Pat Benatar doesn’t ‘mess around,’ plays nostalgic greatest hits show (Photo Gallery)

With a sold-out amphitheater on hand, fans at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on Monday were treated to a jam-packed set of classic rock favorites courtesy of Benatar and guitarist Neil Giraldo.

 

From the word go — the opening notes to “Shadows of the Night” — Pat Benatar’s performance Monday at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park was a crowd-pleasing, nostalgic delight.

Does she still want you to hit her with your best shot? Do we still belong to the light? Is love still a battlefield? Are you still a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker who shouldn’t mess around with her? You’d better believe all of it.

And does her voice still hold up after nearly four decades in the business? See previous.

Benatar and her husband and longtime collaborator, guitarist Neil Giraldo, have spent much of the past two years on the road, playing hits-packed shows to celebrate their 35th anniversary as a couple and uniquely fruitful musical partnership. (As a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Giraldo was behind the scenes for Benatar’s extensive string of hits, plus chart-toppers for other artists in the early 1980s.)

Backed minimally by a drummer and bassist (plus the occasional recorded keyboard or vocal track, Benatar and company guided the sun down following a stormy day that unfolded into a perfect West Michigan evening, playing every hit a fan could want: “Love is a Battlefield,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “Invincible” and several other karaoke standards.

Nate Holley, an Illinois native now based in Saugatuck, capably performed opening duties in a solo set full of acoustic guitar and vocal loops expertly constructed to an appreciative response from the audience.

PAT BENATAR & NEIL GIRALDO: LOCAL SPINS PHOTO GALLERY BY ANTHONY NORKUS

Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC