Boone Shows His Mettle at County Fair

Pat Boone left the tattoos and earrings at home while performing Sunday evening at the Orange County Fair. And even though he played a healthy sampling of his easy-listening oldies, he was still in the mood to play heavy metal, and to show off a modified version of the look that landed him in so much trouble.

Unlike the first time Boone showed up publicly with a new look made of leather and dark glasses, his appearance Sunday seemed to meet with no controversy or comment--just an enthusiastic crowd of about 5,500.

Decked out in a more traditional star-spangled leather jacket and white slacks and shoes, Boone literally rolled onto the stage, atop a Harley-Davidson. He and his 10-piece band then began their 70-minute early show with a string of the crooner’s well-known hits, including “I Almost Lost My Mind,” “Love Letters in the Sand” and “Ain’t That a Shame.”

The crowd warmed to Boone’s gentle between-song banter, but then he warned: “I’ve got the metal mood under control, but it may come without warning at any time.”

Sure enough. Boone sauntered offstage only to return dressed in a black leather vest and pair of pants to sing Alice Cooper’s “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” Boone even tellingly introduced Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” by saying: “This song’s about a father saying prayers with his son before bedtime. I bet you didn’t know that . . . but listen to the words.”

Sunday was Boone’s first public performance since he made major waves in religious circles with an appearance on national television in January for the American Music Awards, clad in chest-baring leather, a studded dog collar, clip-on earrings and fake tattoos. The outfit was a stunt to promote his latest album, “In a Metal Mood/No More Mister Nice Guy.”

But some people weren’t laughing in January, particularly viewers of Tustin-based Trinity Broadcasting Network, which provides Christian programming to nearly 400 cable and TV stations.

A month after the awards show aired, TBN canceled Boone’s weekly half-hour “Gospel America” program, citing thousands of complaints from viewers. Then in April, Boone appeared with network President Paul Crouch on the “Praise the Lord” program to explain his motives and perform damage control.

A viewer poll taken at that time indicated that viewers were in favor--10 to 1--of Boone’s program returning to TBN. Boone still isn’t back on the air, although a Trinity spokesman said Friday that negotiations are ongoing.

On Sunday, he performed several pieces from “In a Metal Mood,” which is dominated by big-band arrangements of songs by Deep Purple, Van Halen and others.

After the performance, Boone expressed pleasure.

“[TBN’s] Crouch and I just aren’t on the same wavelength musically right now,” Boone said. “These rock songs are all very good, and if you can’t have a little fun with ‘em, I believe we’re all in trouble.”