By TONI RUBERTO The number obliterated the previous
high of about 28,000 set earlier this season by Kim Mitchell and more than doubled what's
been the usual 18,000 to 20,000 weekly estimates over the past two years. An endless sea
of people packed Main Street, shutting down a patch of Metro Rail service, and flowing
down Court Street seemingly to City Hall. What was happening on the stage was
just as amazing, as Pat Benatar, husband Neil Geraldo and their band exploded with a
nearly two-hour set of powerful rock that shook downtown Buffalo. The bewitchingly attractive Benatar's
glorious smile was in full bloom from the moment she walked on stage and took in the
sizeable crowd. The Grammy Award-winning singer immediately proved that her vocals are
better than ever by jumping into the range-stretching "We Live for Love." Anyone who thinks Benatar and Geraldo
were in their prime 20 years ago should see them now, as their chemistry ignited their
passionate rock. Her voice and his guitar created an appealing elixir for rock fans hungry
for intensity and emotion. They rocked through the classic anthems "Invincible,"
"We Belong," "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," and then literally kicked
butt on the powerful "Heartbreaker." When it was time to take things down a
notch, they did it without losing anything. Benatar's moving performance through
"True Love" showed how her voice was made to sing sensual blues. The adoration
the couple has for each other after more than 20 years together was evident as Benatar
playfully led Geraldo around the stage while he was letting off some pretty mean blues
licks. The set included the title track from their upcoming release "Girl," a
guitar-driven song showcasing Geraldo's crunchy grooves. The couple took time to sit on stage
alone for the beautiful duet "Every Time I Fall Back," a song Benatar said they
were playing in concert for the first time since it was written for 1993's "Gravity
Rainbow." They ended the number with an affectionate hug before sharing a quietly
intense acoustic version of "Love is a Battlefield." One of the most touching moments was
when Benatar introduced "Hell is for Children." "We play this song every night in
solidarity for the children so they know they have a voice and someone cares for
them," Benatar said before launching into the song, her anger with child abuse
spewing through her vocals as if it was the first time she was singing it. Their daughter's band, Glo, a trio of
beautiful young singer-dancers in the Britney Spears' mode, took the stage to perform
three songs. The sight of the proud Benatar standing off stage and singing along with her
daughter was a perfect fit with the magical night. Buffalo News, August 10, 2001 |
