Few of the current generation’s musical artists will make it to legendary status and still have a place to play in 30 years. Perhaps their greatest challenge is traveling down roads that have already been paved. So many musicians of generations past have been there and done that – framing and setting the standard for all subsequent artists. Chrissie Hynde, a maverick to the core, has lit the path for all following female artists to have more independence, opportunities and gumption. Hynde’s brash attitude and fervor for playing in a band have kept her in the business for almost four decades. She boldly writes rock songs that appeal to the masses, dons a signature masculine look with a feminine twist, and emits a generally “badass” energy that won’t quit. On Saturday night, she closed her Stockholm tour in front of a fully satisfied audience at the beautiful Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, proving that after more than 30 years of rocking, she still has that “it” factor.
The evening opens with a short, sweet set from England’s The Rails. Married spuds Kami Thompson and James Walbourne gently coax to the building crowd into a melodic trance as they patiently wait for Hynde’s impending raucous of a performance. Life on The Rails is a variance of folksy storytelling balanced by the female-male counterparts. Thompson’s dry, airy voice combined with Walbourne’s somber masculinity creates an experience comparable to eating french fries dipped in chocolate milkshake – you taste both parts separately, but the sweet coupled with the savory simultaneously is a delicious mix that you would like to experience more than once. So, you keep eating. For those enthused enough to dive further into the pair’s material, their album Fair Warning is a fresh release from earlier this year; and it comes highly recommended, especially by Chrissie Hynde.
No doubt, Hynde speaks her mind and her presence demands attention. Her first fan contact comes before she even hit the stage. Upon entering the venue, guests are greeted with a notice on each door, “Chrissie Hynde respectfully requests that you refrain from using cameraphones during the show tonight. Please enjoy the concert and be in the moment, not behind a screen.” She maintains this credo with a vicious vengeance throughout the show. The minute she comes out, she immediately points to a phone in the air and tells the person holding it to put it away. Hynde even skips the second verse of “Biker” to single out another audience member with a phone in the air and tells security to remove the person from the space. Her occasional rants about rock music being about the moment remind fans the enjoy themselves right now. She makes a valid point – it should be about the live music experience and not recording it for later.
Hynde delivers an undeniably top night. The whopping 23 song set – including two separate encores – is a true testament to her longevity from her days fronting Pretenders to finally moving into her own solo songwriting project resulting in her June album Stockholm. She mows through the archives swiftly, blending a fair amount of all the hits and the new music. Hynde’s voice sounds fresh as ever. It is a happy moment to see her donning her cliche masculine uniform of a vest with a long tie tucked in and thigh high leather boots. She is probably one of the few humans on this planet who can pull the bold look off well. Fused with her matter-of-fact attitude, her revolutionary style and music show how she pioneers the mission for female musicians to have an independent place in this industry. Her solo songs carry a softer catchy rock sound than her Pretenders work, but the superfans spanning the theatre are extremely receptive and people continuously give standing ovations after every song. At the start of her second encore, Hynde finally allows fans to pull out their phones and take pictures. Within seconds, the room is illuminated with phone screens as everyone tries to catch a picture of her in action. All sassy anti-technology remarks aside, Hynde’s reckoning stage presence is palpable. Her “no nonsense” attitude forces everyone to focus on what she intends to convey – true rock and roll. Indeed, even on the last night of her tour, music legend Chrissie Hynde maintains the mission successfully.
Set List
Don’t Lose Faith in Me
Biker
977
In a Miracle
Like in the Movies
Talk of the Town
Kid
Sweet Nuthin’
You or No One
Down the Wrong Way
A Plan Too Far
My City Was Gone
Downtown
The Phone Call
Night in My Veins
Don’t Get Me Wrong
Back on the Chain Gang
Adding the Blue
1st Encore
I Go to Sleep (The Kinks cover)
Precious
2nd Encore
Tattooed Love Boys
Dark Sunglasses
2000 Miles
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