Concert Reviews

“The first time I heard ‘Barracuda’ going by in the summertime, it was here,” Nancy Wilson told the crowd.

Heart and Lucinda Williams at Agganis Arena, Boston, Sunday, April 13

Legendary sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have long been a steady heartbeat of rock and roll. Since 1969, their name has been synonymous with riveting guitar licks and powerhouse vocals. Their unique sound is hard to replicate — many have tried, but few often succeed.

Among their decades of accolades, the group achieved “the longest span of top-10 albums on the Billboard charts by a female-led band.” Heart’s influence is still palpably felt everywhere across music genres and continues to empower females in rock.

Back in Boston for the first time since 2019, Heart made their grand return at Agganis Arena on Sunday night to a sold-out crowd. Packed to the brim with both long-time fans and a younger generation, their material remains timeless and appealing.

Their long-awaited return to the stage did not come without its fair share of obstacles. Famously, the Wilson sisters were not on speaking terms for many years, crushing the hope of any reconciliation on stage. After many years and solo tours from Ann, it was announced that Heart would be reuniting last year and making a coveted stop at Fenway Park. Then, the very same Royal Flush Tour was postponed due to Ann Wilson’s cancer diagnosis, once again raising doubts about her return and well-being.

But being the force that she is, she beat cancer and demanded to pick the same tour back up. Then, reality reared its ugly head once again. One week before the start of tour, Ann slipped on ice and broke her elbow. But if cancer didn’t stop her, a broken bone certainly wouldn’t.

Far from grounded

Trailblazing country-rock singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams opened the show as fans still eagerly filtered into the arena. Kicking off her set with “Rock n Roll Heart,” the rhythmic force of her band instantly filled the space with the steady beat of highly charged rock and roll. Despite a stroke in 2020 that left her left side partially paralyzed, it is difficult to ascertain any lingering effects on the 72-year-old performer. Her voice still echos with the sharp rasp she is known for, and the spirit of her performance shines bright.

As Heart prepared to take the stage, a curtain projected an intro video that read “Since the beginning of Heart, we’ve seen a lot together. And some things you never forget.” Atop the dramatic churning of tribal music, images from decades gone by filter through a chronological history of prominent events since 1973 — abortion laws, wars, and political strife. Prominent cultural iconoclasts flash across the screen, like Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Sinead O’Connors notorious SNL appearance, Kurt Cobain’s death, Lady Gaga’s meat dress, OJ Simpson’s trial.

Then there’s the things we may not wish to remember: natural disasters, 9/11, the launch of Facebook, the launch of Tesla (met with roaring boos), the launch of the iPhone, the pandemic, and the rise of AI leaving an imposing threat. As the countdown reached 2025, the curtain dramatically dropped and the opening notes of “Bebe Le Strange” blared out, a simmering rocker with enough restraint that it didn’t give too much away early on.

Spread out across the large expanse of the stage, Heart’s current iteration consists of Ann and Nancy Wilson, along with Ryan Wariner, Ryan Waters, Paul Moak, Tony Lucido, and Sean T. Lane. The group roared to life on the opening numbers, fueling off the buzz of the crowd’s energy. “Magic Man” churned through its peaks and the strong wail of guitar, all which flowed into a killer psychedelic bridge.

Almost as shocking as the thrill of seeing the sisters together on stage again is their timeless prowess. Ann’s voice is strong and arresting, while Nancy’s guitar playing is as nimble and skilled as ever. Despite Ann’s illness and a wheelchair grounding her in place — she has said her injured arm hurts when she stands to sing —  her voice carried through the arena with such force, she could seemingly transcend any limitation.

Setlist spanned the decades

The tour’s setlist is a carefully cultivated group of hits spanning across years. While at the time some may have been overshadowed by their more popular, seminal tracks, now, time has only been kind to Heart’s wide-ranging body of work. The robust blend of sounds and offerings from across five albums culminates in a setlist that leaves little left to crave.

“Little Queen” chronicles the tale of Heart starting out and hustling to make a name for themselves, which in the context of being performed 50 years into their career — and after the rigmarole of life’s challenges — it’s a bittersweet acknowledgment. Following, the medley of “Straight On” into David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” casts a glimpse of a younger band breaking out and truly enjoying themselves.

The set’s ballads are tender and provoking, illuminating Ann’s voice through each gentle tone and harsh cry. “Alone” particularly stands out amongst the ballads, as the steady build of the anthem creates space for Wilson’s voice to hold power and overflow with emotion.

