Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

Popular pop-rock siren Pat Benatar and her longtime partner/guitarist Neil Giraldo bring their 35th anniversary tour to the Bay Area this week for several shows in Livermore, Saratoga and Santa Rosa.

A trained mezzo-soprano vocalist, Benatar started pursuing her dream of becoming a singer in the mid-70s, eventually moving from Virginia to New York City. She would catch the ear of her longtime manager with an open mike performance, eventually scoring a record deal with Chrysalis that would lead to an array of signature hits. It was during the production of her first album that she met guitarist Giraldo and began what would be a career-spanning professional and personal relationship.

The singer's platinum debut In the Heat of the Night became a massive hit on the strength of the single "Heartbreaker," an anthem that would establish Benatar's hard rock meets pop sound. Her follow-up album Crimes of Passion would become the biggest of her career, charting the singles  "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," "You Better Run" and "Treat Me Right." Benatar would become a staple of MTV with later hits like "Love Is a Battlefield," "We Belong" and "Invincible."

Benatar and Giraldo would explore other sounds over the years, releasing a collection of jump blues covers in 1991 while consistently touring every summer. The singer also released her memoir Between a Heart and a Rock Place in 2010. The band's current 35th anniversary tour promotes a new live 2-CD and DVD package with fellow '80s singer John Waite opening the show.

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

Tuesday, July 28, 7:30 p.m. $79-$279
Wente Vineyard

Wednesday, July 29, 7:30 p.m. $45-$95
The Mountain Winery 

Friday, July 31, 8 p.m. $45-$65
Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

Saturday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. $42-$86
Golden Gate Theater