Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick tour given Billboard award
Journey
Heart
Cheap Trick
The best-selling summer tour featuring Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick has been named 2008’s Top Package in Billboard’s Touring Awards, according to a news release from Heart’s publicist.
The summer tour garnered the group rave reviews as it packed venues across America, including selling out Oklahoma City’s Zoo Amphitheatre. About 10,500 fans filled up and rocked the outdoor venue, despite the sweltering heat. I personally gushed about the show, particularly Ann Wilson’s incredible vocal performance, in my review.
And a quote from my review made it into the news release: “The Oklahoman noted how ‘The ever-impressive Wilson sisters and their band proved they are second to none.’”
Here’s what some of the other reviewers had to say about the Journey-Heart-Cheap Trick summer tour, from the release:
“If you haven’t seen Heart live, you haven’t seen the best that rock’n'roll has to offer,” glowed the St. Petersburg Press, which praised the Wilson sisters as “brilliant in their hour-long set.”
The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that “The crowd was on its feet throughout Heart’s set,” while the Daily Aztec observed, “everyone in the crowd was on their feet in a heartbeat.” As the Omaha World Herald said of the tour, “The most satisfying set of the night came from Heart, led as always by Ann Wilson’s searing vocals and sister Nancy Wilson’s fine guitar work.”
“Heart took hold of the audience and the Wilson sisters didn’t let them go until the crowd’s ears were bleeding with joy,” noted the Daily Texan. “Ann still has a set of pipes on her that are unrivaled, while the younger Nancy managed to display great talent on the guitar, harmonica and mandolin, with which she made me swoon to ‘These Dreams.’”
Both Wilson sisters were singled out on the tour by reviewers for the continuing strength of their respective talents. “Ann deserves all the praise thrown her way and actually may be underrated,” noted Classic Rock Revisited. “She is one of the best vocalists I have ever seen live. No one walks away from a Heart show without being astounded by her vocal prowess.”
In the same vein, the Tampa Tribune noted, “The strongest vocals of the evening belonged to Heart’s Ann Wilson…. She displayed a voice that has lost nothing, and maybe gained something in the way of nuance. When Wilson hit the high notes, it sounded like the clouds letting loose with a torrent of raw emotion.”
“Heart’s Nancy Wilson was the first to prove you don’t need a Y chromosome to absolutely wail on an axe,” said Salt Lake City Weekly. “Nancy Wilson shined on guitar, mandolin and even a little harmonica,” raved the Saratoga Daily Gazette. “Her percussive rhythm playing, musical phrasing, and voicings using the guitar’s nature to its advantage are still crisp.”
“For more than 30 years, sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson have been rock stars of the first order.” Scripps News Service observes.
-BAM
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Comments
I love how this was supposed to be about journey this tour, and heart just stole the reviews…I love it! They are finally getting what they deserve! ROCK ON ANN AND NANCY!
go vote for them at http://www.parade.com/personality
Further justification for what we long-time Heart fans have known all along…they are simply the BEST!!!
its about time ANN and NANCY got the credit they deseve!! ANN WILSON PEELED THE PAINT OFF THE WALL LIVE!!! what a voice!!
It’s about time Heart got the recognition they deserve. While it was a tripple bill, time and time again the reviews proved that Heart is still beating thunderously, pumping out Ann Wilson’s voice to the masses. Journey and Cheap Trick were great and may even have been equally responsible for drawing the huge crowds. But Heart blew everyone away.
Kudos for the award!
Take Heart,
Andrea