On Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Smoothie King Center, Stevie Nicks proved that 75 years of age has nothing on her. Dressed from head-to-toe in black, Nicks serenely floated onto the stage in a witchy, flowy skirt and blouse and announced: “Let’s get this funky, fabulous party started.”
Though she admitted several times during the show that “we’re old,” referring to her and her bandmates, her age never showed. She presented no sign of fatigue, allowing the music to overcome and move her throughout the show, at times air drumming, head banging and twirling. Her voice defied time; her songs sounded just as ethereal and rich as when they were first released.
The concert could better be described as a collection of songs and stories. Between each song, Nicks spent several minutes telling stories from the impromptu creation of the song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty to learning what taxes were when she finally started making enough money to have to pay them. One of her fondest memories is the way she would ground herself when her fame began to reach the level of international superstar: by dragging her mattress to the ground, draping it with pillows and antique throws, sitting in the middle and reminding herself “I am still Stevie.”
The nearly two-hour show spanned only 18 songs because of her storytelling, which seemed to take up just as much time as actual performance. Though her lengthy stories between each song did not allow for much momentum to build up, they provided something even more valuable: a glimpse of her personality, her reflection on her life and career and an insight into her worldviews. Nicks even spoke about her concern for the war in Ukraine, strongly encouraging American support towards the effort. She dedicated her performance of “Soldier’s Angel” to the soldiers and citizens of Ukraine, ending the tribute with a Ukrainian flag beaming fiercely on the screens surrounding her. She also revived a less well-known song, “New Orleans,” for the audience of “one of her favorite cities.”
Nicks sang her songs from her career as a solo artist and a member of Fleetwood Mac, as well as covers of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” a song that is known as a symbol of the political turmoil of the 1960s.
Nicks told the story of how even during her time in Fleetwood Mac, she envisioned her own band with two female singers besides herself. “And here they are,” Nicks announced, gesturing to the female singers to her left. Though she did not mention them by name, they are Sharon Celani, Nicks’ longtime friend, and Lori Nicks, her sister-in-law. Both women are her long-term backup singers and have been with her most of her career.
To conclude the night, Nicks had an encore lasting three songs: “Free Fallin,’” followed by Fleetwood Mac songs “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.” The band’s performance of “Landslide” was a perfect way to end the show. It gracefully acknowledged the passing of time; it was Nicks admitting that she is not the same woman she was at her peak in the 70s and an acceptance that she doesn’t need to be.
As the mellow guitar of her bandmates accompanied her, Nicks soulfully encapsulated her career and concert, singing:
“But time makes you bolder, even children get older and I’m getting older too.”
There are no words in the human language that can describe what it feels like to watch Vanessa Carlton perform her 2002 hit, “A Thousand Miles” live. And although that was one of the highlights of her set for me, she is much more than her twenty-year-old tracks. From her electric piano work to her magnetic vocals to her profound lyrics, Carlton captivated the crowd during her 30-minute-long set.
The Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter walked onto the stage and the first words out of her mouth were, “I’m here, pinch me” before going into her first song, “Carousel.” She prefaced each song with commentary that gave a glimpse into how each one came to fruition. It’s worth getting to the venue early for the warnings of red flags, the backstory of her nickname ‘Miss Vanilla’, and how MTV censored her in 2004 (and hearing some deep cuts because who doesn’t like to be put onto new music.)
Stevie Nicks
She and her band opened with “Outside the Rain,” from Nicks’s album Bella Donna before taking the crowd into one of Fleetwood Mac’s most iconic tracks, “Dreams.”
“I started [the tour] in New Orleans…almost two years ago. That was our first show of this entire tour. I thought it was gonna be like maybe a year, it’s still going,” Stevie Nicks afterword. Nicks performed at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. She was scheduled to return to the Big Easy in April 2023 but the show was postponed and then later canceled due to a COVID-19 infection among her touring group. Ten months later, Nicks made it back and it was worth the wait! The two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of Rolling Stones’ 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Stevie Nicks, graced the city on Wednesday night with an unforgettable show.
Dressed in all black, the 75-year-old singer-songwriter was joined on stage by a six-piece band and two singers. For over two hours, she performed a mix of her solo hits and songs from her time with Fleetwood Mac from “Rhiannon” to “Edge of Seventeen” to “Soldier’s Girl.” She even included a few covers including Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” and Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”
We took a trip down memory lane as Nicks shared stories about her life – from how she and Tom Petty’s collaboration, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” came to be to writing Fleetwood Mac’s hit “Gypsy” during a time in the 70s when she needed to find herself and stay grounded. The nostalgic storytelling gave fans a glimpse into how the musical legend created some of their favorite songs.
