(Chicago Review) Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks Live!

Even if Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks don’t seem like the most obvious tourmates, their careers actually share several parallels. For starters, each found fame with an influential group, with Stewart fronting British rockers Faces from 1969 to 1975 and Nicks co-leading Fleetwood Mac since ‘75. From there, each rocketed to international stardom, reinventing themselves to mirror the changing musical landscapes throughout the ’80s and ’90s, though, coincidentally, neither has released an original studio album since 2001 (though that’s all about to change in the case of Nicks, who drops In Your Dreams on May 3rd).

At 62, Nicks still sings like a woman half her age and commands plenty of cheers as she twirls with her laced-garnished shawl at full speed. Such was the case during the throbbing opener “Stand Back,” which earned a recent resurgence as a remix on the dance charts and kicked off the affair oozing with ominous attitude. Solo favorites like “If Anyone Falls” and “Sorcerer” were juxtaposed with the enchanting new cut “Secret Love” and four Fleetwood warhorses. Even if “Dreams,” “Gold Dust Woman” and “Rhiannon” missed the group’s unmistakable harmonies, “Landslide” benefited from a surprise appearance by a shimmering Sheryl Crow, a longtime protégé of Nicks’ in town to join her for an “Oprah Winfrey Show” taping.

“Edge Of Seventeen” turned the tides back to Nicks’ solo career and, aside from an indulgent and excessively long guitar-charged introduction, it’s a bona-fide classic that hasn’t sounded this hot since Destiny’s Child sampled it a decade ago. Comparatively speaking, the sentimental, barebones finale “Love Is” was underwhelming, but it once again showcased her status as one of rock’s most distinctive voices.

Full Review at Illinois Entertainer

– Andy Argyrakis