Heart offered a change of pace at Aerosmith’s ‘California Dream On’ concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday night, serving as the show’s only female-fronted group.
Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson began their brief set by playing “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” a song made famous by Aretha Franklin, which Aerosmith covered on their 2004 LP Honkin’ on Bobo. But it was their second and last song, a rendition of the 1989 hit “Janie’s Got a Gun,” that really got the crowd buzzing.
Released as the second single from Pump, the song garnered attention for its narrative about a young woman killing her abusive father. Hearing the lyrics sung by a woman – let alone, one of the most powerful female singers in rock history – gave the tune a new and distinctive gravitas.
READ MORE: Aerosmith’s Comeback Concert: Full Set List and Videos
Ann and Nancy intertwined their vocals in the song’s opening, mimicking the famous harmonies that Aerosmith used on the original. From there, Ann handled most of the heavy lifting, emphatically belting out the tune’s lead vocals.
While the original song made Janie a sympathetic character who was trapped by her situation, Heart’s rendition felt more defiant. Janie’s strength and anger burner through every note Wilson sang, the character feeling more resilient than ever.
Watch footage of Heart’s performance of “Janie’s Got a Gun” below.
Aerosmith and Heart’s Parallel Careers
Though Heart and Aerosmith don’t have a long shared history, their careers’ respective twists and turns are eerily similar. Both groups broke out in the ‘70s, suffered theough major lulls, then embarked on triumphant second acts in the ‘80s.
Aerosmith will return for a second and final ‘California Dream On’ performance at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Heart Albums Ranked
This list of Heart Albums, Ranked Worst To Best, wasn’t an easy one to compile, because unlike many long-running groups, the band has never made a bad record.
Gallery Credit: Annie Zaleski
