Cleve-Lens: The Pretenders

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While not quite an official homecoming, the Pretenders took to the House of Blues' stage like hometown heroes on Tuesday, Feb. 10, the first of two area shows the band played (the second was on Valentine’s Day at Akron Civic Theater—the true hometown gig). Currently in the midst of a national club and theater tour in support of last year’s 'Break Up the Concrete,' this iteration of the Pretenders was determined to rock the sold out crowd with new and old songs alike, playing to a raucous middle-aged audience that was infatuated with every word coming out of Chrissie Hynde’s mouth.

Hynde, who turned 57 last year, is as compelling a frontwoman as it comes. She personifies sex and rock and roll, and still can sing and jam on guitar with the vigor of someone half her age. However, throughout the show, her paranoia with photographs jeopardized the power of her songs. More than once she yelled at the crowd to “put it away,” even doing so mid-song, as eager fans tried to capture cell phone pictures. To her credit, Hynde took a moment after the second song to let everyone snap a photo, but she still remained uncomfortable with candid shots throughout much of the 90-minute set. 

When Hynde wasn’t battling the amateur paparazzi, her songs hit with the power of a savvy rock veteran. Greatest hits like “Talk of the Town,” “Back on the Chain Gang,” and “Brass In Pocket” were intermingled with the rootsy sound of Concrete’s “Don’t Lose Faith in Me” and “Rosalee.” While the newer songs lacked the recognition of the Hall of Famer’s staples, they did feature some explosive solos, notably delivered by guitarist James Walbourne. While “My City Was Gone” was curiously absent from the set list, the Pretenders returned for a three-song encore of “Kid,” “The Wait,” and “Up the Neck,” all from the band’s 1980 debut.

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