Rock

This must be the year of Old Girl Power, with such eminent ladies as Cher and Debbie Harry giving the young 'uns a run for their money, and Patti Smith proving that she still has the live power. Now, it's the turn of Chrissie Hynde (left, with drummer, Martin Chambers) turn to play the comeback queen, when she struts onstage at the Olympia on Wednesday in the company of her band, The Pretenders. It's been five years since their last album, Last Of The Independents, but The Pretenders have not been idle: the band has contributed to various film soundtracks and tribute albums, performed at the Bridge School benefit concert, and released an acoustic live album, The Isle Of View. The new album, Viva El Amore!, is vintage Pretenders: a collection of shoot-from-the-hip guitar tunes laced with a few gentle ballads, with their recent single, Human.