By Christopher David<\/p>\n
The greatest voices in music history have, by and large, aged gracefully, and on Friday night, Ann Wilson of legendary rock band Heart showed yet again that she is among that number of artists.<\/p>\n
Entering to a stage simply decorated with rows of flowers, Wilson had the capacity crowd going in a matter of seconds with a rollicking cover of The Who\u2019s \u201cThe Real Me,\u201d followed by two of Heart\u2019s biggest hits, \u201cBarracuda\u201d and \u201cCrazy on You,\u201d the latter of which was reworked to a stripped down, almost fully-acoustic arrangement (as was Heart anthem \u201cAlone\u201d later in the set, which, while affecting, would have been more effective with it\u2019s original bombast intact). Covers were largely the order of the evening, but the crowd didn\u2019t seem to mind, and the broad, unpredictable array of tunes proved the most exciting way for Wilson to show off a voice that is still as powerful as you\u2019re likely to hear.<\/p>\n
Backed by an excellent, no-frills band including bassist Andy Stoller, guitarist Craig Bartock, former Heart drummer Denny Fongheiser, the well-chosen covers offered a unique glimpse into songs that Wilson cites as influences and inspiration to her decades-long career. Buffalo Springfield classic \u201cFor What It\u2019s Worth\u201d was turned into a grooving funk jam, Yes\u2019s \u201cI\u2019ve Seen All Good People\u201d segued seamlessly into a lovely rendition of The Black Crowes\u2019 \u201cShe Talks to Angels,\u201d and a stunning version of Screamin\u2019 Jay Hawkins classic \u201cI Put A Spell On You\u201d brought a collective gasp from the room, a song that\u2019s been covered by many artists but never to this kind of effect. \u201cAin\u2019t No Way\u201d and \u201cDanger Zone\u201d were also highlights; Wilson\u2019s voice has always had a soulful, timeless quality that made it perfect for the brief forays into classic R&B. And while it might have been nice to hear a couple of additional Heart tunes (\u201cDog and Butterfly\u201d would have fit nicely into the set), it wasn\u2019t necessary – the two-hour set was more than enough to prove that a voice as great as Wilson\u2019s never goes out of style.<\/p>\n
For more on Ann Wilson, click here<\/a><\/p>\n