(Review) Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks are naturals for a double bill

Stewart, Nicks in Nostalgia Showcase
By THOMAS KINTNER, Special to The Courant
The Hartford Courant

Photo by: Khoi Ton

With decades-old heydays and sandpaper vocal signatures in common, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks are naturals for a double bill. In practice Sunday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, the pairing was a nostalgia showcase, spun by each artist in a notably different way.

Headliner Stewart fostered a party atmosphere with a strong whiff of camp around its edges, reveling in the role of '60s-style lounge denizen as he paraded forth in a shiny orange dinner jacket, shiny black shoes and spiky peroxide-altered hair. He has extended his recording career with middle-of-the-road soul interpretations of familiar favorites and the American Songbook, and kicked off his show with a lively push through someone else's hit, grappling gamely with the chugging "Love Train."

Nicks featured recent material alongside stalwart hits, with the throbbing "Secret Love" and powerful "If Anyone Falls." Her singing retains its singular nasal quality, but has little flex or finesse leaving its high end sharp but not particularly expressive in the Fleetwood Mac hit "Dreams."

Full Hartford Courant Review

(Review) Rod Stewart | Stevie Nicks at Mohegan Sun Uncasville, CT

 

Rod Stewart outshines Stevie Nicks with potent performance at Mohegan Sun
By Kevin O'Hare, The Republican
Masslive.com

UNCASVILLE, CONN. – There have been some intriguing pairings of stars to try and light up box offices during the economic downturn, and you can add the double bill of Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks to the list.

The two veteran singers brought their “Heart & Soul” tour to a full house at the Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday for a nostalgia-filled night courtesy of two of the most distinctive vocalists of their era.

Both in their 60s, the pair focused on familiar, crowd friendly-fare during their individual sets and surprisingly did only a couple of songs together during the entire show.

However, one thing was certain when all was said and done: Stewart was the headliner and it’s a good thing that he was. His electrifying stage presence and high-energy performance made Nicks’ hour-and-20-minute opening set seem pretty pale in comparison.

The Fleetwood Mac songstress fronted a seven-piece band and was accompanied by two female backing singers as she moved through songs such as “Dreams,” “If Anyone Falls,” and the harder edge of “Gold Dust Woman,” while the pulsating “Secret Love,” a new song from her forthcoming album “In Your Dreams” was well received by the crowd.

The mystical enchanter from the 1970s and ‘80s surfaced occasionally as Nicks drew shrieks from the audience when she started spinning with her shawl wrapped around her in “Stand Back,” while classics like “Rhiannon,” and the touching take of “Landslide” (the latter complete with a video backdrop showing plenty of images of the singer with her father) brought the set to an emotional peak.

Unfortunately, “Edge of Seventeen” was long and rather anticlimactic while the encore ballad “Love Is,” was positively deflating.

Full Review HERE at Masslive.com

(Photo Review) Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks Heart & Soul Tour at Mohegan Sun

Photo by: Khoi Ton/ NorwichBulletin.com

Sunday, March 27, 2011 - Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks perform  during their Heart & Soul Tour in the Mohegan Sun Arena

Link to Photo Gallery at the Norwich Bulletin

(Review) Forever Young, Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks Rock MSG - NYPOST.com

By DAN AQUILANTE
New York Post

Spare the Rod and spoil the show?

Not on a Saturday night at the first of two Rod Stewart performances, where the rock icon was generous with a greatest-hits set featuring the songs that have helped him sell out Madison Square Garden a whopping 42 times.

Add to that concert-craft tricks for show momentum like inviting opening act Stevie Nicks (who looks great and has a new record dropping May 3) to join him for a mini duet set.

Read The Full Review Here

(Review) A Towering Dave Stewart Stands Over Stevie Nicks in Tampa

Photo by Tracy May

Concert review: Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks take us back to the 1970’s at the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa (with photos)

Creative Loafing
by Gabe Echazabal

In the recent tradition of impressive package tours that have been making their way around the globe, a double-billing with plenty of star power — the Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks “Heart & Soul” tour — kicked off at the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa on Wednesday night and gave all those in attendance more than their money’s worth. [All photos by Tracy May.]

In every right a headliner herself, Stevie Nicks, former frontwoman of the mega-successful Fleetwood Mac, took the stage first. Clad in all black, Nicks seemed joyous and eager to perform. It’s been a while since Stevie has concentrated on her very successful solo career; she’s spent more time focusing on Mac-related reunion projects and recordings. But Wednesday night it was all about Stevie doing what she does best as part of a supergroup or alone — captivating a rapt audience with her charm and positive aura.

Continue to the Full Review - and Photo Gallery

Chart Round-Up: Fleetwood Mac | Stevie Nicks

IRELAND: Top 100 Albums Chart - Week ending 24th March, 2011 

• On Ireland's Top 100 Albums Chart Fleetwood Mac's 1988 "Greatest Hits" compilation drops to # 54 from # 30 last week notching up its 77th non-consecutive week on the Top 100.           

UK: Top itunes Chart - Today

• Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" is # 88 on itunes Top 100 Albums Chart today in the UK. and also # 6 on the Top Rock Albums Chart.

• "The Chain" is # 5 today on the Top Rock Songs chart in the UK.

NETHERLANDS: Top 50 Back Catalogue Chart - Week Ending 26th March, 2011

• "Rumours" moves up the chart to # 17 from # 35 last week on the Top 50 back catalogue chart.         

NEW ZEALAND: itunes

• The Dixie Chicks are # 9 today on the Top Country Songs on the itunes chart with "Landslide".

AUSTRALIA: Top 50 Catalogue Albums Chart - Week of 28th, March, 2011

• Fleetwood Mac drops to # 2 on Australia's Top 50 Catalogue Chart with "The Very Best Of".  Total weeks on this chart - 53.  

• Fleetwood Mac's 12x Platinum "Rumours" moves up three positions to # 21 from # 24 in it's 4th week back in the Top 50.  Total weeks spent on this chart non-consecutively is 19.

• Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" today is # 92 on itunes Top 100 Albums Chart.

• Glee: The Music Volume 5 drops to # 2 after entering at # 1 last week on the Top 50 Album Chart. Also # 2 on the Top 50 Digital Album Chart and # 2 on the Top 50 Physical Album Chart. (contains their version of "Landslide").

• The Dixie Chicks have the # 2 country track today on itunes in Australia with "Landslide".

USA: Hot 100 (Billboard) - March 26, 2011

• Glee's version of Landslide after debuting at # 23 on the Hot 100 drops to # 70 in it's second week on the chart.  On the Hot Digital Songs Chart it debuted at # 12 last week, and is currently # 51.  The Dixie Chick version drops to # 50 on the Country Digital Songs chart after re-entering at # 21 last week.

• Glee Cast, Glee, The Music, Season Two, Volume 5, 43,000. The album dips from #3 to #4 in its second week (contains Stevie's composition "Landslide").

STEVIE NICKS "Secret Love" on the Billboard Charts:

#25 on the AC Charts Billboard Issue Date April 2nd