This year marks the 30th anniversary of the acclaimed Honda Center of Anaheim. From Mighty Ducks games (including a 2007 Stanley Cup), concerts, UFC fights, and everything in between, the Honda Center has been the place for must-see blockbuster events.
What better way to celebrate than with the most famous person to ever come out of Anaheim – Gwen Stefani – and a sold-out arena.
Just a few days ago, it was announced that young singer-songwriter Gunnar would be given the primo opportunity to open the show. Just 22 years of age, Gunnar and his band have been touring Europe this summer, having played several shows with Maroon 5.
He opened with “They Didn’t Tell Me,” an almost bluesy pop ballad with a rock n’ roll edge. Gunnar said this was their first show back in the States, and he grew up in Orange County, having been born in Newport Beach. He strapped on a guitar for “Keep You Around,” featuring one of his nice solos.
Gunner told the crowd he just released an album a few months ago, “and the whole intention was made for nights like this, for live music, for shows,” and had everyone stand up for a track from that album, “One Last Time.” He switched into a custom “Gunnar” Ducks jersey, for which he had to take his shirt off garnering woos from just about every female (and several males) in attendance. He left his loudest and most rocking song for last, “Bad Idea,” culminating in a nasty guitar solo.
For Stefani’s set, the stage featured two risers near the back, both decorated in black and white ska checkers. The riser on stage-right was for her drummer and bassist, the one on stage-left was for her guitarist and long-time No Doubt and Stefani collaborator, Stephen Bradley.
The lights went down, a dozen male and female dancers in red, sleeveless sports jackets, and red kilt-shorts began performing as the intro to “Sweet Escape” began playing. Stefani began walking out from the back, clad in a shiny, silvery, skirted pants, halter top, and jacket as she began singing the hit song.
Her backing band wore black jumpsuits with of course black and white checkers on the sides.
She played the No Doubt hits “Sunday Morning” and “Hey Baby,” which saw Stefani doing a choreographed running man with her dancers while toasting along with Bradley.
She played the gorgeously mellow “Cool,” and there’s just something so surreal about her singing about Harbor Boulevard while I stood just a few blocks away from that very location.
The fact that this was indeed a homecoming show for Stefani was not lost on her, and she spent a good deal of the night reminiscing about growing up in Anaheim, her friends, and family, many of which were in attendance.
“Mexi-Casa, Mells Lane, Loara High,” she exclaimed. “You are my community. There is no me without you.”
“I am so grateful for all the people who have listened to my music over the years.” She then pointed out that this was now her ninth time playing the Honda Center (she had previously recorded live DVDs with both No Doubt and as a solo artist).
I had just seen Stefani perform in May at BeachLife Festival, and while a virtually identical setlist, Stefani included some surprises and performed longer, logging in a whopping hour, forty-five-minute set.
There’s one song that was not included in May and has remained dormant for several years. “Let’s rewind,” she said introducing the song. “We’re going to bring this song back out. I haven’t played it in a long time because I was over it but I’m going to bring it back tonight – there’s something about you guys.” She then proceeded to play a stripped-down version of “Excuse Me, Mr.” off No Doubt’s breakthrough album, “Tragic Kingdom.”
At one point, Stefani stopped to read a sign in the audience asking her to reveal the gender of the woman’s baby. The woman handed her an envelope and Stefani opened it, revealing to the crowd, “….just a girl” to a huge cheer.
For “Underneath It All,” her dancers brought out some huge props made to look like giant speakers. She played a cover of Blondie’s “The Tide is High,” that I have been saying for years is perfectly tailored for her and she proved me right.
A few songs later, Stefani left the stage and her dancers did a choreographed number to an instrumental version of “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” a duet she did with Eve.
When Stefani returned, she was clad in a black and white checkered, rhinestone, two-piece hooded jumpsuit with fingerless gloves. Her dancers brought out giant colorful cupcake props and a white and pink-trimmed throne that Stefani sat on for “Wind It Up.”
She gave a shoutout to “Patti and Dennis Stefani,” her parents who were both in attendance, and played a new song, “True Babe.” The last song she played that has been left out of other recent shows was the No Doubt song, “Simple Kind of Life,” which Stefani explained, “I wrote when I was 29, and it’s the only song I’ve written by myself on the guitar.”
One of my favorite visuals on screen was during “Don’t Speak;” it was a single animated rose which became inflamed during the last chorus and finally left as smoking rubble by the song’s conclusion. For the female-liberation anthem “Just a Girl,” she explained, “When I wrote this song on Mells Lane across the street from Loara High, I was 24 or 25, still living with my parents.
I thought this song would go out of style, but if seems more relevant than ever.” Before the last chorus, she had every girl in attendance sing the “I’m Just a Girl” and it was easily the loudest ovation I’ve heard in a very long time.
She went on to close her regular set with “Spiderwebs,” but there was no way anyone was going anywhere, including Stefani, without at least one more song.
As if right on cue, her dancers began marching as Stefani closed her show with “Hollaback Girl.”
It was a magnificent celebration of 30 years of the Honda Center, and 30 years of having this musical icon in our lives.
