Growing up, driving around the suburbs, one tends to fiddle with the FM radio knob quite a bit.
This seemingly innocent experimentation with the dial can serve as a form of musical education exposing young listeners to a wide variety of genres like modern rock, country, Hip-Hop, Top 40 hits, oldies and, heck, maybe even classical. After a bit of futzing around, listeners often find the station that most aligns with their taste.
For me, the station I kept coming back to was 100.7 KSLX, home of classic rock.
I listened to — and fell in love with — bands like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Cream like pretty much everyone else who’d ever gotten into music from the ’60s and ’70s.
But there was one act that curled its finger around me and never let go.
The first time I heard “Magic Man” by Heart, I became a fan of the band for life.
Ann Wilson’s unflinching powerhouse vocals were unlike anything I’d ever heard. Coupled with her sister Nancy’s seductive guitar, the siblings created a potent sound that was equal parts raw siren song and exquisitely-crafted rock and roll. I was beyond hooked.
Improbably, 50 years after the release of their unimpeachable debut album “Dreamboat Annie,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are still going strong bringing their stable of hits to huge venues on their ‘Royal Flush Tour’ all over North America.
Yet, just because they rocked in 1975 doesn’t necessarily mean the band has the goods in 2025.
To investigate, I trekked to NYC’s regal Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday, April 16 to see what Heart sounded like a half century after their heyday.
Pre-show
Before the Wilson sisters hit the stage, critical darling Lucinda Williams opened the evening with a soulful 11-song set comprised of bar room blues, heartbreaking ballads and rollicking Beatles and Neil Young covers.
Her colorful stories interspersed between tracks — one about her deceased musician pal Blaze Foley struck a particularly deep nerve — lent an air of authority to the evening. This was a show for real fans.
Williams waved goodbye and made way for tour photographer/comedian Criss Cain who acted as a hype man for the evening’s main act. He prepped fans for what was to come, letting us know that Ann Wilson would be performing in a wheelchair since she’d recently broken her arm and beaten cancer. The crowd cheered. This was a welcome move on Heart’s part; by having Cain speak, not only did he get the room through the typical opener-headliner interstitial lull but he revved us up. Now, we couldn’t wait to see the band we’d come to see.
Heart concert
At 9:17 p.m., the lights dimmed.
A screen projected images dating back to the early 1970s, one for each year. 1975 was the original “SNL” cast, 1985 was New Coke and so on and so forth, you get the idea.
This monumental montage served a purpose greater than just serving as a blast from the past. This was a reminder of just how long Heart had been active and how much staying power the group has.
Once the video ticked to 2025, the bands’ silhouettes appeared behind a royal red scrim and they dove right into a crisp rendition of their 1980 jam “Bebe Le Strange.” The song, which sounded just as gorgeous as ever, served as proof that Ann was fully capable of belting just like she did in her ’70s and ’80’s heyday, injuries and illnesses be damned.
Ann and the band stayed in full control through the fun-loving “Never,” which had the Boomers and rocker chicks (along with a handful of young kids) boogieing like the ’80s had never ended. Her one-of-a-kind voice sounded just as authoritative yet playful, controlled yet freewheeling as ever.
Next, they launched into the mega-hit “Magic Man,” the song that inspired my fandom.
I’m happy to report the 50-year-old song sounds just as good live as it did on classic rock radio all those years ago. Ann and her distinctive vocals didn’t skip a beat, capturing every nuance of the pristine track recorded in the studio way back when. Nancy accompanied her sister for heavenly harmonies and unleashed the synth-y prog breakdown toward the end of the song with a ferocity typically reserved for an artist with something to prove, not someone that’s been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over a decade prior.
Soon after, the crowd collectively sat for their soft “Love Alive” from 1977’s “Little Queen.” Clearly inspired by Zeppelin, the intimate ballad starts small before lashing out into a folk-metal groove that had the mellow crowd headbanging from their plush Radio City seats.
Once the song wrapped, it was banter time. Ann addressed the crowd and let us know she had a bit of a cough. After making it through almost the entire tour, she lost the group’s moneymaker. It was no matter. Not only did the audience barely notice but a little rasp in rock’s smoothest, angriest voice was more than welcome. A voice like hers can’t be replaced but it can evolve into something even more worldly.
Before diving into the funky “Little Queen” — which hit a powerful crescendo when the sisters tag teamed the vocals — Nancy took the mic and explained that Heart had tried to be different from day one because they had girls in the band. The crowd erupted. Clearly, the room approved of their brand of “different.”
From there, they continued to rock. The jaunty “Straight On” sounded just as naughty live as it did back when the studio version was released on the 1978 record “Dog & Butterfly.” Ann doesn’t hold back, exhibiting full-hearted emotion (pun fully intended) with her unparalleled pipes that pops even more live than it has any right to.
Then, in the evening’s best surprise, the drum fills in “Straight On” led to a thrilling surprise David Bowie “Let’s Dance” cover. Once the crowd recognized the iconic guitar chords, we rose in unison. Ann may not have been able to stand due to her ailments but she certainly got us moving and shaking.
Shortly after, Nancy took the wheel on the softer “These Dreams.” In the ’80s, Heart embraced their softer side and while their searing hard rock is hard to match, the heart-on-the-sleeve slow dance ballads are a welcome respite after such an exciting ride.
With that, we were back in action.
