Goldstar Member Tips

• Seanjay on What to Wear
  Wear anything from jeans to dresses. Bring a blanket or sweater: it gets cold at night.
• Bonnie Forer on What to Wear
  I thought it would be warmer, but I did bring a jacket.
• Seanjay on Where to Park
  Parking and shuttle service were included with restaurant dining.

15 Goldstar Member Reviews

Ron

Take it from this baby boomer; it was a fun to see these two . . . um . . . "seasoned" rocker babes still belting out their classics. Before it started I wondered how they would decide who was the opening act (Benatar) and who would close the show, and during intermission I thought Blondie had a tough act to follow. But she did the job and at the end there was no question in my mind that the sequence was correct.

Wente is a lovely venue, and it does a nice job finding performers of this "era" as the supper crowd is pretty much of this same vintage given the expense of the package tix (dinner + performance). I've done that combo at Wente a few times before, but this time I had "terrace" seating -- i.e., performance only -- and it was a good value, good sight lines, and all in all a lot of fun. And, by the way, the audience included plenty of people who weren't even born when these two groups hit their strides in the late 70's and early 80's, but who nevertheless appeared to love the show (probably based on MTV familiarity).

Written on Jul 23 2009

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Goldstar Member

It was a very enjoyable event. We came with a picnic, but were not allowed in with food, wish I had been told that in advance. We were warned not to bring a camera, but wine and food were also a no no. Our lovely picnic was spoiled. We purchased wine and some food which set us back $82. pat and blondie both put on a very good performance.
Bring a sweater as it was a little breezy.

Written on Jul 23 2009

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Scott Carter

Pat's awesome. What a voice. What a voice, not to mention her stable, charming personality. Debra is quirky and fun. The location is stunning.

Written on Jul 23 2009

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Lisa N.

This is a fun place to see concerts. Especially on warm evenings! Both Pat Benatar and Blondie were excellent and fun! The buffet was just okay.
Next time I would pay more for the sit down dinner and closer seats! or show up just for the concert!

Written on Jul 23 2009

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More Information About Blondie and Pat Benatar

Description

<p>Inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, Blondie emerged as the great pop icons of New York’s celebrated late ‘70s new wave punk scene by defying easy categorization. The original Blondie was formed in 1974 by art student/guitarist Chris Stein and ex-folkie and ex-Max’s Kansas City waitress, vocalist/songwriter Deborah Harry. Drummer Clem Burke and keyboard player Jimmy Destri joined in 1975. The band played the fabled New York downtown circuit of CBGB’s, Max’s Kansas City and Mothers, amassing a major following before recording their first album Blondie in 1976. Blondie had their first number one record in the U.S. with “Heart of Glass,” with the album, Parallel Lines, moving more than 20 million copies worldwide. By April of 1980, they scaled the U.S. charts a second time with “Call Me,” from the Paul Schrader film, American Gigolo. The band produced The Hunter in 1982, their final U.S. hit before Chris was felled by a rare and often fatal genetic disease, which led to a sudden hiatus for the group. Sixteen years later, responding to a request, the group reformed to play a concert and found so much chemistry remaining, they decided to try to make some new music. No Exit was a perfect, up-to-date evolution of Blondie, a great collection of perfectly crafted pop songs.  In 2008, Blondie celebrated its 30-year anniversary of Parallel Lines with a re-release of the iconic album that gave the band their first number one hit in the U.S.  Debbie is rightfully proud of the band’s hard work and accolades: “The guys have gotten really good at what they do. I mean, they always were good players and songwriters, but I think now you could say they’re accomplished.”</p> <p>More than two decades ago, Pat Benatar began breaking rules and blazed a new trail for female rock stars.  Songs such as “Love Is a Battlefield,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “We Live For Love,” and “Heartbreaker” became anthems for a new attitude. Born Patricia Andrzejewski in Brooklyn, NY, at 19, she married her high school sweetheart, becoming Pat Benatar.  The two would later divorce but Benatar kept her iconic name.  Benatar took to performing cabaret on Long Island before being cast in The Zinger, a short-lived off-Broadway sci-fi musical composed by Harry Chapin.  The following year, Benatar signed to Chrysalis Records, and sparked an immediate rapport with Neil Giraldo, on stage and off, put together a band, and relocated to Southern California.  A year later, Benatar debuted with the platinum album In The Heat Of The Night (1979) and both “Heartbreaker” and “We Live For Love” charted in the Top 40.  Of her nine original albums released between 1979 and 1989, seven were certified platinum and two went gold.  During that decade, she was nominated nine times for Grammy Awards for Best Rock Performance (female), winning an unprecedented four Grammy Awards in consecutive years.  Twenty-five years after starting her recording career, Pat has found that unique balance between family and career.  Continuing to do what she loves, Pat Benatar is still rocking.</p>

About the Ticket Supplier: Wente Vineyards

After learning about winemaking from Charles Krug, C. H. Wente, a first-generation immigrant from Germany, founded his own winery in 1883. Recognizing that the warm days, cool nights and gravelly soils of the Livermore Valley were ideal for growing grapes, he purchased 48 acres and planted vineyards. In 1918, C. H. Wente's sons Ernest and Herman joined the business, with Ernest managing the vineyards and Herman acting as winemaker. The company was later passed on to Ernest's only son Karl, and in 1977, Karl's young son Eric took the helm. Continuing the 125 year legacy, the winery is managed today by the Fourth Generation of the Wente family, Eric, Philip, Carolyn, and the Fifth Generation, Christine and Karl. The winery has grown to include over 2,000 acres of vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay and 800 acres in Arroyo Seco, Monterey.