Living legend Pat Benatar and her summer concert tour made a landing at Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts on Monday.
Neil Giraldo, her long-time husband and musical partner and producer shared the stage with her playing lead guitar, piano, and some backup vocals. Mick Mahan played bass very capably, which he has been doing for Benatar since 1997. And drummer Caesar Griffin rocked the house banging on the skins. Benatar was fortunate to have recruited Griffin from the Taylor Dane band. He is fun to watch.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers own four Grammys, American Music Awards, and a People’s Choice Award, and judging by their performance, they are well-deserved. After 45 years on tour, Benatar with her distinctive voice still has great vocal chops, able to hit the high notes, and Giraldo continues to bring the energy. Great on-stage chemistry.
“Heartbreaker” was her first big hit in 1979 that rocketed her to the next dimension in the music world.
About halfway through the concert, Giraldo introduced their song “Strawberry Wine” with an amusing anecdote. In his younger days, he said that he used to drink Boone’s Farm flavored wine, sometimes in excess. These experiences were his muse for writing this song.
Benatar’s career was revitalized twice. In the 2004 film “13 Going On 30,” her song “Love Is A Battlefield” (1983) was an important variable in the plot line. Star actress Jennifer Garner philosophically referred to the song about a relationship she was having and danced to it with her friends. And in the 2018 film “Deadpool 2” Benatar’s song “We Belong” (1984) played during the end of the movie and closing credits. Thank you to Deadpool superstar actor Ryan Reynolds for using it. And of course Benatar treated her adoring fans singing both of these anthems, two of her mega-hits.
Benatar introduced the song “We Belong” by saying “this is for the world.”
Another bright spot was her song “Hell Is for Children.” She nailed it.
One of the encores was a surprise and an unexpected pleasure. Edwin Starr’s “War,” which brought the house down. The band’s rendition was awesome. And then another surprise. Johnny Cash’s song “Ring of Fire” was weaved into “Heartbreaker” which was a very creative idea.
The collective feeling in the theater at the conclusion of the performance was ‘we don’t want her to stop singing.”