Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – at Hollywood Park – Inglewood, CA

In Inglewood, two of the main attractions are the Hollywood Park and the Forum. Out of the two, one may expect the Forum to host legendary Punk performers Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; however, Friday night was a different story and more Punks than gamblers and horse lovers showed up at the infamous race track. Joan's performance was apart of Hollywood Park's "Fan-tastic Fridays" in which people who attend the horse races can see the night's artist for the low price of $8, and anyone else can join after 10pm for $20. Although the actual performance was not scheduled to begin until 10:30pm, my party arrived at the park around 8PM to lounge out on the grass and check out a few of the races, despite the abnormally cold weather.

The set up reminded me of Warped Tour; mainly due to the outdoor stage and the food, drink and merchandise stands placed around the surrounding area.

As time passed, more and more people began gathering around the stage, some totally Punk-ed out, and some looking as if they just came from the races and eager to hear some good fashioned rock and roll. To my surprise, no opening acts were placed on the bill before Joan and the Blackhearts, which made the already-long wait seem even worse, but everyone was mingling and having fun waiting for the Punk goddess to emerge. At 10:30pm, the planned time for Joan to arrive, a man came on stage to get the crowd cheering for Joan but also announced that we would have to wait fifteen minutes longer to hear her classic music. At exactly 10:45, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts came out to hundreds of screaming fans and played the Runaways acclaimed hit, "Cherry Bomb". She also performed a plethora of other Runaway songs, such as "I Love Playin with Fire", "School Days" and "You Drive Me Wild".

Jett apologized for the cold weather and thanked the crowd for waiting, and showed her appreciation with "Bad Reputation", causing the audience to go crazy. She also performed songs "Fetish", "Androgynous","Fake Friends" and the hit "Do You Wanna Touch Me?", with the audience clapping their hands to every beat and singing along to the chorus. Through each and every song, the singer and the rest of the Blackhearts maintained their reputation for fast-paced, revoluntary Punk rock persona, and shone through her last three songs, the three of her greatest hits: "I Love Rock n' Roll", "Crimson and Clover" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You". Because it was so late at night when Joan and the Blackhearts exited, and because she played her most well-known tracks, I was under the impression an encore would not happen; I was wrong. The audience cheered and chanted, and a few minutes later the Punk rock legends walked back on the stage and rocked out, playing "Real Wild Child" and "Everyday People", with greater passion and energy than before. She thanked and introduced the rest of the band, waved, blew kisses and exited the stage around 12:15am.

Walking out, everyone was chatting about "how hot she was", how she still maintains that mature sense of angst within her and how Joan Jett and the Blackhearts can rock out with intensity and a passion that never seems to burn out. The Punk rock icon annihilated Hollywood Park and the city of Inglewood, leaving big shoes to fill for the proceeding acts during the next few weeks for "Fan-tastic Fridays".

 

-Sarah K.-
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter

 

More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 
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