Still a Tease, Hynde, Pretenders Play With Force and Conviction

Rock ‘n’ roll needs its icons--artists who can be counted on to at least be true to a certain spirit, whether it’s Jerry Lee Lewis or Ice Cube. The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde keeps it just as real. Even if her songwriting has been inconsistent over the years, she’s never less than a compelling rock authority.

That presence could be felt at the Pretenders’ performance Friday at the Universal Amphitheatre. During “Back on the Chain Gang,” one woman climbed the stage only to kneel piously at Hynde’s feet.

In return, Hynde cracked a long succession of prickly, teasing comments between songs. Dressed in black tails and jeans, she urged fans not to eat meat, joked about her celebrity guest list and made playful jibes at founding drummer Martin Chambers for breaking his foot during the first week of the band’s current tour.

Musically, the Pretenders are again a tight, tough unit, owing much to renewed songwriting vigor from Hynde, but also to the energetic playing of guitarist Adam Seymour.

Still, it’s inevitable the more recent Pretenders material comes up short when placed alongside the band’s classic early work. On Friday, however, none of it was played with anything less than utter conviction. Which is exactly what fans should expect from their heroes.