Heart Concert Review with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

Heart Concert Review with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
                                

AA

Ann Wilson of Heart

Heart has been in Rock and Roll for over forty years.  The staying power and success of a band with siblings is rare in the music industry.  Their debut album Dreamboat Annie is indisputably their strongest album.  The album was released in 1976.  Most of the crowd became a fan of Heart in that great decade we remember as the Eighties.  These Dreams and Bad Animals were the soundtracks of so many of the female fans’ lives. Don’t get me wrong, the guys were singing along too (just not as fervently as the women).  The lyrics of “Alone” are relatable to every woman who has ever struggled with feminism and independence.

AA

Joan Jett and The Heartbreakers

Openers Joan Jett and The Blackhearts are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.   Punk rock and Joan Jett are synonymous.  Joan Jett was a founding member of The Runaways.   Joan Jett and The Blackhearts started the show with “Bad Reputation”.  Petite Joan Jett was looking especially well in skintight gray bodysuit and laced up leather jacket.  She looked great at age fifty-six perhaps due in part to her vegetarianism.  “Cherry Bomb” a hit from The Runaways was up next and some new songs were part of the setlist including “Any Weather”, a song co-written by Dave Grohl.  The rendition of “I Love Rock and Roll” was solid but felt rote.  The hit “Crimson and Clover” was next and the audience loved singing along to every single word of the song.   Ending the night on a great note, “I Hate Myself For Loving You” was energetic and an anthem for women who always fall for the bad boys.

AA

Joan Jett and The Heartbreakers

 

 

Heart started with their standard “Barracuda.”  If they started with another song, I think their fans would be surprised.  Heartmongers, Heart fan club members, abounded in the floor in front of the stage.

AA

Heart

Ann Wilson who is sixty-four and Nancy Wilson who is four years younger looked and performed great with a classy style.  Nancy wore a little black dress with a sheer collar and sheer sleeves along with tattoo designed leggings.  A brilliant, sparkling bracelet adorned her left hand.  Ann was dressed in black tunic and pants with multiple long sparkly necklace.  Ann Wilson’s skill as a female rock vocalist is almost unparalleled.  She is a soprano with a three octave range.  Her voice was amazing still after over forty years.

They performed “What About Love” next and a man took his girlfriend into the aisle, got down on one knee and proposed to her.  Kevin and Lisa became engaged during the song.  Congratulations were handed out by everyone around them.

AA

The proposal photo by a fellow fan

AA

The happy couple, Kevin and Lisa

 

 

“Alone” was sung along to like we were all in the shower.  The feeling when a crowd is singing with all they have is like no other.  You feel a comararderie with the people around you.    Ann talked about who when she was growing up, she wanted to sing like Aretha Franklin.  The next song  was an Aretha cover “Ain’t No Way”.  They ended the night with “Crazy On You” with the introduction played acoustically by Nancy.  Their encore was reliable as well with Led Zeppelin covers of “Immigrant Song”, “No Quarter”, and “Misty Mountain Hop”.

 

AA

Nancy Wilson of Heart

Comments

Heart Concert Review with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts — 18 Comments

  1. “Heart started with their standard “Barracuda.” If they started with another song, I think their fans would be surprised. Heartmongers, Heart fan club members, abounded in the floor in front of the stage.”

    Errrr… No. That they are starting the set with Barracuda for their 2015(+late 2014) tour is the opposite of the norm. Barracuda spent the majority of their career as an ending track, if not encore.

    • They opened with Barracuda in 2012 as well. This was by far the best show I have seen them do!!!!

      • They ALWAYS us to close with Barracuda in the early years. I haven’t seen them in a while but would love to see them again. Either way start or close it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. And, “Crazy On You”, is my favorite. Closing with it would be great too.

  2. Saw this concert Sat. and what can I say it was amazing!
    Joan Jett and The Blackhearts were WOW!!! Her voice is amazing!! I would have went to this concert by myself ina heartbeat. Heart what can I say I was amazed by both groups!!!!!

    • Yes Agree what a Awesome double bill it sounded great at the US cell center Ceder Rapids only disappointment was the shirts the only one for males was black on black could not see the Heart logo

  3. We are going to see them at the Palace in Auburn Hills, MI this Friday. I have been a fan since hearing their first song on the radio in the mid 70’s. Joan Jett kicking it off, does not get any better. Can’t wait for this concert!

  4. loved loved seeing Heart and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
    it was for my and my husband’s 30th wedding anniversary.
    really a great time.
    can’t wait to see them again,sometime.

  5. I lucked out and won last minute, front row tickets to this show in MN! It was amazing! I’m “40-something” & still want to be Nancy Wilson when I grow up!

  6. Going to see them June 14th…CANT WAIT!! I am bringing my Irish partner who has just immigrated to the USA and has NEVER seen a live concert…no better band to see as your first concert than Heart! The most amazing group ever <3

  7. GREAT review!! I enjoyed reading every bit of it!!! I so wish I could have been there too…but alas, work work work got in my way. Reality bites!!

  8. Wow, the show in Cedar Rapids, IA was fantastic! Joan Jett and her band, the BlackHearts (hey) were so on it, their sound was great, they rocked it out! She has such an iconic songbook, her sound will never go out of style.

    It was a dream come true to see Heart perform live -played their records (& then CDs) since 1976. Wore them out! The three Led Zeppelin tunes at the end of their show were fantastic. Don’t want to take anything away from their band, just incredible. Thanks for such a great show -stuff that dreams are made of, been hearing your songs in my head, along with “I hate myself for lovin’ you!” since before Saturday!

  9. I agree “Dreamboat Annie” is still my favorite album although there are several others I like very much. Magic Man, Crazy On You, How Deep It Goes, Dreamboat Annie, Soul of the Sea, Love Me Like Music. Their signature album with their signature songs.