DeWyze keeps it simple for Chicago concert

One of the biggest criticisms of Lee DeWyze during his “American Idol” run was his lack of stage presence.

Seven months after winning “Idol,” DeWyze still doesn't have the sort of persona that radiates charisma and fills up stadiums.

That's why DeWyze's Monday night show at the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago fit perfectly in with his laid-back rocker vibe.

Accompanied by only a pair of acoustic guitars and his keyboard player, the concert had more of a coffeehouse-kind of flavor that allowed DeWyze plenty of crowd interaction as he ran through a handful of tracks from his major-label debut album, “Live It Up.“

The 10-song setlist was a mix of new and old that featured the live debut of “Brooklyn Bridge,” as well as “Annabelle” off his former band's second album, “Slumberland.”

The club's cozy confines allowed DeWyze to move away from some of the bombast and slick studio polish that marred some of better tracks on “Live It Up.“ Both “Beautiful Like You” and “Earth Stood Still” benefitted from this stripped-down treatment.

A warm, hometown kind of feeling permeated the show. Many of DeWyze's family members and friends were in attendance and he dedicated “Simple Man,” a song |he's previously said means a lot to him, to his brother, Mike.

Although he was plagued by some of the pitch problems that bothered him on “Idol,” especially when reaching for high notes on “A Song About Love,” and “Sweet Serendipity,” DeWyze nonetheless managed to convey sincerity.

“No matter what you hear I want to be here and doing this,” DeWyze told the crowd, perhaps addressing reports of lackluster first-week album sales. “ I don't want to be anywhere else in the world and I wish I could stay here all night.”

He couldn't, but it's clear Chicago will always be Lee DeWyze's kind of hometown.