Heart’s Wilson sisters rocked San Antonio with decades' worth of hits

The opening riffs of Seattle-based rock band Heart's "Barracuda," "Crazy on You" and "What About Love" are among the most recognizable on classic-rock radio. Appropriately, the group, formed in 1973, hit up San Antonio‘s Frost Bank Center Wednesday for nearly three hours of rock that was as familiar as it was energizing.

Show openers Cheap Trick kicked the evening off with a sampling of its big hits, including "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender." From the opening song, it was clear the show attracted a wide demographic — from attendees who have followed both bands since the '70s to new fans who may be experiencing them for the first time.

The legendary Heart took the stage nearly three hours after doors opened . By the time the opening chords of "Bébé le Strange" started to fill the venue, the air inside was electric.

The band shared highlights and deep cuts from its entire portfolio, starting with '70s hits including "Magic Man" and "Little Queen" then moving into unexpected medleys. At one point, the 1978 hit "Straight On" ran directly into David Bowie’s "Let’s Dance."

"There’s one of two things you can do when you hear this groove," lead vocalist Ann Wilson said to the crowd. "You can just stand there, or you can dance."

To the delight of the packed house, she, sister and guitarist Nancy Wilson and the rest of the crew went on to play the entirety of Bowie's 1983 hit.

As the show progressed, it was clear Ann Wilson had difficulty reprising some of the band's biggest hits. A short but sweet medley of "Alone" and "What About Love" left us wanting more, given the incredible vocal effort each of the songs require.

Though slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to hear the versions of those songs we'd come expecting to experience, the decision to revamp them made sense. You can’t sing like Wilson for 40 years and not display some kind of vocal fatigue.

Nancy Wilson took center stage for a solo tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen, talking about a moment in their friendship to the crowd before launching into an acoustic solo, which ran about two minutes. The piece showcased several styles and cadences, including moments reminiscent of the Van Halen hits "Jump" and "I'll Wait."

It was clear the guitarist enjoyed paying homage to her friend, and looking around the arena, it was obvious her performance touched hearts. More than one person wiped their eyes at the end of her tribute.

Before the night was over, the band also pulled pieces from what Ann Wilson called its "special box," including two covers from the legendary Led Zeppelin: "Going to California" and "The Ocean." Ann Wilson's very recognizable vocals filled in solidly for Robert Plant's.

The evening offered a robust summation of both bands' decades-long presence on the rock scene — and even threw in a few surprises. In all, it served as a reminder that the best rock music from the '70s and '80s can be about so much more than big hair and flashy duds.

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