The Pretenders performing at The Rescue Rooms Nottingham on Saturday 13th May 2023.

Review by Kevin Cooper

At the Rescue Rooms on Saturday night The Pretenders were on another night of their tour of intimate clubs in support of Independent Venues, and there wasn’t a single standing place to be had.

At aged 71 Chrissie Hynde is still the epitome of an iconic rock star, and with her unique female rock voice, she was still able to carry the heavier songs with real grit as well as providing a gentleness where necessary.

Opening with new song Losing Sense which went down a storm, A Love and Domestic Silence from their upcoming album Relentless received their debut ahead of the album release later in the year.

Comprising now of guitarist James Walbourne, bass player Dave Page, drummer Kris Sonne and of course Hynde, the small stage looked packed out, but they still managed to power through a set list of the band’s past hits and new material.

Whilst there was no Brass In Pocket or I’ll Stand By You, there were fans favourites and huge classics such as Message Of Love, Back On The Chain Gang, Don’t Get Me Wrong and the sublime Talk Of The Town, all of which had the crowd shouting for more as they sang along to the well versed words.

To the delight of the crowd there were tracks from eight of their previous albums, such as Turf Accountant Daddy from 2020’s Hate For Sale, Time The Avenger from 1984’s Learning To Crawl and Don’t Cut Your Hair from 2008’s Break Up The Concrete.

As they finished the main set with new song Let The Sun Come In, The Pretenders had proved that very little had changed from those early 80’s heydays. For the encore there was a cover of Morrissey’s Everyday Is Like Sunday, Hate For Sale and Junkie Walk, a new song that suggested that Hynde’s song writing skills are still on point.

The Pretenders performing their Alone Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Wednesday 4th October 2017.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Chrissie Hynde, the 80s rock chic who fronts the Pretenders showed an appreciative audience at the Royal Concert Hall last night, that at 65 she has changed very little from those early 80s heydays with her regulation rock look, skinny jeans, T shirt and a guitar wielded with natural authority.

Three years after her debut solo album, God Only Knows, Hynde seemed more at ease fronting her group again to promote their latest album, Alone. Opening with the title track, it saw her sauntering around the stage offering up acerbic lyrics about her single life.

And whilst sensibly deciding not to dwell on their new material, songs like the frenzied Gotta Wait and the album’s big ballad Let’s Get Lost showed that Hynde’s voice is still a thing of wonder. Also rolling back the years with a 105 minute set that showed both their tough and tender side, Hymn To Her was ethereal and powerful, and I’ll Stand By You got the reaction from the crowd that you would expect and it was certainly deserved.

With her unique female rock voice, Hynde manages to carry the heavier material with real grit but the real triumph for her was the early 80s songs that defined The Pretenders, including the jangly pop perfection of Talk Of The Town and Back On The Chain Gang. Apart from fellow founding member, Martin Chambers’ drum solo, during which Hynde jokingly consulted her wristwatch, it was an efficient performance all round.

There was even time for a few dedications; the very tender Kid was dedicated to an engaged couple in the audience whilst Stop Your Sobbing came with a tribute to its writer, Sir Ray Davies, Hynde’s former ex who she called “one of the greatest songwriters ever”.

Taking off her red jacket for the crunchy new wave groove of Message Of Love and the droll dub rock of Private Life, the song memorably covered by Grace Jones, the years just slipped away. With superb work from bassist Nick Wilkinson, the astonishing guitar playing of James Walbourne and the supporting keyboard textures from Carwyn Ellis, they went into the stunning home stretch with I Go To Sleep, Middle Of The Road which saw Hynde play the harmonica, the country rock master class that is Thumbelina which allowed Walbourne to provide a stunning guitar showcase, before everyone was on their feet for the triumphant Brass In Pocket.

You can’t teach Hynde’s swagger and poise to just anyone as she hit the stage just hanging out with her boys, but that is what makes the Pretenders so enduring is her achingly versatile voice that has been lighting up the stages for nearly 40 years and they don’t look like calling it a day any time soon.