “Wild Eyed Southern Boys,” but even on those Van Zant mugged and clowned and milked the crowd for all it was worth.

Where Bad Company--reactivated after a long retirement with nondescript singer Brian Howe filling the role first held by the distinctive Paul Rodgers--seems to have given in to its past, at least .38 Special gave the impression that it has tried to build on its history.