Review By: Janel Spiegel / Photographs by Diane Fleischman

Event Review: Nancy Wilson HEART
Service Electric Stage
Wind Creek Event Center
77 Wind Creek Blvd, Bethlehem, PA
Sunday, June 18, 2023
8:00PM
https://nancywilsonofheart.com/

NANCY WILSON HEART- Summer 2023 Tour

Bethlehem, PA, it was good to see you as always. It was a beautiful day for a concert. The Wind Creek Event Center is always efficient, and security, and the Bethlehem Police were on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly. Each time I attend Wind Creek, I notice something new. I talk to people. I see old friends, and of course make new friends.

Before Nancy Wilson came out, a band called Turning the Tide performed. They performed some great cover songs. John Corsale and Juules Wardle performed.

Nancy Wilson was joined by her amazing band minus the incredible Ann Wilson. You could feel her presence. Nancy Wilson came right out, and started performing. She She was joined by Andy Toller on bass, Ryan Waters on guitar, Dan Walker on keyboards, and Kimberly Nichole on vocals. Kimberly was also a finalist on season eight of The Voice. Nancy Wilson acknowledged how important Heart is, and you realized it as soon as the opening notes of “Alone” started. The crowd left the galaxy. It was like magic. Paula and I had goosebumps.

There are moments in life that you never forget. There are songs in life that become the soundtrack to your life. Nancy Wilson acknowledged this during her show. You hear a few minutes of the song, and it instantly takes you back to that moment. A moment with a boyfriend, a husband, a family member, a moment you have been struggling through. Songs make you forget the difficulties, and see, feel, and be in the moment.

 

Music is such a universal love. We toss words like iconic, legend, rock star around like we’re tossing popcorn in our mouths at a movie theater. I think sometimes we get too caught up in achievements and what bands so. But… okay, let’s discuss it for a moment. Nancy Wilson is celebrated as one of the best guitar players, she has been playing the guitar since the age of nine. Nancy and Ann Wilson have sold over 35 million albums with Heart. Nancy Wilson has been playing music since the 70’s. Heart has a Star on the Walk of Fame; they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as HEART). Nancy also contributed to several film scores.

Just a note because I love the performance. Nancy and Ann Wilson paid tribute to Led Zeppelin at the Kennedy Center Honors, and THEY BROUGHT the BAND TO TEARS. Imagine singing a Led Zeppelin, a LED ZEPPELIN song, and the band members are in tears. (I’m rewatching it now, and I’m in tears. They were flawless.) Nancy Wilson is a songwriter, let me say it again, she is a songwriter.

Nancy Wilson is So much more than an icon, a legend, a gift. That woman is a National Treasure. Nancy Wilson is a songwriter, a guitar player, a singer, and an all-around bad ass. She walked out onstage tonight wearing a beautiful jacket that my amazingly magical friend Paula Gallo said “I want her jacket.” She rocked her Led Zeppelin t-shirt like a true music fan. She was not just performing, she’s a fan of music, I imagine from her stories she shared that there isn’t anybody she doesn’t know or hasn’t played with in some form musically.

Nancy Wilson performed a few Heart songs including: “Dog & Butterfly” – she also told us a little backstory for that song. She performed, “Straight On”, “Crazy on You”, “Barracuda” – (or, Oooooohhh Barracudaaaa….) The crowd was thrilled. People were happy. Everyone was on their feet after Nancy Wilson and her band performed an AMAZING cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortable Numb”, and her guitar player and drummer just hit it out of the ballpark, past the ballpark, Coca-Cola stadium saw it, and they just kept on going. We were having a blast, air drumming, some air guitar. Our section was amazing.

Her band was so on point. I’ve NEVER A BAND more DEDICATED and just SO purely into every song. The singer, Kimberly, THAT WOMAN CAN SING. SING. SHE BROUGHT THE WHOLE BUILDING DOWN. It was struggling. Wind Creek is a strong building but, Nancy’s amazing singer that sings some of Ann Wilson’s ICONIC vocals is just as impressive. The power, the breath control, the steadiness, and keeping the rhythm.

She also performed a birthday tribute to Sir Paul McCartney (Wings), “Let Me Roll It”. She paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen, and shared a story about sharing her acoustic guitar knowledge. It was a beautiful tribute from one musician to another. Nancy Wilson even rocked out some Van Halen. She shared a few stories about Van Halen. She paid tribute to Led Zeppelin by performing “Rock and Roll” because… well… let’s face it. The woman is ROCK N ROLL! Her Zeppelin t-shirt and jacket sparkled under the lights. Her band was incredible.

I never had a chance to see HEART in concert, my friend and fellow The Valley Ledger contributor and, incredible photographer, Diane shared some quick memories of Heart with me before the house lights were turned down, and Nancy Wilson rocked her way her onto the stage. I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my life. I grew up listening to a variety of music. Stevie Wonder, Dion, John Lee Hooker, Mariah, The Rolling Stones, Heart of course, Willie Nelson, Ice T, Grandmaster Flash, and more. Music has always been my go-to in life. If you get a chance to see Nancy Wilson in concert, I recommend going and experiencing this, “Straight On”.

https://www.windcreekeventcenter.com/

https://nancywilsonofheart.com/news

https://www.turningthetideband.com/