Message of love from fans for Chrissie’s Fringe debut
Chrissie hynde must have looked on in horror at the firestorm around Bob Dylan and the claims he abused a 12-year old girl in 1965. Not least because Friday saw the 69-year-old Pretenders singer release a new album of covers, standing in The Doorway: Chrissie hynde sings Bob Dylan.
These form the basis of four pared-back shows marking her edinburgh Fringe debut. if she had any thoughts on the allegations swirling around Dylan – who denies them – she wasn’t saying as the audience hung on every note.
There were a few creaking ones and a few false starts, a sign it’s been a while since she and her band have been on the road.
But the crowd couldn’t care less. And she made a decent fist of reworking Dylan’s output, including showstopper Grain of sand. A few Pretenders classics were dusted down (stop Your sobbing; i Go To sleep), as she showed she can still carry off a rock chick vibe. some jazz standards were more hit and miss but the standing ovation at the end was well deserved.
Queen’s Hall tonight and tomorrow