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Hopewell, N.Y. —
Few things don't lose their resilience over time: titanium, balsa wood and pure carbon to name a few. Add to that list the iconically flawless vocal cords of Kevin Cronin and Pat Benatar, following their effervescent and seemingly effortless performances last night.
Opposite a jam-packed audience that exited the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center with hoarse throats after three hours of nonstop sing-along, rock legends REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar serenaded 10,000-plus, jogging memories and exhibiting showmanship and professionalism in their purest form.
“Growing up listening to both these bands my entire life, this was the first time I had ever seen either one live, and we were 13th row,” said Ontario resident Debbie Forrester, who attended with husband, Mark. “We saw the Zac Brown Band earlier this summer with third-row seats, but this show tonight was way better — not even comparable.”
Shocking one of the largest audiences in CMAC concert history, REO Speedwagon opened the show, leaving Pat Benatar as the main attraction on the seasonably cool Sunday evening. Responsible for a pair of No. 1 hits and 13 songs that cracked the Billboard Top-40, Cronin, with his small yet dynamic presence, and the rest of the boys from Illinois burst onto the stage with drummer Bryan Hitt hammering the skins to the opening thunder of “Don’t Let Him Go,” their trademark opener. Their first four songs, including the successive three -- “Keep On Lovin’ You,” “In Your Letter” and “Take It on The Run” -- all come from the bands legendary Hi Infidelity album, which marks its 30th anniversary next year.
“I’m an avid concert-goer, I’ve been to well over 100, and the way REO opened the show tonight was one of the most clever and exciting ways to kick off their set,” said Stephen Watson of Farmington. “The crowd literally sang each and every word, it was incredible to be part of.”
With a relentless mission to rock, Cronin and Co. tore down the rafters with “Keep Pushin” and “Golden Country” before crooning the gusher power ballad “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which clearly revealed Cronin’s spot-on vocals. Again putting the crown in frenzy, REO tore into “Like You Do,” followed by the lyrically-genius masterpiece “Time For Me To Fly.”
“It was like they were throwing knock-out punches every step of the way, never relenting once in their set list,” Bloomfield resident Adam Todd said. “For these guys to have been the opening act is crazy, they were by far the more superior rock show.”
Few things don't lose their resilience over time: titanium, balsa wood and pure carbon to name a few. Add to that list the iconically flawless vocal cords of Kevin Cronin and Pat Benatar, following their effervescent and seemingly effortless performances last night.
Opposite a jam-packed audience that exited the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center with hoarse throats after three hours of nonstop sing-along, rock legends REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar serenaded 10,000-plus, jogging memories and exhibiting showmanship and professionalism in their purest form.
“Growing up listening to both these bands my entire life, this was the first time I had ever seen either one live, and we were 13th row,” said Ontario resident Debbie Forrester, who attended with husband, Mark. “We saw the Zac Brown Band earlier this summer with third-row seats, but this show tonight was way better — not even comparable.”
Shocking one of the largest audiences in CMAC concert history, REO Speedwagon opened the show, leaving Pat Benatar as the main attraction on the seasonably cool Sunday evening. Responsible for a pair of No. 1 hits and 13 songs that cracked the Billboard Top-40, Cronin, with his small yet dynamic presence, and the rest of the boys from Illinois burst onto the stage with drummer Bryan Hitt hammering the skins to the opening thunder of “Don’t Let Him Go,” their trademark opener. Their first four songs, including the successive three -- “Keep On Lovin’ You,” “In Your Letter” and “Take It on The Run” -- all come from the bands legendary Hi Infidelity album, which marks its 30th anniversary next year.
“I’m an avid concert-goer, I’ve been to well over 100, and the way REO opened the show tonight was one of the most clever and exciting ways to kick off their set,” said Stephen Watson of Farmington. “The crowd literally sang each and every word, it was incredible to be part of.”
With a relentless mission to rock, Cronin and Co. tore down the rafters with “Keep Pushin” and “Golden Country” before crooning the gusher power ballad “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which clearly revealed Cronin’s spot-on vocals. Again putting the crown in frenzy, REO tore into “Like You Do,” followed by the lyrically-genius masterpiece “Time For Me To Fly.”
“It was like they were throwing knock-out punches every step of the way, never relenting once in their set list,” Bloomfield resident Adam Todd said. “For these guys to have been the opening act is crazy, they were by far the more superior rock show.”
After closing with bassist Bruce Hall singing “Back on the Road Again” and Cronin finishing with “Roll With the Changes,” a one-song-encore of “Ridin’ the Storm Out” concluding the 90-minute opener.
Multiple Grammy-award-winning rock diva Pat Benatar and husband of 29 years Neil “Spyder” Giraldo ran through a talkative, 80-minute set and the 57-year-old proved her octave range is as strong as her 1979 debut album.
“Pat really rocks,” said Kaylee Adler, a student at Finger Lakes Community College. “She put on a great show, and with REO Speedwagon, the two put on one of the best shows this summer.”
Benatar, playing to a somewhat depleted audience, entertained with several monster hits such as opener “All Fired Up,” followed by “Shadows of the Night.” With crowd favorites such as “Promises in the Dark” and “You Better Run” sprinkled throughout, the clear-cute highlight of her set was “We Belong,” which engineered a sprinting homestretch that included “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Love Is a Battlefield,” and “Heartbreaker.”
“Tonight’s show, you really couldn’t have asked for more,” said Kerrie Schultz, of Victor. “A male and female voice, two different yet similar brands of music, and able to sing to every song you heard. This was easily the best double-bill of the CMAC season.”
Dan Enright can be reached at (585) 394-0770 ext. 272, or denright@messengerpostmedia.com
