Last modified: Sunday, August 31, 2008 3:00 AM EDT Benatar's strong vocals still intact in Twin River show BY STEPHEN PETERSON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF LINCOLN, R.I. - The most successful female hard rock singer of the 1980s, Pat Benatar can still belt out the tunes. Benatar and her guitarist/producer/co-songwriter husband Neil Giraldo, along with drummer Chris Ralles and bassist Mick Mahan, played Friday night at the Twin River Event Center as they wrap up a summer tour. Benatar's voice still packs power. Giraldo's guitar skills, unfortunately, have been overshadowed by his wife, though he does get more prominence on the billing of shows now. With an impressive 19 Top 40 pop/rock hits, Benatar, 55, kept mostly to those songs during the show. The sound was a bit distorted on 1982's beauty, "Shadows of the Night" - one of Benatar's most pulsating songs, but the sound was clear on most others. Benatar explained "Invincible," a Top 10 song from the 1985 film, "Legend of Billie Jean," is about "truth, courage, standing up for what you believe in." Giraldo and Mahan jammed together at the tail end. The pace slowed for the acoustic ballad, "Everytime I Fall Back." 'Best Shot' a pleaser Her husband played a piano intro for the melodic "We Belong," and no surprise, the chief crowd pleaser was Benatar's first Top 10 song, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" off 1984's Grammy winning "Crimes of Passion" that hit No. 2 on the charts and was Benatar's break-through album. Never mind a sing-along, the song ended up being a shout-along. The anti-child abuse anthem, "Hell is for Children," featured more exceptional guitar play from Giraldo. "Love is a Battlefield," a No. 5 song, ended the main set. For the encore, it was "River of Love," "Promises in the Dark," and the rocking "Heartbreaker" off Benatar's debut 1979 album, with Giraldo capping the show off with a mini guitar solo. Missing from the 13-song set were the hits "Treat Me Right," "You Better Run," "Fire and Ice" and Benatar's well-known cover of John Mellencamp's "I Need a Lover." Near 30th anniversary Next year, believe it or not, Benatar will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of her debut album. Trained as a classical and opera singer, the New York native had seen her career decline and took some time off before returning to the music scene in the late '90s. Benatar, who mixes soft and hard rock similar to Linda Ronstadt, was influenced by Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, and herself influenced Melissa Etheridge and others.