The Bottom Line: One of rock's true pioneers delivered an ingratiating set in his first Utah appearance.

Finding a unique voice or point of view within the confines of the "rock and roll" label is no easy task, but Ray Davies has enjoyed the kind of career that few others can boast by doing just that.

Distinctly British and class-conscious, Davies made history leading the Kinks through the British Invasion of the states. But now as a solo artist in his 60s, it appears Davies has struck creative gold again as he turns his keen powers of observation on life in the 22nd century, and on himself as an aging artist.

That first became apparent with the release of his first solo album, "Other People's Lives," earlier this year, and was reinforced in a highly entertaining, sparsely attended show at The Depot Friday.

Leading a four-piece band, Davies slickly mixed plenty of new material in with a slew of Kinks hits, finding common musical themes in songs written sometimes 40 years apart. The opening one-two punch of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" and "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" segued easily into the new "After the Fall," a song Davies introduced by saying, "This song was written five or six years ago, but it could have been written yesterday."

Older cuts like "Celluloid Heroes" and the raucous "All Day and All of the Night" garnered the loudest howls from the crowd, but songs from "Other People's Lives" truly carried the night. "Next Door Neighbor" sounded like it could have been on one of the Kinks '60s-era albums, but the accordion was clear indication of Davies' obsession with his adopted hometown of New Orleans.

"Run Away from Time" and "Over My Head" also hit their respective marks, as did an extended jam on "The Tourist." The new material showcased Davies' ace band the best, too, with guitarist Mark Johns providing some particularly potent playing throughout the night, whether riffing on new tracks or taking on Dave Davies' classic Kinks licks.

As the show neared its close, the old Kinks hits arrived en masse, including "20th Century Man," "You Really Got Me" and "Tired of Waiting for You." "A Long Way from Home," which Davies dedicated to his brother, was one highlight of the two encores, as was the new "The Getaway (Lonesome Train)."

All told, it was an impressive first stop in Utah for a true rock legend. Here's hoping it's not the last.