Pretenders ushered in an early start to the weekend on Tyneside with a sold-out show at the Glasshouse in Gateshead. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted outfit is fronted by the iconic Chrissie Hynde. And with a new album in tow by way of, Relentless the group are back on the road again.

The band's latest offering marks their remarkable twelfth studio album. And with a career dating back to 1978, Pretenders had a lot of ground to cover. But how do you pick a setlist for a show like this? It must be like choosing your favourite family members.

Thankfully, the group got the balance of the setlist perfectly right, with a healthy dose of present-day material and a splash of nostalgia.

Pretenders opened the show with a pair of tracks from their new album by way of Losing My Sense of Taste and A Love. Chrissie Hynde arrived onstage bedecked in a red jacket, black thigh-high boots, and denim jeans, with a Fender Telecaster over her shoulder. Even the artist's yellow guitar strap had the initial CH emblazoned upon it. Hynde has star power in spades and her voice is simply flawless.

Chrissie paid homage to her original Pretenders bandmates James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, who are sadly no longer with us. The original lineup was remembered before the classic Talk of the Town. And whilst Chrissie may be without the sadly missed Hereford boys, the band's current incarnation is ridiculously talented. Guitarist James Walbourne is a revelation. His guitar solos and flare lit up the stage all night long.

A frantic airing of Hate For Sale was dedicated to the late great Johnny Thunders. Hynde regards the former New York Dolls legend as one of her favourite guitarists – and who could argue with that sentiment. The funky groove of My City Was Gone captivated the Tyneside audience.

Hall One at the Glasshouse in Gateshead is an all-seater auditorium. Of course, if you give people a seat to sit in, they will do exactly that. However, when a song like Back In The Chain Gang comes along, nothing was going to stop the whole room from getting on their feet and dancing.

The bass-heavy groove of Private Life showcased a slightly different side of the group's repertoire. The song was also covered by Grace Jones back in 1980, and did not disappoint. Pretenders continued to switch things up in the latter stages of the show thanks to a country-tinged airing of Thumbelina. The song once again featured the blistering fretwork of James Walbourne. Even Chrissie Hynde joked that he was showing off.

And whilst the band’s sound may have wandered for a few songs, they were back on track with Night In My Veins. Chrissie insisted that the band came here to rock – and didn’t they just. The main set concluded thanks to an uplifting rendition of recent single Let The Sun Come In.

With the crowd on their feet cheering for more, it felt like the show could have gone on all night. A harmonica fuelled airing of Middle of the Road and the anthemic Brass In Pocket were the cherry on top of a startling show on Tyneside.

After more than 40 years, Chrissie Hynde is still at the top of her game, and we aren't pretending.