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Thousands of people will be kicking up their heels today as the Halifax Commons hosts an urban country-music extravaganza.

Australian country singer Keith Urban is headlining an all-day outdoor show billed as Country Rocks 2008, which will also feature Atlantic Canadian performers Great Big Sea and Jimmy Rankin, and Canadian vocalists Johnny Reid, Charlie Major and Aaron Pritchett.

"Its going to be a party," organizer Harold MacKay, of Power Promotional Events, said Friday. "People will be impressed."

Crews were at work Friday putting the finishing touches on the fenced-in grounds. Mr. MacKay said everything was on schedule, despite a week of rain, and the first act was to kick things off at noon with Urban performing at about 8 p.m.

"We have to keep them rolling," Mr. MacKay said.

Urban was arriving from Australia via London on Friday afternoon but Mr. MacKay didnt know whether his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, was accompanying him.

The open-air show comes two years after the Rolling Stones rocked the city on the same site. Todays concert will be a smaller affair but international promoters will be among the expected crowd of 25,000, and Mr. MacKay is hoping they leave convinced Halfiax has shown it has the potential to host large-scale events.

"Thats the kind of thing I think you will see happen in this city," he said. "If our event comes off without a hitch, which we anticipate it will, people will go away and the Halifax Commons will be on the map, and people will take a second look.

"The location of the Halifax Commons for a concert is absolutely superb. Ten minutes after the show you can be downtown. In Moncton thats one of the drawbacks of Magnetic Hill: It takes a long time to get off the site when its over and get back into the city."

Mr. MacKay said hes not worried about comments that todays show caters mainly to country-music fans.

"Thats silly talk," he said. "If the city truly wants to be an entertainment centre, which Halifax is, youve got to wrap your arms around any type of music.

"I saw Keith Urban in Toronto; hes a rock star more than a country star."

But hes far from a household name for some.

"I dont really know who he is," said Eva Bryant, 20, an art student who was walking past the Commons on Friday. "Ive just seen the posters and hes got funny hair."

Ms. Bryant, who just moved to Halifax from Vancouver, said the show was inconveniencing her because all the hotels in the downtown area were booked solid and she needed a place to stay until her apartment was ready.

She did say she would attend a concert on the Commons if it was an act that was more to her taste.

"If I was going to see a show there it would be Feist or something," she said. "Like Radiohead or something. I dont know if theyd ever come to Halifax."

Shauna McPherson, 34, was checking out the site but didnt think she could justify shelling out $109 for general admission.

"Hes OK," she said of Urban. "I dont really listen to his music that much but Ive seen a couple of his videos."

She wouldnt think twice about paying that much for a concert by someone like Celine Dion.

"Id pay $100 to see her," Ms. McPherson said. "She has the voice of an angel."

Ms. McPherson said shed also be willing to fork over $100 for a concert by Nickelback or Motley Crue. And for Shania Twain? "Id pay $50 for her."

Brad MacDonald, 39, said he might try to take in todays show.

"Im going to do my best to get there," he said. "Im kind of into rock n roll; Im not a big country fan, but Kenny Rogers I like, and Anne Murray the older stuff. This guy here I only heard a couple songs."

He said he fully supports Halifax hosting more open-air concerts.

"Its an excellent idea and good for the city," he said. "People are spending money here and revenues are going into the city."

But he balked at the price of tickets.

"Its a little steep, but I may just stand on the other side of this fence and listen," Mr. MacDonald said.

No streets will be closed in Halifax due to the show, but there will be some parking restrictions. Metro Transit will have shuttle services to the concert every 30 minutes starting at noon from Portland Hills Terminal, South Centre Mall, Lacewood Terminal and Sackville Terminal. At 8 p.m. shuttles will start making the return trip every half-hour.

( jsimpson@herald.ca)

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1076084.html