Concert review: Heart at Pier Six Pavilion
Midnight Sun commenter Jay Trucker saw Heart play at Pier Six Pavilion last night. Here is his review of the show:
'70s hard rockers-turned-'80s balladeers-turned classic rock mainstays Ann and Nancy Wilson brought their 2010 tour to Pier Six Pavilion Sunday night, with a well-rounded set list and pleasing performance.
Heart's multi-generational fan base was on hand, including a sizable number of sidewalk freeloaders and boat-dwellers.
Just as sunset hit the Inner Harbor, Heart made their way to the stage for a 100-minute set that featured every song the casual fan wanted to hear as well as a number of lesser-known tracks ...
From the start, it was obvious that Ann Wilson's voice is still in fine form, and Nancy Wilson is still full of rock 'n' roll front woman spunk after 35 years in the business. The group tore through two songs, "Hey You" and "WTF" from their 13th studio album, the forthcoming "Red Velvet Car."
Mid-set, they mixed in a faithful rendition of "These Dreams" and a stripped-down take of '80s megahit "Alone," which Ann noted came in at an octave lower than it was 25 years ago. It was a sultry and full as ever. Change is good.
The group back loaded their set with '70s classics "Magic Man," "Crazy on You," and "Barracuda." Near the end of the show, it seemed like Heart had finished, and a few fans left. They missed out on an encore that featured covers of Led Zeppelin and The Who. Heart has a powerful rendition of "Love, Reign O'er Me."
As with most classic rock shows, last night's Heart concert was not without its cliches, including an unnecessary video montage of machine-generated visuals. Fire! Black light! Flaming donuts (I think)! But the cliches did nothing to take away from the power and professionalism of Heart's current incarnation and the ageless vocals of Ann Wilson. The Wilson sisters have still got it.
Jay Trucker is an Assistant Professor at the Community College of Baltimore County. He writes about the Orioles for WNST.net and Examiner.com and typically freeloads on the sidewalk near Pier Six.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Always had a soft spot in the ol' heart for Heart. Crazy On You, Barracuda and Magic Man are full-throttle rock and roll. And they managed to reinvent themselves in the 80's and become relevant again for a few years.
They are one of those bands that sit just on the edge of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Posted by: Rich B | August 2, 2010 11:45 AM
Lead singer of Candlebox gave Heart a shout out at Outlaw Jam yesterday. Was listing off a bunch of the acts who hailed from Seattle
Posted by: Anonymous | August 2, 2010 12:52 PM
Ann Wilson sounded absolutely awesome from the sidewalk freeload section, and she and Nancy looked fabulous. (With a good pair of binoculars, I saw them better than I might have sitting under the tent, as no one interfered with my line of vision.) Just would have loved to hear "If Looks Could Kill" -- the perfect song to get everyone really rocking.
Posted by: Robert | August 2, 2010 3:16 PM
EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT SHOW AND WHAT A GREAT VENUE!!! HOPE TO LOOK THAT GOOD AT 60!! ANN AND NANCY WILSON ARE STILL SUBERB AFTER ALL THAT TIME!!
Posted by: Terri | August 2, 2010 7:30 PM
Tell me more about pier 6.
Posted by: POP | August 2, 2010 11:11 PM
Man, how did I not know this was happening? I'm on record as loving Heart. Loving them so much. Ditto their Lovemongers incarnation.
Posted by: Patchen | August 3, 2010 10:31 AM
Heart sounded better than they did in the 70s and 80s. Heard their original version of Dog and Butterfly today and their performNce at Pier Six Pavilion was over the top!!!
Posted by: Ruth hood | August 9, 2010 9:57 PM
Incredible! Heart put on a great show. They put a sping on some of their previous hits and their new stuff stays true to their rock roots. Ann and Nancy broke the mold way back when and they still kick ass!Keep Rockin!!!
Posted by: Peaches | August 10, 2010 10:35 AM
Anyone who has seen these ladies live knows they are in for a great show. I've seen them thru the 80's, 90's and 2000's. They are simply timeless!
Posted by: Dawn | August 20, 2010 2:20 PM