DATE: Sunday, November 9, 1997              TAG: 9711090009

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music Review 

SOURCE: BY JEFF MAISEY, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   52 lines

BENATAR'S BEST SHOT ROCKS NORFOLK BOATHOUSE SILLY

Exhilarating!

Pat Benatar rekindled her magic from the early 1980s with an outstanding performance Friday night at the Boathouse. The vocally appreciative audience was kept spellbound throughout the two-hour show.

It was clear that today's popular female singers, like Fiona Apple and Jewel, are not in the same league as Benatar - not even close.

The four-time Grammy-winning rock vocalist, joined by guitarist and husband of 15 years Neil Giraldo, opened the superb set with an ``unplugged'' version of ``Shadows of the Night.'' Any questions as to the strength of the rock monarch's voice at age 45 were immediately answered. Note after note, song after song, Benatar's vocals soared tirelessly. Frankly, she was awesome.

Without radio or MTV to air material from ``Innamorta,'' her album released this past June, it was apparent word of mouth had spread the news of its fantastic qualities. Many in the crowd seemed well acquainted with such rocking numbers as ``Only You'' and ``River Of Love.''

The well-balanced repertoire touched on passionate acoustic pieces (``We Belong''), the blues and, of course, the classics, with the exception of ``Hit Me With Your Best Shot.''

Widely known as a great guitarist, Giraldo put his green-sparkled instrument through a tough workout, blistering the 6-strings on a grinding ``True Love'' blues number. ``Outlaw Blues'' came across more like a Celtic rock throw-down.

In plain view Benatar and Giraldo enjoyed every moment together on stage. Their occasional hugs and playful glances were genuine. When the audience responded with approval at each song's end, a smile stretched across Benatar's face as if she were surprised by the outpouring of emotion.

Now about those set-ending classics. If you were not among the 1,800 concert-goers, kick yourself. Giraldo's hand-muted strings harkened back the sound of ``Love Is A Battlefield.'' Benatar explained the next tune, ``This one was written for the first album, but we saved it for the second.'' ``Hell Is for Children'' fired the crowd up, as Benatar convincingly commanded the vocally difficult chorus. The set finale was the hard, guitar-driven ``Heartbreaker.''

For a well-deserved encore, ``Papa's Roses,'' the new ballad overwhelmingly chatted about on her Web site, was performed. Giraldo plucked his strings like flower petals on the beautiful song. On a high note of shear power, ``Promises In the Dark'' concluded a great night of music, past and present. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

MUSIC REVIEW

Pat Benatar with Kyle Davis

Friday at the Boathouse, Norfolk

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