The highlight of the night is undoubtedly their 1975 hit single “Crazy on You,” which bursts to life with Nancy’s intricate acoustic plucking and erupts into a billowing rock belter. The moment Ann hit her classic wailing notes, the crowd went wild. Even at age 74 and after years of vocal strain, her intrinsic ability to deliver some of the most difficult and demanding notes in their discography is astonishing. While some of it may not have been perfect, her lung power and control still amazes, all things considered.

The unmistakable raspy quality to her voice peaks at the highest range and threatens to break, but she still maintains such control that she’s able to prevent this and steer back into near-perfect pitch. If you closed your eyes during any of the Dreamboat Annie tracks, your ears could fool you into thinking you’d time-traveled back into the ’70s.

The band does not overpower the Wilson sisters, but provides a steady environment that allows them to scale the parameters of what they can still accomplish. Nancy’s vigorous strumming and bouncing across the stage seemed limitless and reinforces the sentiment that she is back where she belongs.

Chiming in between songs to quip on their origins, the sisters joked they liked to “play pretend.” This act revealed itself in the musical playground of Led Zeppelin, as throughout the set, they dabbled with guitar hooks from Zeppelin classics and later covered the acoustic “Going to California” and blazing “The Ocean” in full. This was no masquerade, but something so innate to the sound of Heart that it felt as natural as anything they’ve ever produced.

Their affinity for Zeppelin isn’t new — they famously tackled the illustrious “Stairway to Heaven” for the group’s induction at the Kennedy Center Honors, which brought Robert Plant to tears. Now, there’s something so satisfying about hearing the Wilson sisters make the famed Zeppelin tracks their own, perhaps due to their reclaiming of the male-dominated material that defined the very decade in which Heart debuted. 

Traces of that inspiration can be found in the blistering “Mistral Wind,” which rumbled through folk-rock stylings, before bursting into a cacophonous wail of guitars. A spacey drum solo introduced the track, before erupting into an epic rocker where Ann’s vocals echoed a cry similar to Plant’s, yet so distinctly her own.

Just before, Nancy had treated audiences to a short story about her encounter with Eddie Van Halen when Heart opened for them in the ’80s. Her acoustic number “4Edward” demonstrated her acoustic guitar chops that he had said were “good for a girl.” The recounted exchange reinforces Heart’s, well, heart. Their soul and ethos fights any sexism they may have faced along the way, and as they continue to stand in their power, the magnitude of their musical and cultural footprint feels as prominent as ever.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group not only pioneered the female-fronted rock band, but they also soundtracked four decades and counting. Their endless brigade of radio hits is a testament to their talent and longevity. In a space so heavily groomed for male musicians, the Wilson sisters carved their own space and knocked the walls down with a sledgehammer.

A Boston ‘Barracuda’

The show’s encore was a trifecta of diverse stylings from the band, illustrating all they are still capable of. “Sand” is a track by the sisters’ side project called Lovemongers, and provided an emotional goodbye to Ann Wilson’s longtime gardener after his death. After the tender tribute, their blazing cover of “The Ocean” roared with every bit of pure ’70s rock and roll grit they could muster at the end of the night.

Last, but not least, came the one-two punch of “Barracuda.” Nancy reflected on the song’s Boston connection and how it marked a time of change.

“The first time I heard ‘Barracuda’ going by in the summertime, it was here,” she said. “We were picking up some groovy threads at the boutique in the college area, and this red car went by and it was blasting ‘Barracuda’ out the window, and I was like, ‘This is a moment. Something is happening, and it’s happening right here.”

With an extended intro, Nancy’s rumbling guitar kicked off the track in the famous churning that mimics a racing heart, or provoking an ominous warning. Ann’s booming voice still cuts straight through the track, controlling the pace of the song despite the chaos it engenders. If there were to be one song that encapsulates the pulsing heartbeat of the band, this would be it. Decades later, the song still sends an electric charge straight to the heart.

While many acts of their age and caliber are calling it a wrap, Heart’s energy suggests they may still be years away from a true farewell tour. The opening lyrics of Barracuda serve as emphasis and a promise: “So this ain’t the end.”

Setlist for Heart at Agganis Arena, April 13, 2025:

• Bebe Le Strange
• Never
• Magic Man
• Love Alive
• Little Queen
• Straight On / Let’s Dance
• These Dreams
• Crazy on You
• Dog & Butterfly
• Dreamboat Annie
• Going to California (Led Zeppelin cover)
• 4 Edward
• Mistral Wind
• Alone / What About Love

ENCORE:

• Sand (Lovemongers cover)
• The Ocean (Led Zeppelin cover)
• Barracuda

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