Throughout the night, she also had some quick outfit changes where she would throw on colorful shawls that were tied to the songs she was performing. For example, she wore the original royal blue ‘Bella Donna’ cape and a shimmering black and gold one that was tied to her song, “Stand Back.”
One of the highlights (and you had to be there moments) was when Nicks performed “New Orleans” in New Orleans. Another was Nicks not being afraid to use her platform to encourage attendees to call leaders in Washington and ask for money to be sent to Ukraine to help stop Putin’s mission. And the most heartfelt moment of them all was her dedication to the late Christine McVie during her performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Nicks was very open about her grieving process and how running to the stage has helped her through one of the greatest losses she’ll ever experience. It’s true what they say, music can heal and her fans have helped heal her soul.
If Stevie Nicks is ever in a city near you, don’t hesitate. Buy the ticket. It’s not every day you have the chance to witness greatness live – and even at 75 years, she hasn’t lost her touch!
Less than two years after dedicating 'Landslide' to Taylor Hawkins at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, she sang it for Christine McVie at the Smoothie King Center
Early in her songs-and-stories session at a full Smoothie King Center on Wednesday, Stevie Nicks gave herself and her bandmates a free pass: “If we make a mistake, we just go, ‘We’re old.’”
Superstars of the 1970s, now deep into their seventies, are bowing out. Elton John and KISS have concluded long farewell tours. The Eagles were recently in New Orleans as part of their Long Goodbye Tour.
At 75, Nicks hasn’t said anything about retiring. Nor should she. She is clearly comfortable in her own skin, comfortable being in charge, and comfortable with where she stands in life.
And as she demonstrated Wednesday, she is still committed to quality, to employing real humans to make real music in real time with real instruments, topped by a voice that still sounds real good.
Following the COVID lockdown, Nicks returned to the stage at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. She considered Wednesday’s gig part of the same tour, albeit a tour with an intermittent itinerary.
A set that spanned two hours and 15 minutes managed only 18 songs. Nicks prefaced most with a story as long as the song itself. That verbosity didn’t allow momentum to build across multiple songs strung together.
But it did give fans insight into her thought processes, personality and world view, plus behind-the-scenes glimpses of her life and career.
She recounted long and frequent visits with injured soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Sympathetic to the plight of soldiers, she strongly supports American aid for Ukrainian troops. Her song “Soldier’s Angel” concluded with a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag blazing on the LED screen above and behind her.
She recounted thinking she’d finished recording her 1981 “Bella Donna” album, only to be told by producer Jimmy Iovine that it lacked a proper single.
Not to worry, Iovine said: Tom Petty, whom Nicks idolized but had never met, had written a song that would be perfect for her. An overdressed Nicks showed up at Petty’s studio and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” was born.
Forty-three years later, she and her band cranked up a crackling version at the Smoothie King Center, with Nicks emphasizing the final “stop!”
She once thought “Fall From Grace” was “too mean-spirited” to perform. But her perspective shifted: “It’s not mean-spirited. It’s energy.” Sure enough, it was the most energetic and driving song up to that point in the show.
She thanked Stephen Stills for writing Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” in the 1960s “so I could sing it 3,000 years later.” It’s a fine song, but that time may have been better spent with a Fleetwood Mac cut.
In the early 1970s, she and then-paramour Lindsey Buckingham were dirt poor when Fleetwood Mac first hired them. Their $250 weekly checks seemed like a fortune, she said. When those checks increased to $1,000, Nicks considered herself truly rich. After her mother introduced her to the concept of taxes, she and Buckingham hired an accounting firm to handle their money.
Having money and success “is a big deal, but it’s not everything.” She then dedicated “Gypsy” to the “waitresses and waiters and cleaning ladies” who work as hard as she once did.
Even at the height of Fleetwood Mac’s success, Nicks envisioned a solo career with her own band. It would feature two “girl singers” standing up front with her, not in the background. And there they were on Wednesday.
As talkative as she was, Nicks never got around to introducing the bandmembers. That brawny band was led by guitarist Waddy Wachtel. A first-call session guitarist from the 1970s to the present, Wachtel has contributed to at least a couple hundred albums, plus countless live shows.
His extended guitar excursion settled into the chugging riff of “Edge of Seventeen.” Guitars also drove a strong “Stand Back.” As the drummer hammered a big finish on “Gold Dust Woman,” Nicks air-drummed, shook her curls and rocked out.
Just as she did at Jazz Fest, she revived “New Orleans,” a love letter to the city she penned after Hurricane Katrina. “If Anyone Falls” had a satisfying punch to it. She held out and massaged the final “know” in “Dreams.”
