EDMONTON - If a nuclear war ever happens, cockroaches won’t be the only survivors. So will Ann Wilson’s voice.

I mean this as a compliment of the highest order. At 60 years of age, her spine-tingling shriek sounds as indestructible as it did on Heart’s early recordings - and it’s not as if she had to rest her voice for most of Saturday’s sold-out show at the Jubilee Auditorium in order to save it for a few high notes.

Her pipes, supple, seductive and stratospheric, were in full throttle as the Wilson sisters and their bandmates revisited Heart’s almost 40-year career in rock and pop, from 1976’s Crazy On You to 1985’s These Dreams to 2010’s Red Velvet Car. With a few covers thrown in for good measure, of course, including a not so successful mash-up of Heart’s 1980 hit, Even It Up, with The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter, if only because the latter masterpiece made the former sound aimless and tuneless.

This was one of only a handful of minor disappointments in Heart’s 110 or so minute set, which itself was one of the minor disappointments. (At least they didn’t dust off All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You, mercifully. Cheesiest. Song. Ever.) But with 13 albums to their name, Ann and her guitar goddess of a sister, Nancy Wilson, could’ve easily played for another hour, particularly since this was their first trip to Edmonton in more than 25 years.

“We’re pleased to make your acquaintance,” quipped Ann, before briefly reminiscing about the city’s Rivoli Hotel in the ‘70s, then launching into the bluesy groove of Straight On.

While Ann was the enchanting sorceress of the night, her younger, blonder sister was no less spellbinding … and kick-ass. Wearing a Heart hockey jersey, Nancy looked like a character out of Wayne’s World as she strummed her guitar on Dog & Butterfly, a ballet-rock parable about the impossible dream, and treated fans to a scissor-kick after playing the intricate, folky intro to These Dreams on her acoustic axe.

She also sang These Dreams and Hey You, a stompy, Americana-flavoured number from Heart’s most recent album, Red Velvet Car.

“You’re hot!” yelled one of the aging rockers in the crowd of about 2,500 at the Jube. It looked like almost an even split of genders - with men more likely to offer the devil-horn salute after Ann’s rockier wails while their female counterparts surreptitiously filmed Heart’s poppier hits on their iPhones and cameras.

Sporting long, ‘70s hair, and a black outfit, opener Carmen Townsend could easily pass as Ann’s daughter – until she opens her mouth. The two might sound different, but the Cape Breton native is also blessed with a powerful voice – quirky, sassy, if not a bit babyish. In other words, more like a Scandinavian pop pixie than a rock chick, yet still boasting a lot of heart.

ssperounes@edmontonjournal.com

twitter.com/Sperounes

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Concert Review

Heart

With: Carmen Townsend

When: Saturday

Where: Jubilee Auditorium