March 20, 2003
HYNDE END:
Hynde rages and rules at Warfield (Tony Hicks, 3/03/03, CONTRA COSTA TIMES)Saturday's show at the Warfield in San Francisco a Pretenders concert, but it was really the in-your-face Chrissie Hynde show in every way, shape and form.Lead singer Hynde was in a razor-tongued mood, whether the topic was war, sports, dancing, her own sex appeal, meat, or what the crowd looks like. She nearly picked a fight and openly coveted love from a biker.
And what the heck -- since she was there with three guys toting instruments, there was even some music.
That part of the show was occasionally inspired, hot, passionate, flawless and sexy. After nearly a quarter-century, Hynde's voice is still a sneer wrapped in cool velvet. Seeing her front and center wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, her trademark black bangs and a Telecaster is like witnessing a rock 'n' roll monument. For lovers of real rock, it's the equivalent of a political junkie standing on the steps of the Capitol.
And speaking of politics ... Hynde is a tad anti-war. She's anti lots of stuff, and isn't afraid to growl about them all every time the music stops.
"Have we gone to war yet?" she asked sarcastically, early on. "We (expletive) deserve to get bombed. Bring it on." Later she yelled, "Let's get rid of all the economic (expletive) this country represents! Bring it on, I hope the Muslims win!"
When a crowd member responded to that inflammatory statement, Hynde stormed the mic, roaring, "Shut your face!" Glaring, she held out the mic toward the fan as longtime drummer Martin Chambers stood up behind her, ready to rumble. "You come up to the mic and say something, smart guy," she snarled. "What do you want to talk about?"
No wonder all her bandmates kill themselves--they'd do anything to get away from her. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 20, 2003 4:07 PM
Audioslave (a pretty popular hard rock band) have been making anti-war statements on tour recently.
Media's been jumping all over the Dixie Chicks and seems to have ignored them.
Different fan base than the Blixie Chicks.
Posted by: Bill at March 20, 2003 5:23 PMAlso, the Dixie Chicks are better known than Audioslave and Hynde hasn't had a hit in years.
Posted by: Buttercup at March 20, 2003 6:32 PMThere's the key; I think it's all designed to try to jump-start what's left of Hynde's career. The part about a quarter-century in the article is the money phrase. Most pop-music stars are lucky if they have one hit album, then have to spend the rest of their career grinding along from small concert hall to small concert hall. Hynde is trying to get people to notice her again.
Posted by: Joe at March 20, 2003 6:43 PMThere was a puff piece interview with her on NPR a couple weeks back. She was restrained, genteel even, in her antiwar comments, and NPR then gave her airtime to play a more or less unlistenable antiwar song.
So the stage antics sound sort of contrived.
The only thing that made the Pretenders work in spite of Hynde was their guitarist, Johnny Marr. For all I know, I might not like his politics either, but I've never heard him talk about them.
Posted by: Jeff Paulsen at March 20, 2003 8:46 PMKinda hurts -- I used to like the Pretenders.
Sigh.
Johnny Marr? He was the Smith's guitarist. He may play for them now, but not back in the day.
Posted by: Whackadoodle at March 22, 2003 12:59 AM