Still the Same Bob Seger?

There was no special fanfare to mark the entrance of Bob Seger at the Forum on Thursday, nothing to suggest that he had been away from touring for nearly nine years. He casually strolled out in jeans, a T-shirt and a black leather vest, ready for another night’s work, just as if he had never left.

That working-class hero persona is a central ingredient of Seger’s music, focused largely on the working life, small-town romance and other bittersweet reminiscences on growing up and growing old in the heartland. It’s a formula that has proven astonishingly flexible since the mid-’70s, mixing his explosive rasp with anthemic rockers and ballads that are direct and often moving.

On Thursday, Seger spent most of the two-hour concert with his fist thrust dramatically into the air, singing the old hits (from “Katmandu” to “Like a Rock”) for an audience clearly primed for the hopeful messages, standing and clapping with the slightest encouragement. For virtually anyone who listened to pop radio during the ‘70s and early ‘80s, Seger’s voice and music were unavoidable, making it unlikely that a Seger concert in 1996 could offer any real surprises.

While many rockers culled from his new “It’s a Mystery” album captured some of the old volume and rowdiness, they were too often based on uninspired melodies. Not even Seger’s longtime saxman Alto Reed, wading through the crowd in his leather pants and mutton chops, could bring any fire to the likes of “Rite of Passage” and other new numbers.

Far more satisfying was when Seger (who turns 51 next month) picked up an acoustic guitar to perform “By the River,” an emotional ode to both his toddler son and the environment, with a mix of folk, rock and a touch of gospel that held up well alongside the best of Seger’s older work.

Now that Seger has reactivated his career (after taking time off to raise a family and care for his dying mother), his new rock songs will not likely find much room on the crowded airwaves alongside Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. Too many performers of Seger’s generation have fallen from relevance not for their age, but for losing touch with whatever made their music worthwhile. If “By the River” is any indication, Seger’s current inspiration is in writing personal ballads, not chasing after his old rock sound.