Today’s thunder and lighting storm may be over but sparks fly when rock vocalist Pat Benatar and her husband, guitarist Neil Giraldo, bring their Funtastic 2023 concert tour to the MPAC auditorium in Morristown, NJ this Tuesday, July 25, 2023 evening.
Declares opening act singer/songwriter Chris Trapper about being on the Funtastic 2023 tour with Benatar and Giraldo, “I’m honored to be here!” Opening with his song which appears on the soundtrack of the 2014 Pierce Brosnan film, Some Kind of Beautiful, Trapper’s warm baritone voice fills the MPAC auditorium as he accompanies himself on acoustic guitar on “If You’re Still There.”
Following his self-described “finger-picking song,” “The Accident,” Trapper plays “This Time,” a number sung by Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ character in the 2009 film, August Rush.
Strongly strumming his guitar, Trapper performs his own interpretation of “This Time” singing, “I’ve been sitting, watching life pass from the sidelines.” When a fan calls out, “I like your version of the song better!” Trapper responds, “Thank you, Mom — I appreciate it,” joking, “She comes to every show.”
Trapper acknowledges that his next number, “F#*k It,” is filled with “F-bombs.” After explaining, “I’ll step away from the mic, but feel free to join in on the ‘F-words,’” the crowd energetically fills them in before Trapper concludes the number with a kazoo solo which elicits avid applause from the crowd.
Following the folksy “Make It Through,” Trapper concludes his set with “Keg on My Coffin,” his version of an “Irish drinking death song” where the audience gets to “sing along on a song they don’t know by an artist they didn’t pay to see.”
The crowd cheers and, following a short intermission, drummer Tony Pia, bassist Mick Mahan, and guitarist Neil Giraldo take the stage and begin to play as red and blue lights flash and Pat Benatar enters to enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Benatar’s edgy and powerful alto is featured on the rocking “All Fired Up” and Giraldo wails on a guitar solo as audience members cheer.
Then, Benatar stands center stage and connects with her audience as she cries out on the upbeat rocker, “Sex as a Weapon.”
Magenta and blue lights flash as Benatar’s voice floats out on her 1979 hit, “We Live for Love.” The crowd sings along and Giraldo shreds a guitar solo while white lights flash on music lovers who pump their arms as they sing along.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Benatar, 70, exclaims, “It’s so good to see you! We’re still in the first week of the tour, so anything can happen!” prior to explaining, “This year is our 44th musical anniversary, it’s our 41st wedding anniversary, our third grandchild was born, and we were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!” Announcing, “This song definitely goes out to all my sisters,” Benatar performs “Girl,” a rock anthem from 2001 on which she insists, “You’ve got to do it for yourself!” to enthusiastic applause.
Acknowledging, “This is such a beloved song to us — it always brings everyone back together,” Giraldo plays grand piano and Benatar sits on a stool to sing “We Belong.” Starting off as a ballad, Giraldo switches over to guitar and Benatar stands center stage as the arrangement shifts into techno-pop mode. Music lovers sing along as they sway their arms from side to side on this 1984 Benatar hit.
Noting, “This next song is a very personal song,” Benatar is accompanied by Giraldo on the piano before Tony Pia and Mick Mahan kick in on drums and bass and Giraldo switches over to electric guitar in the middle of “Promises in the Dark.” Fans dance at their seats and sing along, fists pumping to the beat, and Benatar smiles as Giraldo elicits cheers with an inspired electric guitar solo.
After suggesting, “You all have someone in your life who is a catastrophe — this song is about that person,” Benatar performs her emotional rock ballad, “Dirty Little Secrets.” She follows up with a number about which she says, “This is for anyone who has ever felt marginalized in your life.” Launching into “Invincible,” lights flash in time to Pia’s drum fills and crashing cymbals. Music lovers stand and dance to the groove of this rhythmic rocker as Giraldo and Mahan duel downstage on guitar and bass. Benatar vocalizes using her falsetto voice on this theme from the 1985 film, The Legend of Billie Jean, and Giraldo plays a solo in octaves to avid cheers. At the conclusion, fans call out, “We love you, Pat!” “We love you, Neil!”
Music lovers stand, sing, and move to the music of Benatar’s 1982 hit, “Shadows of the Night,” as Giraldo plays rhythm guitar. Red lights shine as Benatar and Giraldo perform the rock anthem, “Hell is For Children.” Heads bop to the electric guitar interlude where, mid-song, the mood changes to hard rock and roll. Concertgoers stand and cheer as Giraldo plays an extended ending which reverberates throughout the MPAC auditorium.
The crowd sings along and dances to Benatar’s 1980 remake of The Rascals’ 1966 hit, “You Better Run.” This powerful version has the audience moving under flashing lights to the “Whatcha tryin’ to do to my heart?” lyric before ending with hoots and hollers.
A highlight of tonight’s show is Benatar’s live rendition of her 1983 million-seller, “Love is a Battlefield,” the classic rocker performed with power and no regrets. Crying, “We are young/Heartache to heartache, we stand,” Benatar dances as the band rocks, and Giraldo electrifies with a rhythmic guitar solo.
The crowd stands and cheers as Benatar and Co. leave the stage but they soon return for a forceful rendition of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” complete with vocal screams. Lights flash, the audience claps, and Giraldo shreds an electric guitar solo to fervent cheers and applause.
Benatar plays tambourine as guitar and bass sizzle on the group’s second encore number, the funky rocker “Everybody Lay Down,” after which Benatar announces, “Thanks for coming out tonight. This is the song that started it all.”
Playing wild and free, Benatar performs her 1979 smash, “Heartbreaker.” The crowd joins in singing the ubiquitous “You’re a heartbreaker/Dream maker/Love taker/Don’t you mess around with me” chorus before Benatar segues into a rock version of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Making the number her own, she circles back to “Heartbreaker” where the crowd sings a cappella on the “You’re a heartbreaker” refrain and the audience stands and dances as Giraldo demonstrates his talent playing a jig-like tune on his electric guitar.
Benatar bows to Giraldo before thanking music lovers who applaud and cheer as the pair takes a bow and blows kisses to their fans before exiting.
As concertgoers make their way out of the MPAC auditorium, several share their thoughts on tonight’s performance. Remarks Shelley from Yardley, PA, “Pat Benatar has still got it — she’s got a unique sound and is a great role model for older women — plus Neil Giraldo plays like nobody’s business,” before noting, “This music was the soundtrack to my high school years and this audience was totally into it — they were up on their feet early in the show and stayed on their feet for the rest of the night!”
Erin from Bergen County calls Pat Benatar’s performance, “Amazing!” explaining, “Her voice is so impressive — it’s super strong,” and acknowledging, “I’ve been listening to her for 40 years — and she doesn’t even look 40!” Jennifer from Kenilworth agrees, asserting, “She sounds fantastic for her age! I was extremely impressed,” prior to adding, “I wish I had her energy — she’s just incredible!”
AnnMarie from Hopatcong wonders, “Pat Benatar is 70? Are you kidding me? She’s awesome! Plus, she and Neil Giraldo have such great chemistry after so many years together! Their music brings back so many memories for me. It still sounds great, plus I think she looks great — I hope I’m still rocking like her at that age!” AnnMarie’s husband, Lee, concurs, adding, “Neil Giraldo’s playing is just incredible and Pat Benatar can still belt it out,” before concluding, “She’s one grandma who kicks ass!”
To learn more about Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, please go to benatargiraldo.com. For information on upcoming performances at Morristown’s MPAC — including Don Felder on August 9, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on October 13, and Jim Messina and Pablo Cruise on October 18 — please click on mayoarts.org.
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