Cage Match: Heart vs. The Bangles

Posted on by Matt Wardlaw

On Saturday morning, we’re packing up the ATV concert mobile for what might end up being the final road trip of the summer.

Destination: The Illinois State Fair in Springfield, IL

Possible Food & Grub While We’re There: D & J Cafe, which captured the hearts of many in Springfield as the “best place to grab weekend breakfast.”  Since we’re going there over the weekend, it sounds like we’re going to have to hit this one up.  Also, I’d like to hit Fritz’s Wagon Wheel Restaurant, which allegedly is THE joint to grab some fried chicken in those parts. 

I just checked with my arteries, and it seems that there is still room for at least a few pieces of Fritz’s best cluck-cluck-yum before the ol’ heart shuts down for a short vacation.  As long as we’re doing permanent cholesterol-related damage, there will also be some munching of fried veggies at the fair, and perhaps a funnel cake too.

It’s been nice knowing you.

What about shopping? You can bet your ass I am going to try to pack in a record store visit while I’m in Springfield.  Recycled Records looks like the place to be, with one minor issue:  They’re apparently closed on most Sundays.  Fingers are crossed that perhaps they might deem the Illinois State Fair as a worthy reason to open up on Sunday.

Entertainment: Heart and The Bangles are performing on Saturday night at the Illinois State Fair.

Hell yeah.  Say it with me one more time, HELL YEAH.

Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson is one of the most underrated guitar players in the classic rock genre (in our opinion.)  She also remains one of the foxiest looking women of rock and roll, in addition to being married to Cameron Crowe.  We love Cameron, and dude, now that we think about it, we’re sorry for looking at your wife like that.  Damn, I feel bad about that.

Susanna Hoffs.  Oh man.  Also pretty damn hot, especially when she’s wearing those fishnets accessorized with that cool ass Rickenbacker that she plays.  That Rickenbacker is nearly twice as big as Susanna is, but she totally rocks it like the female version of Iron Man.

I’m not even sure what that means.  I should probably mention that Susanna is married to Jay Roach, director of the franchise of Austin Powers films, and like Cameron Crowe, Roach is a film dude with great taste in women.

Heart and The Bangles are two of my favorite groups of the 80s, and I’ve seen both within the past couple of years.  Both groups are still rock solid live performers, and this show has potential to be one of my favorite double bills of the summer.

For today’s Cage Match, we’ll put Heart up against those Bangles ladies, choosing a popular ballad from each.  Both were #1 charting Billboard singles.

The question for you is simple:  Which one is your favorite?

P.S. – How about a live performance of “Eternal Flame?” We found THREE of ’em!

You’re welcome.

Watch ’em here, here, and here.

19 Comments on “Cage Match: Heart vs. The Bangles”

  2. Dude this is without one of the hardest choices yet…The first time I read it I said Heart and the second time I said The Bangles. So if I go with my first instinct it would be Heart.

    How the hell does one choose!?!

  6. HEART, hands down. Not only does Ann Wilson have an overwhelmingly stronger (and more pleasing) voice than Susanna, Nancy Wilson rocks harder than any Bangle could ever dream to. Sorry, there is no battle here. My vote is Heart 100%.

  9. Oh, the best Bangles songs could take the worst Heart songs, but no contest, even with these two tracks. Heart.

  10. Holy mackerel, if I had known this show was happening I'd have flown in from California! Love these two bands…though I love Heart much more!

  11. I was pleasantly surprised by the Bangles at the concert Saturday night, they had great harmony, they looked like they were having fun, and they packed many great songs into 40+ minutes. Heart was so good, Ann Wilson's vocals were as sharp as ever, great tributes to the Led Zepplin and Who influences. They played almost every song I wanted to hear…wow..and we were right up front close to Nancy Wilson, and yes she is still so hot for mom with two kids..
    It was not suprising it was the largest attented concert at the 2009 State Fair.

  12. I will dissent from this mob. Bangles! Heart's '70s brilliance is impossible to dispute, but their '80s stuff (apart from “Alone,” maybe) is so far below the Bangles' standard that it tips the scales.

  13. I will dissent from this mob. Bangles! Heart's '70s brilliance is impossible to dispute, but their '80s stuff (apart from “Alone,” maybe) is so far below the Bangles' standard that it tips the scales.

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