Since the 1990s, Nicks has relied on vocal coach Steve Real to keep her hearty contralto in tip-top shape. On this tour, he also joins her onstage to sing Don Henley’s part in “Leather and Lace.” Nicks and Real did the duet justice.
Underscoring just how close her connection was to Petty, a recording of his “Runnin’ Down a Dream” blasted from the P.A. to signal the start of the show. Nicks and the band opened the encore with Petty’s “Free Fallin” as a scrapbook of Petty pictures, including one from Jazz Fest, filled the screen.
A faithful take on the Fleetwood Mac classic “Rhiannon” followed by “Landslide” closed out the night. At the 2022 Jazz Fest, Nicks dedicated “Landslide” to her pal Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters drummer who had recently died.
This time around, she sang “Landslide” for Christine McVie, her longtime Fleetwood Mac bandmate and confidante. As photos of the late McVie faded in and out on the screen, Nicks, accompanied by Wachtel’s light touch on an acoustic guitar, navigated the lyrics’ unflinching acknowledgment of the passing of time.
She is well aware that she is no longer the wild young chanteuse she was in the 1970s. And well aware that she doesn’t need to be.
Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble. There’s no perfect way to encapsulate the essence of Stevie Nicks’ witchy vibe, which has garnered adoration for her beloved style. Nicks embarked on her musical journey with her first band, Buckingham Nicks, alongside her partner at the time, Lindsay Buckingham. When Fleetwood Mac found themselves in need of a lead guitarist and singer after the departure of their members, Buckingham and Nicks were invited to join, thus forming the iconic band we cherish today.
With nearly five decades of touring under her belt, Nicks has maintained an unwavering presence on stage. Despite her ventures into solo projects, she consistently delights crowds with nostalgic hits and covers. A notable aspect of Nicks’s career is the unwavering devotion of her fans, spanning across generations. This devotion was evident as fans of all ages gathered at UBS Arena to witness her captivating 17-song set, crafting lasting memories, particularly on this Valentine’s Day show.
The set started at 8:25 with an original song of hers “Outside the Rain.” Deviating from her usual setlist, Nicks surprised the audience with an early rendition of the Fleetwood Mac classic, “Dreams.” Accompanied by her long-standing band, comprised of two pianists, a drummer, two guitarists, and three backup singers, Nicks’ stage presence was amplified, enveloping the venue with her magnetic aura. After the song, which thousands of fans sang to, Nicks’ said “We are here, we are all you.” As she gracefully took her bow under a single spotlight, the crowd erupted in applause, setting the tone for the evening. The momentum carried on with her performance of “If Anyone Falls.”
Lesser known is the fact, Nicks who was lacking a single on her album Bella Donna was gifted (her next song) “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Tom Petty. Nicks expressed her admiration for Petty, reminiscing about their first encounter. Illustrating that she was “Dressed to the nines and Tom was a swampy kind of guy.” The backdrop visuals paid homage to contemporaries, such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty, in a mesmerizing display of colors and patterns, setting the scene for her subsequent performances, including “Fall From Grace.”
Taking a moment to engage with the audience, Nicks shared the backstory of her cover of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. To those who are unaware, the song though thought of as a protest song was about the “Bands” back in the day on “Sunset” referring to Los Angeles, being told they had to leave a bar and go home. When the musicians refused, the police were brought in. Though the song may not be the protest song everyone thinks it is, Nicks used this as a platform saying “The one thing in this country, we all have, is to vote.”
Continuing her set with hits “Gypsy,” “Wild Heart,” “Bella Donna,” and “Stand Back,” Nicks addressed political themes, particularly before her performance of “Soldier’s Angel,” amidst the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine. Nicks proclaimed “If I was not 75 and a girl, I would go over there and sign up.” The crowd had mixed reactions to this with one fan shouting out “Fuck Biden.” Following this she played “Gold Dust Woman.”
Expressing her gratitude, Nicks welcomed her vocal coach, Steve Real, to the stage for their duet of “Leather and Lace.” Nicks drew attention to the fact that she was the one who referred Harry Styles to Real stating “If you work with him you will never have a bad night.” Wrapping up the set with a crowd favorite, “Edge of Seventeen,” Nicks and her band briefly exited the stage before returning for an encore, treating fans to renditions of “Free Fallin’,” “Rhiannon,” and “Landslide,” famously covered by the Dixie Chicks.
On February 14, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks headlined the UBS Arena in Elmont on Long Island, which coincided with Valentine’s Day.
Nicks kicked off her set with “Outside the Rain,” where she was able to instantly lure her audience in from the opening verse.
