Chrissie Hynde has been breaking down barriers for decades; she was a female rock n’ roller when such a demographic didn’t truly exist in the mainstream light. Now, 38 years after their debut, The Pretenders continue to defy the odds. Hynde’s voice sounds just as smooth as it did on all of her classic hits, so many years ago.
The 65-year-old played a show packed full of fan-favorites, with some new stuff thrown in. “Holy Commotion,” the Pretender’s current single off of their brand new record, Alone, was included, of course. Also played were some tracks that Hynde wrote recently with Dan Auerbach, a producer and member of The Black Keys and The Arcs. The two Akron natives co-wrote the title track and "I Hate Myself" and Auerbach produced the new record in full. The sound of a lot of alternative bands, old and new, has been in the hands of Auerbach lately, as his prominence in the industry sky-rockets, so it was a natural collaboration.
The crowd didn’t come to hear Hynde’s new tracks, however, if we are being honest. Other than myself, I did not see a single individual that looked under 45 years old all night; people came to relive their carefree youth, right alongside the feminine rebel. She satisfied the audience with a collection of old ballads and jams, including “Tattooed Love Boys,” “Stop Your Sobbing,” a beloved Kinks cover, “Brass in Pocket,” “I’ll Stand by You,” “Back on the Chain Gang” and “My City was Gone,” which she dedicated to us Ohioans.
The band, now made up of Hynde, original drummer, Martin Chambers, Eric Heywood on the pedal steel and younger bassist and lead-guitarist, Nick Wilkinson and James Walbourne has been touring with Stevie Nicks on her 24 Karat Gold Tour. The Akron show, at E.J. Thomas Hall, was one of the few solo stops.
I think it is vital to note the pure, undeniable talent of lead guitarist, James Walbourne, who has been with the band since their 2008 record, Break Up the Concrete. Jerri Sapronetti, the front-man of the opening act, Time Cat, is also an extremely skilled player. The local band, consisting of Sapronetti, drummer, Sam Caler, and bassist, Colton Huffman, gives off vibes that are a cross between angsty, Nirvana-esque ‘90s grunge and very basic classic rock. The lyrics and vocals weren’t particularly impressive, but the instrumental skill level and the passion for vintage rock n’ roll were.
I had the chance to talk to Sapronetti, yet another Akron native, after her set. She told me that David Bowie had inspired her to play music, but Hynde had inspired her as a human being. “She’s just a punk rocker from the ‘70s. She’s just who she is and I like that, you know? I mean she doesn’t care about gender or anything, like any kind of discriminatory thing at all.”
In addition to being a huge humanitarian, Hynde has gone vegan and worked with PETA, in recent years, and invites them to set up a booth at almost every show she takes part in. Hynde has also, obviously, been a leading advocate for rock n’ roll, in its prime, and in the modern day.
“She said we restored her faith in rock n’ roll … it’s surreal,” said Sapronetti of Hynde. So, when it comes down to it, even with declining record sales and the dominance of auto-tuned dance tracks, lacking any sort of originality, Hynde still believes in rock n’ roll. She spent a lifetime pouring her heart and soul into it, and she’ll go down as one of the greats for her bravery and individuality.
Halle Weber is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. How do you feel about The Pretenders? Let Halle know by emailing or tweeting her at hw422715@ohio.edu or @HalleWeber13, respectively.
