The Pretenders: why is the great Chrissie Hynde not touring Wembley?

The rockers delivered a superb gig at the London Palladium – but they should be playing at the biggest stadiums and arenas in the world?

4/5
Oh yes, she’s still the great Pretender. At 73 years old, Chrissie Hynde remains an imperious talent – a fantastic songwriter, glorious singer, stirring bandleader and fearsome guitar-slinging frontwoman exuding an attitude that takes no prisoners. The latter was very much in evidence as she slipped out of a stylish shiny jacket two songs into a storming set, inspiring some of the crowd to emit a lusty whoop of delight. “Seriously?” she responded with comical scorn, fixing the audience with a sceptical glare that implied some should have a long hard think about their attitudes towards women on stage. Or perhaps their attitude towards this particular rock and roll star, who has never played on feminine appeal in 45 years of serious songcraft and isn’t about to start now.
The only serious question about Hynde and her band is why they are headlining three nights at the London Palladium (for approximately 7,000 devoted fans) and not being garlanded at the biggest arenas and stadiums in the world. That is not to disparage an august venue where The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan have all performed. But as admired as Hynde is, I confess I find it a mystery that she isn’t even more exalted. She really has it all. Her work on recent albums (2023’s Relentless and 2020’s Hate For Sale, from which they played five songs) is every bit as supremely high quality as on the Pretender’s classic 1980 eponymous debut (from which they played three).
This tour was postponed following an injury to Hynde’s knee in January, but she appeared in fine fettle stomping around the stage in thigh length high heeled boots. Her singing remains astonishing, so fluid between notes, full of tone and timbre with a sensuous vibrato that she can employ emotionally (on tough ballads Can’t Hurt A Fool and Think About You Daily) or playfully (in the dubby sound clash of Private Life and punky thrust of Mystery Achievement).
While the trajectory of the Pretenders has been undermined by too many line-up changes over the years, Hynde reliably assembles bands who share her dedication to classic 1960’s influenced rock with 1970’s New Wave drive. Introducing gorgeous 1979 single Kid, Hynde dedicated it to founding band members who died of drug overdoses, guitarist James Honeymoon Scott and bassist Pete Farndon. “Fellas, we’re not far behind,” she said, waving towards some unseen space far above in wry acknowledgement of her own advancing years.
A lot of accomplished players have taken the lead guitar role over the decades, including Robbie Mcintosh and Johnny Marr, but James Walbourne (who has held the post since 2008) may be the greatest of them all. Fast, nimble and expressive, his rich sound and dazzling technique filled out all the spaces left by the lean, mean drive of his younger brother Dan Walbourne on drums and bassist Dave Page (both recent recruits). Hynde beamed with delight whenever her guitarist took flight. She recounted asking Jeff Beck what he thought of James after a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. “I want to cut his hands off,” said Beck, with jealous wit. Then Hynde waved into space again, as if telling the late, great guitarist she’d see him on the other side.
Intimations of mortality, though, were hard to find in the performance. It was a superb gig with a stripped-back and relentless power. Is it that fierce dedication to pure rock energy that has kept Hynde from the very top rank of popular heroes? The lighting was basic, there were no stage props, and none of the melodic sweetening that might have come from keyboards, percussion or backing vocalists. The set was filled with great songs, new and old, yet Hynde did not deign to play such crowd-pleasing hits as Brass in Pocket and I’ll Stand By You. It almost felt too fierce for the polite ambience of the Palladium. This show begged for people to get on their feet and lose themselves in the noise. Hynde performed like it brought meaning to her existence, and I don’t doubt that she will keep pounding down this long road until she can no longer limp out on stage. She may be the Pretender, but she’s a total rock and roll monarch too. 
Touring to Nov 1; thepretenders.com 
4/5
4/5