‘Dreams’
It was followed by an expressive version of the Fleetwood Mac classic “Dreams” and the atmospheric “If Anyone Falls,” where she took her fans on a trip down memory lane to her sophomore solo album “The Wild Heart.”
“Welcome, New York,” Nicks exclaimed. “We almost didn’t get here on time. The traffic was so bad. We didn’t think we were going to make it.”
“We were a little bit late and we are really sorry, but anyway, we are here now, and we are all yours… for two hours, and then, we have to go. So, let’s get this New York party started,” she explained.
“Thank you,” she said following the warm reception of “If Anyone Falls. “This next song was a gift from Tom Petty when I was finishing up the Bella Donna in 1981.”
‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’
Nicks went on to share the story of how “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” became the single at the time, when she was working with producer Jimmy Iovine, and the sweet success story of working with Tom Petty, and how the duet single played a vital role in the success of the “Bella Donna” album.
“This song kicked off ‘Bella Donna’ right straight up to No. 3 on Billboard, and then, straight to No. 1, and all I can say is ‘thank you Tom’,” she revealed.
Her guitar player, Waddy Wachtel, took on the part of Tom Perry for an impressive duet of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” and they segued into the up-tempo and unapologetic “Fall From Grace,” which is a track featured in her “Trouble in Shangri-La” solo album.
‘Fall From Grace’
She noted that “Fall From Grace” came from a poem that was made into a song. “It is about an argument and I really loved it, and I loved singing it. Then, I pulled away from singing it because it was about an argument,” she explained.
“There wasn’t a lot of love going on in this song, but it’s okay,” she added about “Fall From Grace.”
Following her performance of “Fall From Grace,” she acknowledged that it is “exhausting to be angry.”
‘For What It’s Worth’ cover
Nicks was able to tip her hat to Buffalo Springfield with a noteworthy rendition of “For What It’s Worth.”
She described the songwriter, Stephen Stills, as one of her idols from the very beginning when she first started singing. “Stephen is somebody I’ve loved so much,” she said, prior to adding that it was a “dream come true” to record this tune.
With “For What It’s Worth,” she encouraged the younger generation to go out and vote, especially since she didn’t start voting until five years ago. “I’m 75, so I went my whole life without voting, because I was busy and in a famous band,” she said.
“My list of excuses went on and on. I didn’t think I would give it any thought at all. At about 70, I realized that I would be sorry someday when I’m 90 that I didn’t take advantage of the one thing in this country that we all have… and that’s the right to vote. So let’s just all vote ‘for what it’s worth’,” she elaborated.
‘Gypsy’
Nicks noted that the Fleetwood Mac tune “Gypsy” was one of her favorite songs that she ever wrote, and that she wrote it on guitar at the time. This hit single, for Nicks, is a reminder of her humble beginnings, and went on to share a lengthy story about the origin of the song.
“Before Lindsey [Buckingham] and I joined Fleetwood Mac, we were super poor. I was a cleaning lady… a very excellent cleaning lady,” she said. “I was, I have to admit the things that are true, but I wasn’t a very good waitress though I still made good money because I was fun to be around, and I liked food.”
She picked up the pace with the fan-favorite “Gypsy,” where everybody was singing along with her, and she got the audience up on their feet.
‘Wild Heart’
“This next song needs no introduction,” Nicks admitted, and immediately broke into “Wild Heart,” which was melodically stunning with an infectious beat to it.
Equally remarkable was “Bella Donna,” the title track of her breakthrough solo studio album, which she released in 1981. A neat moment was when they brought out the original “Bella Donna” cape for her to wear.
‘Stand Back’
A real treat was hearing “Stand Back” live, which is this journalist’s all-time favorite tune in her musical catalog. She also wore the original cape from the “Stand Back” video for this rousing live rendition.
It was followed by “Soldier’s Angel,” where she showcased a great deal of attitude.
Stevie Nicks dedicated ‘Soldier’s Angel’ to the women and kids in Ukraine. She acknowledged that “Soldier’s Angel” was one of the more “serious” songs of the evening, and she dedicated it to the Ukrainian women and children, as well as for herself because it makes her feel like she is doing something small to help them.
‘Gold Dust Woman’
After a stirring interpretation of “Gold Dust Woman,” she received a standing ovation and shared that she wrote that on guitar as well. The on-screen videoboards had a “gold” theme to them, and she was wearing a golden cape.
‘Leather and Lace’
For “Leather and Lace,” she sang praises for her vocal coach Steve Real, and subsequently invited him up on stage with her, for a memorable duet as he nailed Don Henley’s part.
