A grateful Sam Smith radiated star power at American Airlines Center

They came in every make and model to American Airlines Center on Friday night.

They were dressed up and dressed down, wearing everything from suit coats to sweatshirts, shorts to glittery dresses. It's become trite to write that an event had something for everyone, but this is one in which there was someone for everyone: music sensation Sam Smith.

Smith performed an efficient almost two-hour set to a cheering crowd who also gave him the quiet to sing -- and chat.

"My music is so depressing," he said between "One Last Song" and an audience-assisted "I'm Not the Only One."

"And I don't want you to leave here feeling like crap. Let's [expletive] sing and dance and have fun."

So, his lovelorn songs such as the lovely, spare and longing reading of "Lay Me Down" gave way to '80s dance jams.  "Restart" would have sounded at home on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, complete with a keytar and the wielder attired in a double-breasted jacket. That's no slight; that No. 1, Grammy-winning album produced "New Attitude" by Pattie LaBelle and the enduring "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer.

Smith kept the conversation going even while he was singing. He's completely comfortable on the stage, dancing a bit here, standing quite still to let his soaring voice do the dancing for him there. He exults in his own music, and the audience followed his lead. When streaming Smith's music, especially if you just go with the radio hits, it can verge on boring. But hearing him live can turn into an experience.

There was so much love for his early output. At times, he didn't have to motion or ask for anyone to sing (even though he did). At others, it was almost as if the audience was tentative, afraid to disappoint him. But, even with this show being the last of his final two in North America, Smith's voice started a little low, but seemed to get better as the night went on. As did his accompanying singers, those on stage and those in the seats.

The never-sitting young woman in section 106, row K who knew every syllable? She wasn't alone.

Before Smith came out, the giant video screens flanking the runway stage put up quotes ranging from Frank O'Hara to Jerry Herman to Stephen Hawking. They were about passion, they were about love, they were about joy.

As the show went on, they were clearly about how Smith sees himself. He lays it out for all to hear. He was in control of his vocals from the beginning, so much so that one barely noticed when his band appeared: a guitarist, bassist, keys, cello, pianist and a drummer with four backup singers. That was the fire of "Burning," which he sang under a single spotlight. From. A. Chair.

"His Eye Is On the Sparrow" was a welcome gospel addition. His songs with the duo Disclosure were welcome distractions ("Omen" and an incredible "Latch") and he had as much fun with them as his fans did.

(And it was in front of a special person: "My mum is actually here tonight," he said during the intro to "Nirvana." Cheers, but it didn't stop his F-bombs.)

His one nod to excess was as it should have been, for the Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning Bond theme, "Writing's On The Wall." It featured a centerstage pyramid deconstructed after the first verse, with pieces jutting out and turning the stage into an avant garde art installation.

"How [expletive] dramatic was that," he asked. 

He wasn't wrong; it was Celine Dion bombast, all day, every day. But that's it. This is a young performer -- only 26 -- who already has his old-man stage persona down. The drama extended to the merch table where a fine young fan could buy a $100 "Sam Smith Kimono." Props. Mad respect.

But the audience kept everything down to earth. Take this lyric from "One Day At a Time" and from the video screens, or not: "Let's turn off our phones tonight and rely on the stars. We've been so lost lately. We forgot who we are." Whatever, dude.

Smith said that he had gotten "here two days ago." He had visited some friends about 40 minutes away from Dallas and ridden in the back of a pickup truck, eating ice cream. (Was it Blue Bell?) He talked about playing the House of Blues Dallas just about five years ago. In this moment, in a venue the size of American Airlines Center, he really was just happy to be here.

And, even before the confetti and an encore that included a subdued singalong of "Stay With Me" and a fervent "Pray" showered over the arena, this crowd was more than happy to have him.

For more news, views and reviews, follow @DawnBurkes on Twitter.