Blimp Time Hop: Pat Benatar At The Civic Center In 1986

35 years ago today, Pat Benatar returned to rock the Civic Center in Portland for the second time.  Her first appearance here was four years earlier in November 1982 on tour in support of the just released, Get Nervous album. That show was a sellout.

However, when she came back on March 2, 1986, that night was not at full capacity. I’ve got a feeling that some of her hardcore fans of the early albums got lost when they heard the new direction. Seven the Hard Way and the Tropico album which preceded it, were more synthesized and a bit softer. 1986's Seven the Hard Way was the album that featured Invincible and Sex as a Weapon. Yeah now you remember, huh.

Opening the show was a band from Wales in the UK that had also been opening for U2 in 1980s called The Alarm.

Watch and listen to this heartfelt introduction and a very powerful performance of Hell Is For Children from that show on the shore of Casco Bay.

New Hampshire has Maine beat with 17 total Pat Benatar appearances from 1980 to 2018. Hopefully we can start catching up to our next door neighbors when the pandemic is over. Pat is always welcome to rock us in Vacationland!