‘Edge of Seventeen’
After Real and Nicks embraced, she closed her elaborate set on a spitfire note with the rocking “Edge of Seventeen,” where she had everyone on their feet once again. “That was so much fun for us,” she admitted.
“Thank you very much,” she told her audience about coming to see her and the band perform live at the UBS Arena. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she exclaimed.
Encore
For her encore, Nicks returned to the UBS Arena stage and graced the audience with a distinct cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” as well as the powerhouse tunes of the evening “Rhiannon” and “Landslide,” both of which were superb, earning huge standing ovations.
The Verdict
Overall, Stevie Nicks was delightful at the UBS Arena in New York. She was able to take her audience on a journey through time with her music, which spans nearly six decades.
She was a true storyteller, who shared her insights and behind-the-scenes of the songs that she performed tonight. It is evident that all of these songs are standards, and they will never go out of style.
The Long Island audience knew very well that they were in the presence of a true trailblazer and music visionary.
Nicks appeared comfortable on stage and her vocals were rich, lilting, and harking as ever. She interacted well with her audience and treated them as if they were her family.
Whoever has yet to see this rock and rock songstress live in concert is missing out.
Nicks was the first woman to get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on two different occasions: her first time as a band member of Fleetwood Mac and the second time as a solo artist, and rightfully so. Her live show at the UBS Arena earned an A rating.
Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" The band’s 21x platinum-certified 1977 album on a double-sided picture disc for the very first time! "Rumours" became Fleetwood Mac's most celebrated album and one of the best-selling albums of all time. Featuring the hit singles “Dreams,” “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” & “Don’t Stop.”
RELEASE DATE: 20 April 2024
LABEL: Rhino/Warner Records
FORMAT: 1LP, picture disc
QUANTITY: 18,000 (worldwide)
Look for it at your local or online Record Store on April 20th
For those who haven’t seen Stevie Nicks, the first thing you will take note of is her storytelling. The way she speaks between each song was a unique experience; one that isn’t as detailed, heartfelt, or even observed at other concerts. She has probably told these stories thousands of times, yet it felt like she was sharing a story with her best friends for the very first time on this evening in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It felt personal – much like the lyrics that make up the artist’s decade-spanning catalog.
Everything she touched upon was not without reason. She took three to five minutes each time to connect herself the setlist, herself with the audience, and herself with the musicians who helped make the songs we know and love today. For example, she told notable tales about Prince, her Fleetwood Mac family, and Tom Petty. As she eased her way into a beautiful performance of her hit with the latter rockstar, “Stop Dragging My Heart Around,” amazing visuals with old pictures of the pair and that moment in time swirled behind her and the band. It was mesmerizing.
The whole show sparkles, literally and figuratively, but the way she takes fans on a journey by awakening multiple senses proves that this tour is the one to go to. It is the definitive Stevie Nicks.
A cosmic, bohemian artist, Nicks’ wardrobe is almost as notable as the songs themselves. Her outfit changes were usually just into a new robe, but with two of them being the original robes from album covers, they held special meaning outside of the way they float around her frame. As Nicks would hop backstage to toss on another look, her band would break out into insane solos. These instrumentals kept the energy up, impressed us all, and became introductions to the songs she was about to come back out and play.
This night in AC was the kick-off of this leg of Nicks’ tour, and like everything she does, it was curated perfectly. There were groovy moments, nostalgic moments, and funny moments, too. Stevie Nicks is authentic and we felt the authenticity in the room, and by the time the gorgeously in-tune encore of “Free Falling,” Rhiannon,” and “Landslide,” came around, that authentic nature had seeped into all of us. Leaving this concert meant leaving with a new appreciation for the songs and the woman behind the songs, but ourselves, as well.
Stevie Nicks has that magic. She always has. And the flow of a Stevie Nicks show is one of peace, ease, and harmony. The way she jumps from story to story and dives into song after song is effortless. Being a performer of passion, whimsy, and honesty is second nature to the rockstar. She told the audience about rehearsing in Atlantic City the week prior to her performance, how she loved the view from her room and the way it reminded her of her home on the pacific. The “Edge of Seventeen” singer could single-handedly change the reputation of the Garden State’s gambling hub with how highly she spoke of AC, the ocean, and the high energy aggression that she only amplified by taking the Etess Arena stage.
Overall, Stevie Nicks’ performance was amazing. She is one of the most talented vocalists for her age, and the talented band behind her was just phenomenal as they played off each other, but with each other, too. The production of show was amazing – from the visuals to the light show to the order of the setlist. To reiterate, we highly recommend anyone to go see her on this tour, because it very much is the definitive Stevie Nicks.
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