The opening strings to “Crazy On You” — which sound like something straight out of a bordello — worked the fired-up crowd back into a frenzy. It was like a fever had swept over us as Ann’s electric vocals rocked over Nancy’s country-fried lo-fi guitar. These two wield their weapons well.
Soft “oohs” took listeners on a rollercoaster to the epic, ferocious chorus. The fact the sisters can conjure up the righteous fury every night they bring this classic to the stage is a minor miracle in and of itself.
After that high point in the evening, the stage transformed into a living room for the winsome “Dog & Butterfly” and plucky “Dreamboat Annie.” After some reflection, it became clear Heart’s must-see concerts are a showcase for the group to flex their cross-genre abilities. They can deliver rock, folk, country, bluegrass, ballads and everything in between with effortless aplomb.
To that point, the Wilson sisters next rocked a stirring rendition of Led Zeppelin’s deeply-felt “Going to California.” Yes, it’s a fool’s errand to compare anyone to Robert Plant but if anyone can do justice to this timeless track it’s Ann Wilson. Once again, she didn’t disappoint and the mighty cover served as a more feminine counterpoint to the nasally, powerful original.
Things got heavy moments later with Nancy Wilson’s touching, acoustic instrumental song “4 Edward” , dedicated to a friend of hers that had passed on. Years ago, he called her from a rotary phone to play a song only she heard. And, as a gift to the audience, she shares it with us to this day.
With that, we were finally in the home stretch. The achy, intimate and vulnerable “Alone/What About Love” medley lit the room up with its anthemic arena rock. For those wondering, yes, there was quite a bit of fist pumping and singing along when the sisters belted “How do I get you alone?” For three minutes, we genuinely wanted to know.
At one point, the distorted, industrial drumming interlude within the song felt like an experimental exercise. Even if that bit was part of the long-running group’s routine, they still bring in elements that feel fresh and alive to shows. There’s no phoning it in on their part. Permission to rock has been granted once again.
Before we continue, let’s sidebar for a moment and dig into Heart’s robust history. In the early ’90s, the Wilson sisters created an acoustic group they dubbed The Lovemongers. For a decade, the band crafted earnest music that smoothed off Heart’s rough edges. This was evidenced next in the show by their lovely tune “Sand,” from The Heartmongers’ back catalog. If you’re not familiar, the song is dedicated to Sam, Nancy’s gardener, that died of AIDS. She spread his ashes over her garden years ago and the genuine love she felt for her friend certainly transferred to the crowd.
To close the night, Heart employed the shortest encore break of all time. Must have been 30 seconds tops. Clearly, the ensemble know how to put on a show- while respecting the venue’s curfew.
First up, they covered Zeppelin a second time. This time, their take on “The Ocean” gave Plant and Page a run for their money. In my humble opinion, the cloying “na na na na” breakdown was the highlight of the whole night.
Of course, Heart closed the night right after with “Barracuda.” How could they not? Truth be told, by the time we got here, I had forgotten all about the band’s biggest hit (which is currently playing ads for Season Two of Peacock’s “Poker Face”). For once, a group’s most well-known song felt more like a cherry on top rather than something we had to wait for all evening.
Let’s back up though.
Before we got to the concert closer, a slick guitar segue from “The Ocean” took us to “Barracuda’s” revved-up guitar chords, which led to Ann wailing, belting, pouring her heart out, whatever you want to call it, as the crowd tried our best to sing along. Five feet away, Nancy picked like a madwoman. The song sounded a little older, wiser and more searing than ever before.
What a delicious last bite to the rock and roll feast Heart gave us.
Final verdict: Not many grandmas sound like temptresses from hell. Ann Wilson does. Witnessing her irreplaceable sound, Nancy’s scorched earth power chords and the backing band’s infectious energy live is bucket list-worthy for any self-respecting classic rock fan- especially considering how much care the outfit puts into making sure their hits sound perfect.
The fact that they got to rock a royal venue like Radio City only heightened the experience for such a majestic band.
Forget classic rock radio. I’ll take a live Heart show over singing along in my minivan any day.
If you want to see them IRL in the Tri-state, Heart will be at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Saturday, May 31, Canandaigua, NY’s Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center on Friday, Aug. 29 and Bethel, NY’s Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Saturday, Aug. 30.
For more information about the next leg of the ‘Royal Flush Tour,’ our team has everything you need to know and more below.
Heart tour schedule 2025
Want to see Ann and Nancy Wilson live?
A complete calendar including all Heart tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Heart set list
On April 16, Heart wrapped the latest leg of their ‘Royal Flush Tour’ at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall.
Here’s what the group took to the stage that night, courtesy of Set List FM.
01.) “Bebe Le Strange”
02.) “Never”
03.) “Magic Man”
04.) “Love Alive”
05.) “Little Queen”
06.) “Straight On / Let’s Dance”
07.) “These Dreams”
08.) “Crazy on You”
09.) “Dog & Butterfly”
10.) “Dreamboat Annie”
11.) “Going to California” (Led Zeppelin cover)
12.) “4 Edward” (Nancy Wilson song)
13.) “Alone / What About Love”
14.) “Sand” (Lovemongers cover)
15.) “The Ocean” (Led Zeppelin cover)
16.) “Barracuda”
Classic rockers on tour in 2025
If you never stopped listening to classic rock radio, we come bearing good news.
Many iconic acts that defined the sound of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s are rockin’ all over the U.S. these next few months.
Here are just five of our favorites that we can’t wait to see live in the very near future.
Who else is touring from way back when? Check out our list of all the biggest classic rockers on tour in 2025 to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
