PRETENDERS, THE
GOLDEN CITY GROOVE

By the 1990s The Pretenders had entered a new phase of creativity, with Hynde leading a revitalised line-up. The decade brought a string of successful releases, including Last of the Independents in 1994, which produced the global hit ‘I’ll Stand by You’. As the century drew to a close the band returned with ¡Viva El Amor! in 1999, a record that paired Hynde’s trademark bite with contemporary production touches. The album demonstrated that, more than twenty years after their debut, The Pretenders remained capable of sounding both timeless and contemporary.

The closing night of the millennium called for something extraordinary, and in San Francisco the answer was the spectacular SFNYE New Year’s Bash at the historic Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Staged on 31 December 1999, the celebration brought together an eclectic bill designed to reflect the city’s musical spirit. Topping the bill were The Pretenders, whose rock pedigree and formidable live reputation made them the perfect band to usher thousands of revellers into the year 2000.

When The Pretenders took the stage that night they delivered exactly the kind of incendiary performance fans had hoped for. Hynde led the band through a generous set packed with classics and newer material alike, the crowd responding to every riff and chorus with mounting excitement. Familiar favourites rubbed shoulders with songs from ¡Viva El Amor! as the band powered through the evening with effortless authority. As midnight approached the music paused and the entire auditorium counted down together, welcoming the new millennium in a moment of shared exhilaration before the band plunged back into the set and carried the celebration deep into the night.