By: Cindy C. A. Pereira, Correspondent
Remember “Barracuda?” Ann Wilson of the band Heart comes to Montclair and the Wellmont Theater on Aug. 18 for what she describes as a full audio visual experience.
Wilson will perform on this solo tour with guitarist Craig Bartock, drummer Denny Fongheiser, keyboardist Daniel Walker and Andy Stoller on base.
The band Heart has been around for about 40 years and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. The American rock band, which is led by Ann and her sister, Nancy, began in Vancouver but later became famous worldwide. They are currently on a “hiatus” and Wilson is on a 20-date solo tour.
Although the audience can expect around four Heart songs, Wilson will be singing mostly the tunes she wrote the last couple of years.
“I will also be playing some cool amazing covers that I love,” she explained. “We have a video program for every song that I worked on with our lighting director.”
When asked how her songwriting has developed over time, she said the process is basically the same throughout the years, “Find an original idea, start writing lyrics, envision the music for it and then start putting it together.”
In smaller venues one might expect a songwriter to test their new songs and tweak them based on audience reaction. To that question she replied, “I always pay attention to the audience reaction,” adding with a laugh that she keeps an eye out for audience members taking out their phone or falling asleep.
“Beautiful Broken,” her sister Nancy’s project, was mainly re-records of past songs. However, Wilson wrote the title song. When asked what it was about, she only said, “It was somebody that I knew that inspired me to write a song. It’s a fabulous disaster person.”
As to who influenced Wilson as she came into the music world, she cited several classic rock artists such as Rush, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Joni Mitchell and Elton John.
“Those were the artists of the day that were huge that I was listening to when I was like 17,” she added.
Wilson expressed her opinion that artists should be participants in what is going on in the outside world. She explained, “I believe that an artist should use their voice to join the dialogue about what’s going on in the country.”
When asked which of her songs might be politically inclined, she suggested “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “For What it’s Worth,” saying they are “pretty well aimed.”
As for the Wellmont show, Wilson reported having received great reviews and audience response thus far.
“It’s a full night of entertainment,” she said.“You can leave your worries at the door. It will be very cool.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. Get more show details and tickets here
Original Article link: http://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2017/08/03/ann-wilson-heart-stepping-out-her-own-wellmont/530432001/
