MANSFIELD, Mass. —The physical outlines of Toby Keith’s show at the Comcast Center last night were the usual deal — big pyrotechnics, explosions, prominent Ford product placement, including the entire set done as a Ford grille — and the set list included most of Keith’s best-known stuff, a mix of good-time celebrations and hip-hop-worthy ego boost at the intersection of countrypolitan pop, ’70s boogie and ’80s arena rock. But the man himself seemed different.

Whether it’s because he doesn’t have a new album of material to tour behind (yet), because he’s stepped into another political controversy or whatever, Keith seemed by turns bored and restless. Swearing, spitting and going into Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold” halfway through “A Little Less Talk and A Lot More Action,” Keith at times let his seeming boredom spill over into relative anarchy. Without a new record, Keith’s promotional focus was his new film, Beer for My Horses.

“If it’s still in the theaters, go see it,” Keith said, with a blunt honesty about its box-office chances. “It’ll be on the TV soon, and you can watch it for free.”

Always a low-key performer, Keith seemed positively laconic during his more crossover-influenced pop-country songs such as “I Wanna Talk About Me,” and downright rowdy during his odes to the good life, some of which recalled a landlocked Jimmy Buffett, such as “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight,” “Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” “Weed With Willie,” “As Good As I Once Was” and “I Love This Bar.” In the latter circumstance, it was occasionally off-putting, occasionally compellingly honest.

The new stuff included the opener, “She’s a Hottie,” a new track from Keith’s hits compilation from this year, a mild Southern-rock non-event that was quickly forgotten in the rush of hits, and the new single “She Never Cried in Front of Me,” featuring an unsympathetic narrator which struck an unusual and interesting psychological chord.

As has become traditional, he finished with the red-state anthems “American Soldier” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” calling some troops on stage for the latter and punctuating it with a middle finger proudly extended and shouting, “never apologize for being patriotic.” He also included in the set “Love Me If You Can,” from last year’s Big Dog Daddy album, an autobiographical ballad in which Keith seeks to put himself in the political center.

Montgomery Gentry, who preceded Keith, started off by rocking even harder than him on the opening “The Big Revival,” from their recent album, and the strutting “What Do Ya Think About That.” Unfortunately their new singles are generic, wistful power ballads such as “Roll With Me” and “Back When I Knew It All,” which, combined with “My Town,” “Lucky Man” and “Something to Be Proud Of,” meant they spent more time taking a break from rocking than rocking.

Guitarist-singer Troy Gentry provided the vocal chops while Eddie Montgomery provided the hollering and the schtick (including a would-be iconic chuckle), and while they threw themselves about the stage with abandon, older butt-kickers it was sad that, say, “Daddy Won’t Sell the Farm” and “You Do Your Thing” were the songs that got pitched to make room for the new stuff.

rmassimo@projo.com