Don Henley, despite the contradiction of having a full entourage of musicians, flexed his solo muscle last night at The Bryce Jordan Center as part of the Inside Job Tour.

With a grim gothic cathedral for a backdrop, Henley entertained the "intimate crowd" with new music from his most recent release, Inside Job, as well as hits from his solo career and a few Eagles classics.

Henley's band included two guitarists, a bassist, pianist, bongo player, drummer, keyboardist and three background singers to help him keep the show moving. He opened the show with "Dirty Laundry," an '80s classic.

Sporting dark sunglasses, tight leather pants and a full head of hair, Henley, unlike most classic rockers defying the test of time, looked like he could rock the BJC all night.

The stage theatrics, which included smoke filtering onto the stage and a multitude of lights, added flavor to Henley's performance. Chimes, maracas and a triangle were among the other tricks he used to bring out a unique touch.

The crowd, however, seemed to be having trouble getting motivated. Joel Peterson, 43, of Kane said that the energy level was "pretty low compared to past shows Henley has put on."

Mostly composed of middle- to late-aged central Pennsylvanians, the audience participated in a few group claps and one standing ovation after "Life in the Fast Lane," but aside from that brief outburst, the mood was a bit stagnant.

Although the crowd was hesitant to loosen up and get the energy flowing, Henley hit the high notes and showed off the pipes that made him a legend.

The audience was not only stagnant, but also half empty. The show was geared toward older folks, and not the students that dominate the Penn State community, leading to a more "intimate crowd." Also, as Dana Praskovich, 31, of State College put it, "He's known for the stuff he did with the Eagles and not really his solo stuff."

Henley tried his best to get the crowd moving. Before jumping into one of his newest tracks, he joked with the crowd by saying, "We're going to play as long as we can, or at least until Mr. Lawless takes us away."

Among the songs Henley played were "All She Wants To Do Is Dance," "Sunset Grill," "The Heart of the Matter" and "Boys of Summer."

Jill Sobule opened the show for Henley with a candid performance that would have been better for a younger, more enthusiastic crowd. With songs that attacked everything from Kathie Lee Gifford to anorexia, some found her jokes a bit offensive. Others found her comments and openness refreshing.

"It was different. She was really funny, I thought, but it was offensive to some," said Lisa Palermo, 29, of Williamsport.

Sobule, a solo performer, recently released her second album and is known mostly for her song "I Kissed A Girl."

"I didn't even know who she was or that she was performing, but I fell in love. Her singing wasn't that bad either," said Tom Nagel, 47, of Lockwood, NY.