Sunny smiles stayed pasted on far too many female faces Wednesday night at the Theatre of Living Arts, and still, I didn't hate Neil Finn.

Cassie Kasparian of Center City thought he looked good as ever; Megan Smith, from Manayunk, considered the show a religious experience. Both were 9 in 1986 when Finn, then with Crowded House, wrote "Don't Dream It's Over," and barely born for his 1979 Split Enz hit "I Got You."

The 44-year-old New Zealand native marshaled boy-band fervor, while unfortunates trawled South Street for tickets prior to the sold-out show.

Yet in his 25-year career, Finn has charted only two U.S. hits, "Don't Dream" and "Something So Strong." And it took him two years to find release here for One All (Nettwerk) two months ago.

But nothing seemed obscure on Wednesday. Finn played 11 songs from his two solo albums, seven of them from Crowded House, three from Split Enz.

Everyone cheered nearly equally for everything. Finnatics sang, and Finn enlisted fans to play "Fall at Your Feet." For an unrehearsed collection of total strangers, it sure sounded like it.

Seven able players, including fiddler Lisa Germano, filtered on and off stage for 110 minutes. Opener Ed Harcourt and his bandmates also helped. Small liberties were taken - a bass solo on "Pineapple Head," a psychedelic interlude during "Driving Me Mad" - but Finn mostly stayed the course of buttoned-down, polished pop.

Everything was clean-cut, crowd-friendly and fresh. By Finn's bus following the show, one female fan was heard rehearsing her dream entreaty: "I love your music. I'm glad you did all those Crowded House songs. I want to have your child."