Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

Plenty of great music was offered at Sunset Station's Junefest 2016. Pat Benetar and Neil Giraldo headlined, along with The English Beat, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Lou Gramm, the voice of Foreigner. Temperatures were comfortable in the mid 90s (compared to the 110s Vegas had last weekend) for this outdoor festival. A near sellout crowd was enthusiastic and appreciative of all the musical artists' efforts.

Dave Wakeling is the lone original member of the '80s British pop band The English Beat. He soldiers on with a new line up of talented ska/reggae musicians and it's more than evident that he's still having fun onstage. His aloof, playful attitude entertained the crowd as he played his hits from yesteryear, including "Mirror In The Bathroom" and "Save It For Later." An act that continues to tour worldwide, The English Beat was a wonderful start to the festival.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy took the stage next with their energetic, big band swing sound. This nine piece outfit was certainly a crowd pleaser, offering songs from each of their albums. Highlights included "You, Me and the Bottle Makes Three," as well as entertaining renditions of the Cab Calloway classic "Minnie The Moocher" and "I Wanna Be Like You" from Disney's "The Jungle Book."

Their sound was loud, tight and crisp and was everything I expected and a lot more. Those who were smart enough to show up on time (rather than wait until Benatar took the stage) were given a wonderful musical treat. The appreciative crowd was on their feet at the end of the set.

Being a fan of Foreigner for many years, I was certainly cheering on Lou Gramm as he took the stage. Unfortunately, the set was marred with sound issues, making it difficult to enjoy. While his vocal ability has diminished quite a bit, the crowd still enjoyed the large number of hits he's had over the years, including "I Want To Know What Love Is," "Urgent," "Double Vision," and "Cold As Ice."

For Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, it was their second performance for their latest tour. Simply put, Benatar remains phenomenal, as strong as ever vocally. Celebrating 37 years as a band as well as 34 years of marriage, the duo offered a seemingly effortless set. Moreover, the couple offered insight as to what inspired them to write their signature songs throughout the years in between the songs.

The music was a wonderful mix of acoustic and electric, and the crowd couldn't get enough, as evidenced by the multiple standing ovations throughout the night. Benatar referenced "The Holy 14," which happens to be the 14 songs she's mandated to play (in order to avoid the wrath from her fans on Facebook). Among those songs are "Shadows Of The Night," "We Belong," and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." The duo even offered a short tribute to Prince for good measure, with their rendition of "When Doves Cry."

The absolute highlights for the evening were the electrifying "Hell Is For Children" and "Heartbreaker" as the encore. Overall, it was a highly entertaining of music at Junefest.

Junefest 2016 was offered by Sunset Station Hotel and Casino, 1301 West Sunset Road, in Henderson, Nevada. For information on future events, visit www.sunsetstation.sclv.com.