Review By: Harriet Kaplan
Photos By: Rose Guererrd
Pat Benatar and Neil “Spyder” Giraldo have one of the most successful musical partnerships in contemporary rock history. Their commercial and artistic body of work continues to endure and remain undiminished as trends and styles have come and gone. Billboard Magazine ranked Benatar as one of the most successful female rock vocalist of all time. Benatar has influenced female rock stars around the world that have followed in her wake.
In addition to the 100 songs he’s written, produced, arranged and recorded for Benatar, Giraldo helped create hits for many other artists including John Waite, Rick Springfield, Kenny Loggins to name a few. Continuing their 36th Anniversary Tour, with a stop at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa on Thursday night August 6, the powerhouse duo took their many enthusiastic and highly-energized fans down memory lane with a taut, muscular and versatile performance showcasing a vast catalog of their biggest hit songs. There were some rearrangements of numbers here and there and some lesser known material featured, that wasn’t as strong or memorable, based on a contest they are running on their official Facebook page asking fans to vote on songs to be played. That material occasionally dragged the pacing down. The audience interest waned on the former and peaked strongest during the more well-known material. Overall, there was a lot of singing, cheering, standing and dancing in the aisles among concertgoers.
The show opened with an exciting, dizzying and fascinating montage of highlights/moments projected on overhead screens giving the audience the earliest glimpses into Benatar’s and Giraldo’s aspirations as artists to where they are today. It’s clear to see the stars were aligned for the talented Benatar and Giraldo to meet, collaborate and eventually became dominant superstar forces that changed the landscape of recorded music and live performance forever. It was truly their destiny. Throughout the show, Benatar and Giraldo continued the thread of the montage engaging in storytelling from time to time about how a particular song was written and came into existence and being on the forefront of the MTV generation and more.
The ever-present ease with one another and chemistry was evident throughout the set between the longtime married couple. Benatar would often gently and lovingly touch Giraldo’s face with her hand and even put it on his heart. They would both smile and beam and playfully tease and be sassy with one another. Benatar is very personable and likable. She has a special connection with her legion of fans as they feel they know her and can relate to the most romantic, emotional and intimate songs (“Shadows Of The Night”, “We Live For Love” and “Promises In The a Dark” ) as well as those that have become feminist anthems with themes of empowerment (“Love Is A Battlefield” and “Invincible”).
Taking center stage with her strong mezzo-soprano vocals that still manage to scale the highest of notes when required, the 62-year-old Benatar can rise to the occasion and inspire awe and respect for her fluid instrument that is famous for its multi-octave range. She also still can really belt out the songs in a hard rocking mamma fashion that is renowned (“All Fired up”). Yet the magnificent vocal gymnastics that were constant trademark of hers in past years have changed and are less frequently heard these days. Benatar now seems to be singing primarily in a lower register. Her voice often sounded hoarse at times. Maybe “earthy?” Still, she delivered a standout, kick-ass performance with none of the grandstanding and bombast of the band’s heyday.
“Hell Is For Children” was an example of that potent treatment. It’s become an important song drawing serious attention to a continuing troubling and tragic societal issue. Benatar described it as one she “holds in great reverence for” and will continue to do live “until they don’t have to play it no more.”
Giraldo is a visually riveting counterpoint to Benatar on lead guitar. The audience couldn’t take their eyes of him. He’s really a born entertainer that brings his confidence, charisma and showmanship to the set that is irresistible as it intoxicating and hypnotic. He continues to be one of rock’s preeminent rock guitarists. Giraldo is totally comfortable on stage playing the guitar like it’s a natural extension of his body. His sound is distinctive and original. Giraldo’s technique is inventive with all the chord changes and tones he coaxed out of his guitar and is unparalleled. Neil Giraldo is a one-of-kind musician. He also impressed with his versatility on piano during several of the numbers. Some served as backdrop intros to certain songs and on others he played piano all the way through them.
Rounding out the glorious soundscape anchored by Benatar and Giraldo was the propulsive rhythm section provided by bassist player Mick Mahan and drummer Chris Ralles. The kinetic “Heartbreaker” was the show’s encore along with Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Following that, Giraldo segued into instrumental snippets of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and the “Godfather” movie theme. That final blast of virtuosity got fans out of their seats again and was met by thunderous applause of appreciation and respect. If you grow up listening to the music of Pat Benatar, it was a special night that felt nostalgic transporting so many people back to their youth. Reminiscing and commiserating with other devoted and hardcore fans never felt so good and reassuring.
Dennis DeYoung: The Music Of Styx
One of the biggest rock bands in mid-to-late 1970s to 1980s, Styx had a string of commercial hits that resonated more with the record buying public than it did with its critics and detractors that were less receptive and dismissive of the band at that time. Still, their massive popularity to this day can’t be denied. Styx’s music continues to be decades of long staple of radio. Clearly their rabid fan base hasn’t forgotten them either coming out in droves to the Pacific Amphitheater to hear the music and bask in the afterglow of many of the saccharine-sweet, syrupy power ballads and alternatively pump their fists mightily in the air to the driving, full-tilt rockers that made Styx a household name.
In all fairness, the ballads were well crafted and have a certain authentic sentimental value attached to them. Ironically, it’s that combination of disparate musical tastes that lead to numerous and varied conflicts as it’s been reported between Dennis De Young, the founder of Styx and main singer/songwriter and keyboardist, and the rest of the original band members, including Tommy Shaw and James Young. So now, Dennis De Young performs under the moniker of Dennis De Young: The Music of Styx. DeYoung was joined on stage by a fantastic six-piece band, including the excellent lead guitarist August Zadra who sang lead on the material written by Tommy Shaw and made those songs soar captured his spirit and essence and DeYoung’s wife of 45 years, Suzanne, who sang backing harmonies.
DeYoung, now 68 and truly a “white hair,” wrote “Babe” for her way back in the day and showed no signs of slowing down. In fact, he joked sarcastically and easily with the audience about 60 being the new 40 referring to a conversation he had with his dentist and saying something to the effect it feels like shit. Well if it did, in fact feel that way, DeYoung never let on through his non-stop physical movement during the show. He is agile and was very limber onstage. DeYoung has phenomenal stamina and seemed buoyed by enthusiastic response from the audience. Also DeYoung’s melodic clear, high voice was stronger than ever and remains untouched by time. He danced around and across the stage strutting his stuff making all kinds of strange dramatic gestures. The lanky musician does come off like a hambone and preening prima donna. Though he looked silly, DeYoung didn’t seem to care about how he appeared and was really having a good time. DeYoung even struck some mock air guitar poses with band members. It really felt like a flashback moment and there were several of them.
The fans couldn’t get enough of the Styx classics and many were performed to precise and perfection including “Grand Illusion,” “Lady,” “Blue-Collar Man,” “Too Much Time On Hands,” “Best Of Times,” and “Renegade.” As one hit after another performed, the audience seemed content, satisfied and very happy. Dennis DeYoung also resurrected “Mr. Roboto,” the grandiose much-maligned and scorned theatrical rock nugget live again from the “Kilroy Was Here” album and the band utilized synchronized body and hand gestures to accompany the lyrics. When the band closed the show, they returned to their more traditional and organic approach and roots of the Styx signature sound, encoring with the seminal “Sailing Away” to the delight of the audience who held their arms in the air, swayed and moved in unison and sang the chorus at the top of their lungs. Dennis DeYoung and his band succeeded in entertaining their fans and helping them relive their most cherished musical memories of the past – live once again.
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