PRETENDERS // YORK BARBICAN, YORK
PRETENDERS LIVE AT YORK’S BARBICAN CENTRE
★★★★★ (5/5)
PRETENDERS PERFORMING AT YORK’S BARBICAN
PHOTOCREDIT: JOHN HAYHURST
I had the pleasure of seeing a true rock and roll icon take to the stage in York, not something you get to say very often. Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders played the York Barbican on Halloween and the only remotely scary part about it was just how fantastic her voice remains at the age of 73 when many of her contemporaries voices are going. Her range is still there, her stage presence undimmed, and the rest of the band were outstanding.
The evening started with the Picturebooks, a classic rock duo of drums and guitar with a bit of keyboards thrown in and, after a lengthy set up story, at one point a gospel choir on a backing tape. They played no nonsense rock and roll, loud and at times very bluesy, Given they were a support most people in the audience had never heard of the fact that they managed to get that same audience to sing the chorus of one of their songs back to them by the end of their set is a sign of just how good they were.
The Pretenders sauntered onto the stage almost unnoticed to begin with, it was a very casual start, but then they are a band who have always been very cool and very sure of themselves.
The current incarnation consists of Chrissie Hynde, who is for many the face and look of the band, James Walbourne on guitar, David Page on bass and Rob Walbourne on drums. To an extent though it would matter who was up on stage with Chrissie as she has such a stage presence and excellent voice that she still blows most younger artists away, although for what it’s worth the guys on stage with her were all fantastic musicians, James in particular is a virtuoso guitarist who nailed the sound of the Pretenders, not even letting an equipment malfunction slow him down (although the delay the malfunction caused did let Chrissie go into joke telling mode which was an unexpected side to her).
Chrissie is also very clear about the use of mobile phones during gigs and made her feelings very clear to those few audience members who ignored the prohibition, at one point threatening to stop playing. Personally, I’m all for the ban on phones, if you’ve paid to go to a gig then be there in the moment and enjoy it to the full.
The set list was a mix of old classics and newer material, including classics such as Back On The Chain Gang, Talk Of The Town, Don’t Get Me Wrong and I’ll Stand By You but the most impressive thing is even the songs some might not have known as well were excellent, there wasn’t a weak moment in the whole set. There was one encore including I’ll Stand By You, which caught many fans unaware as the band strolled back onto the stage with no fanfare, but the overwhelming memory of this night will be just how funny, cool and talented Chrissie Hynde is.
