ST. CHARLES — Kelly Clarkson stands at an intriguing midpoint in what promises to be a long musical career.

On stage Halloween night at the Family Arena, the original winner of "American Idol" displayed all the gifts that made her a superstar, yet also revealed the talent and inclination which could keep her singing in the public eye for many years to come.

When the curtain was raised at the beginning of her performance, a massive ensemble was revealed on stage — two guitarists, three horn players, a keyboardist, a disc jockey, two backing vocalists, and a bassist and drummer were spread impressively across a flashy complex of risers and ramps. At the center top, Clarkson stood stock still and began belting out "All I Ever Wanted," the title track from her fourth album, released earlier this year. She immediately asserted her dominance as a singer with her passionate, intensely nuanced control of contemporary pop music approaches.

As the band shifted into a funky, Prince-like backing, Clarkson sang her first big hit single (a mere five years ago, but a lifetime in current pop historical terms), "Miss Independent."

"I Do Not Hook Up" came next, and it was every bit as delightful and powerfully memorable as her other hits would be. Yet, this song didn't rise any higher than No. 20 on the pop charts, a showing many musicians would love to have, but not up to Clarkson's previous standards. If a song as undeniably infectious as this one couldn't sell more, the writing may be on the wall for Clarkson's time at the top.

Halfway through the show, however, Clarkson gave hints as to what she could do when the teenage audience moves on to the next up-and-coming act. Standing alone on the stage, Clarkson sang a verse a cappella of "Lies," a song by the rock blues duo the Black Keys.

Soon she was backed by one guitar and piano, and it turns out that Clarkson is a masterful blues singer. She has the cry in her voice which enables her to completely inhabit the idiom, even though she rarely gets a chance to use this skill. She followed this with a wonderful bluesy arrangement of Patsy Cline's classic "Walkin' After Midnight," featuring a gorgeously seductive New Orleans jazz-influenced trumpet solo.

Clarkson listens to music from a variety of genres, both contemporary and of the past, and she could easily become one of the finest interpretive singers outside the pop world when she has time to move in that direction.

But for now, it was time to return to the music that brought the audience to the show. "I Want You" and "Ready," two songs Clarkson co-wrote from the latest album, brought forth a '60s pop influence rarely noted in her music so far which may not rule the pop charts, but certainly infected the crowd. "Because of You" was a ballad that clearly resonated with her fans, as it showcased her vulnerability. "Walk Away" and "Since U Been Gone" pumped things back up to raucous levels of enthusiasm, as the whole crowd began jumping up and down in the manner of Clarkson's basic dance move on stage.

During the encore, the band (and eventually Clarkson) put on Halloween costumes — there was Captain America, Darth Vader, Superman, Burger King, a chicken, a giant dreadlocked head, and a couple of bananas. With Clarkson dressed as an oddball version of Stewie from the "Family Guy" cartoon, she sang an incredible version of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" before ending with her No. 1 single from earlier this year, the joyous "My Life Would Suck Without You."