LIVE: ANN WILSON of HEART– August 10, 2017

Venue: Centennial Terrace

City: Sylvania, OH

Date: August 10, 2017

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

There is something about a relaxed show at a quaint outdoor venue that lets you relax a little more than usual, especially with a slight breeze and the stars above as part of the concert going experience.  On a beautiful Thursday evening just outside Toledo at Sylvania, OH’s Centennial Terrace I settled in for a night of great music from one of the best voices out there – Ann Wilson of Heart.  With a catalog of hits and fan favorites to choose from, as well as several tracks from her recent EP’s, the night was bound to be full of great music.  What the crowd got was not what most expected, but still a cool show with tons of hits and some lesser known tunes that blended perfectly with the more famous tracks…

Ann’s band took the stage and without fanfare, Ms. Wilson joined them and took her rightful place front and center.  The band kicked in and away we went, with The Who’s “The Real Me” starting us off on the right foot.  With a thunderous intro from guitarist Craig Bartock and bass player Andy Stoller, the classic “Barracuda” blasted through the sound system and washed across the audience.  Ann’s voice was as strong as I have ever heard and the band behind her clicked along without missing a beat.  Another classic from Ann’s other band “Crazy On You” got a slowed down and mellower face lift that may have lessened the sonic feel of the track, but the new arrangement lent itself to strengthening the power of the lyrics and message behind the song.  Ann engaged the crowd several times between songs during both sets and the encores with stories behind songs, her take on current events and how music can help guide, heal, and bring people together.  There were more covers in the set that caught some by surprise, only because of their inclusion, not the quality of the version or arrangement.  Bartock tackled leads and solos from legends of the classic rock genre like Townsend and Hendrix putting his own little 6-string stamp on classics like “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Manic Depression” without sacrificing the original arrangement or groove.  Each song was delivered with precision, thanks to a powerhouse rhythm section of Andy Stoller and drummer Denny Fongheiser.  These two anchored each song, whether a driving rocker or laid back classic, and kept the evening flowing.  A couple of my favorite performances of the evening were the addition of Ann’s solo track “Anguish” and a killer version of the classic “She Talks To Angels”  from The Black Crowes.  Keyboardist Daniel Walker contributed to each song with enough rhythm and accents to add depth to each song Wilson and her band played.  With the set slowly working toward a close, Ann’s voice seemed to get stronger and that was very evident during the encore when she belted out “Ain’t No Way” and “I Put A Spell On You” demonstrating her talent runs much deeper than that of a solid rocker – she can actually sing standards and songs out of the norm for her known genre.  With a handful of show left on her schedule for now, be sure to get a ticket if the tour is landing near you.

Complete set of ANN WILSON of HEART show photos HERE

Setlist: The Real Me – Barracuda – Crazy on You – What About Love – Fool No More – One Night – Anguish – Manic Depression – A Million Miles – Time Is Time – She Talks to Angels – Don’t Give Up – We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place – Won’t Get Fooled Again – Alone – Love, Reign O’er Me – For What It’s Worth – Ain’t No Way – I Put a Spell on You – The Danger Zone

ANN WILSON of HEART LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries