Seeing the first female-fronted rock band would have been a big deal to anyone, but to me, it was seeing the start of an era that defined my life.
I proudly pioneered the oldies genre manager at my college radio, not because of the pay, but because of the pivotal influence that bands like Heart have on our modern music, which is getting somewhat forgotten in the younger generation. I grew up with my parents playing iPods in my house, and I didn’t know what a vinyl record was for a long time or the true origins of musical powerhouses.
As I sat in the Toyota Oakdale Theatre, my nerves were high until I started tuning into the preshow music of pan flutes and even a lo-fi version of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” It was a subtle reminder and tribute to the era of music Heart emerged from, and they included other tunes the fans of Heart would feel nostalgic about.
As I looked at the full theatre around me, I knew I was mostly among original Heart fans, and I took that full opportunity to talk to both members of my generation and not. Though there was rarely a difference, every time I was talking about someone’s bedazzled shawl or dress, I saw the true excitement and stars that lit up their eyes, and that is what Heart has been giving women for generations.
Heart’s tour kept that in mind for their performance, knowing that there could be longtime fans who have been around since 1973, or fans like me who are looking to have a glimpse into a golden age of music. The opening was a reminder of why we were all here.
Two seconds of video or a still photo flashed on the stage in front of me, first 1973, where it all began for Heart, then ’74, ’75, ’76, all the way until 2024. Although you may chalk it up to just a time machine, the specific news and events that the tour chose for each year were a tactical choice.
The musical references that they chose to highlight Kurt Cobain’s death, Ozzy Ozzborne’s family show, and Taylor Swift were all people who have been touched by the influence of both female and Seattle grunge.
That’s not where the connections end. Nancy Wilson wrote and performed a solo song for a familiar face of rock, Eddie Van Halen. Before she performed, she of course had to recall the story that inspired it, her previously giving Van Halen his first acoustic guitar after Nancy learned that he was a guitarist who had neglected his acoustic side. That night at 3 a.m., Van Halen called Nancy to perform the acoustic song, and to this day, she doesn’t think anyone else has ever heard it.
To pay him back, she wrote the acoustic song “4 Edward,” which showcases both her killer guitar skills and her close connections to the grunge world. Chris Cornell of Soundgarden has also been very vocal on Heart’s influence on punk rock, as he inducted Heart into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
They opened with a staple against sexism in the music industry, fittingly enough, “Bebe Le Strange.” This song envisions a made-up persona that Ann described as not fitting into either the feminine or masculine, and instead was another that didn’t fit in. This somewhat projects Heart’s views of themselves into their audience; how female singers were common enough by the ’70s, sure, but they weren’t fronting the age of new punk and rebellion.
As I was catching up on my Heart tour knowledge, I learned of Heart and Led Zeppelin’s relationship, and how Heart’s performance of “Stairway to Heaven” at the Kennedy Center both honored and brought the band to tears, partially because of Jason Bonham’s tribute to his late father.
I don’t think a lot of people actually realize how close Ann Wilson can get her voice to Robert Plant’s because their covers are incredibly close to the originals, both because of her voice and Nancy’s love and inspiration for Led Zeppelin in her guitar playing. This has led to the current “snowballing” and rolling covers in between their classic songs.
On this tour, I got to hear three Led Zeppelin Songs, “Going to California,” “Rain Song,” and “The Ocean,” and even one David Bowie song, “Let’s Dance,” in which the whole crowd was able to stand and groove. The color flights shone into a 5,000-person crowd and lit up the theatre and balcony into the largest dance party.
In addition to the covers, hearing Heart perform their classics was a dream that I never thought would come true. My favorites of theirs were, of course, “Little Queen” and “Magic Man,” but the two Heart songs that changed my perspective of women in the music industry were “Crazy On You” and “Barracuda.” They encapsulated a rage and control I was drawn to, and one that many women can understand.
But Ann’s voice carries so much of that power in her lungs, and it was her distinct power that has gotten Heart to where it is still today. The build-up for “Crazy On You” was incredible, even longer than the recording, and seeing Nancy violently finger pluck gave me even more appreciation for the gorgeous opening, until the hard strumming of course.
Everyone had a stage presence, everyone was incredibly talented, and they still sounded like the ’70s and ’80s were almost yesterday. Although Ann’s recent health recovery had left her mostly relying on a stool for support, Nancy was running from corner to corner and high-kicking the hard-core guitar solos into the night.
“Barracuda” was actually the last song performed, and it was a perfect ending; the whole crowd was up and moving to shout the words. This is one of the first songs that gained them the worldwide recognition that made touring into your ’70s entirely possible and brought the audience, including me, back to a simpler time when they first heard the song, and that’s what a lot of this tour was about.
The most emotional part was the ballads of “Alone” and “Dog and Butterfly,” in which I got to hear both Ann’s low and Nancy’s high voice support for a silky harmony, and also a deeper meaning for these sisters as they performed one of their last tours. Although there’s turmoil in every family, this one keeps coming together for love and for music.
The best part of this night was not just seeing and hearing these legends in person, but also knowing their history and background, the struggles, and the pillars that they built.
When I saw them, I knew they reminded me of a version of my younger sister and me. Seeing bands live isn’t just about the music; it’s about the stories and the humans that we get to see in between, and Ann and Nancy sure do steal the crowd with their stories of inspiration and tales of progress.
They talked about the crowd like old friends who have been with them on their journey, and how tough it was at the beginning to even get people to listen, and now they have a die-hard fan base and an immortal legacy.
These women represent so much more than a ‘70s rock band still on tour; their unforgiving and unrelenting drive to break barriers and continue inspiring young artists has left a beautiful mark (some would say a heart) on music history.
