April 24th, 2025 – Prudential Hall in Newark, NJ was buzzing with excitement as Melissa Etheridge kicked off her Spring Tour 2025. From the first note, Etheridge immediately captivated the packed house, who leapt to their feet and sang along with as much energy as she poured into every song. It was a fitting launch for what was to come.
She blew Prudential Hall’s roof off its rafters with the growl and power of a gritty diesel locomotive. Etheridge is a vocal powerhouse who gave an absolutely electric performance throughout the entire evening, never losing audience engagement for a second.
Photos & Review by Steve Cerf @stevecerf
She poured every ounce of passion and heart into every song. She rocks with so much passion; her songs are fired with so much emotion that you feel as though she reached into your soul.
Melissa Etheridge is one of rock’s greatest female icons, with two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, multiple GLAAD Media Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Despite her extraordinary journey and achievements, Etheridge remains a dedicated artist, eager to share her music and her story with the world.
Melissa is quite the storyteller, sharing great memories of the ’80s throughout the night. She has this innate ability to draw in the crowd through her lyrical and narrative storytelling. One of the things about Etheridge is that she is genuine and true to herself.
When Etheridge wraps around a tune like “Somebody Bring Me Some Water,” her desire becomes a shared passion, a bullseye on the old heartstrings.
Hits like “Come to My Window,” “I Want to Come Over,” and “I’m the Only One” kept the crowd on their feet, hands and cellphones raised high into the brilliant stage lights. Her explosive and iconic lyrics surged through the room.
While her songwriting and singing talents are broadly and rightly recognized, Etheridge is a skillful guitarist as well. She certainly proved it, changing guitars throughout her gripping storytelling.
Etheridge is one of those rare performers defined and electrified by the music coursing through her veins — and one of her greatest gifts is that she can convert that passion into a pure connection with the crowd.
Melissa Etheridge’s concert at Prudential Hall was more than just a performance — it was a night of passion, fire, and timeless rock and roll magic.
