What did we do to deserve Stevie Nicks?
by: KEATON BELL Red Dirt Report
NORMAN, Okla. – For over 40 years, the Fleetwood Mac front-woman has managed to charm her way into the lives of anyone with two ears and a heart. Past the tales of cocaine binges and rock and roll excess lies an artist responsible for some of the most enduring music of the 20th century. How else do you explain the fact that in the year 2016, Stevie Nicks feels just as relevant today as she did when she released Bella Donna back in 1981?
Nicks has essentially raised her own coven of gold dust women, with acts such as Charli XCX, Haim, and Taylor Swift all openly citing her as a large influence. When she recently appeared on American Horror Story: Coven, you were just as excited as your parents were at the image of the 68-year old Nicks still kicking it, top hat and all. And would Florence + The Machine, with their mystical imagery and love-lorn lyrics, even exist today if it weren’t for the guiding influence of the original White Witch?
What it all boil’s down to is Nicks’ downright lovability. While her contemporaries focused on experimental sounds and forced musical intellectualism, Nicks has always been an unabashed softie. Her music is from the heart, often shamelessly emotional, and always sincere. You’re not just spinning a record when you put on Stevie Nicks, you’re listening to a woman bare her soul and asking you to do the same in return. That confessional style of music is universal, whether you’re young or old, male or female, a hopeless romantic or an eternal pessimist.
These attributes and more were all on display Sunday night when Nicks took the stage at the American Airlines Center as a part of her 24 Karat Gold Tour. I may have been just one of 20,000 adoring fans packed into the arena, but the intimacy and spirit Nicks performed with made you feel like it was a one-on-one experience.
Review: Stevie Nicks, the Pretenders dust off 24-karat rock classics at Amalie Arena in Tampa
by Jay Cridlin Tampabay.com + Photos
Right after playing her first Fleetwood Mac song of the night, Dreams, Stevie Nicks couldn't help but pat herself on the back.
"That is the only No. 1 single that Fleetwood Mac had since 1975," the singer told a crowd of just under 10,000 at Tampa's Amalie Arena on Wednesday, "proving that it is not easy to have a hit single in 1975 -- or 2016. However, it's my single, and it hangs in my living room."
Own that gold, sister; this is your tour. After three spins through Amalie with Fleetwood Mac since 2009, Nicks, 68, finally had the big stage all to herself. And to celebrate, she threw a show aimed squarely at her superfans.
For lifelong Stevie diehards, her so-called 24 Karat Gold Tour was worth its weight in you-know-what, as she dug deep into her catalog to play songs that have missed the cut on previous solo tours. Nearly half her setlist was culled her first two albums, 1981’s Bella Donna and 1983’s The Wild Heart, including some rarely if ever played live.
Nicks shared stories, too. She talked about writing songs with Tom Petty and Don Henley, talked about the Twilight franchise inspiring the dramatic piano number Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream), and took the crowd back more than 40 years for the slow-rolling Buckingham Nicks rocker Crying In the Night. She even showed off her original cape from the artwork for Bella Donna, fanning it into the front row of fans.
Nicks twirled (a little slower than usual, but hey, aren't we all) through several Fleetwood Mac hits, too, like the tripadelic Gold Dust Woman and gypsy anthem Rihannon. (“That old witch, she just doesn’t go away. She wants to be in every single set that I do.”) And smash solo singles like Stand Back and Edge of Seventeen, with those huge, arena-filling choruses, had the crowd screaming along.
But what proved most enlightening were those deeper cuts, those country-tinged rumblers like Gold and Braid, Wild Heart and Enchanted, with its pianos and twangy guitars. Bella Donna’s hypnotic harmonies turned to something approaching gospel at the end. It was warm, rolling, glittering and harmonious, often all at once.
“It’s really something to be able to pretend we’re up in my room and I’m playing demos for you,” Nicks said. “It’s so much fun for me, so fulfilling for me.”
Setting the stage for Nicks’ big night was another classic rock heroine, Chrissie Hynde, and her band the Pretenders, playing their first Tampa Bay show in a decade. They made up for lost time delivering their big '80s hits: Back On The Chain Gang, Private Life, My City Was Gone, Brass In Pocket.
And while Hynde's low, aching warble brought tenderness to the sparse and lovely Hymn To Her and yearning ballad I'll Stand By You, most of the set packed surprising bite. Hynde, 65, is swimming in serious mojo these days, purring, sneering and striking angular poses while crunching out tracks from the new, Dan Auerbach-produced Alone, such as the steel-tough title track, punkish Gotta Wait and snappy Holy Commotion. Older tracks like the spunky Message of Love and driving Middle of the Road sizzled with itchy angst.
Hynde also delivered the night’s only big political moment. Several bars into Don't Get Me Wrong, she stopped the song to talk, somewhat obliquely, about Donald Trump.
"I shouldn't do this," she said to some fans down front, adding that she doesn't usually get political. "But I have three words for you tonight: Ku Klux Klan. What do you think about that?"
As with Amy Schumer last month, Amalie Arena reacted with a mix of cheers and boos.
"Oh, Tampa, you are a funny one," Hynde sighed with a laugh. After handing the mic to a fan who briefly blurted something about Trump, she added: "See, for me, that's fun. F--- it. I'm here to have a good time."
Hynde came back during Nicks' set to take over Tom Petty's vocals on Stop Draggin' My Heart Around. The two women sang to each other like the best of pals as the swampy 1981 single chugged along.
"I made it to the top!" Hynde said, beaming.
When you get there, you can pretty much do whatever you want. That's how Nicks is rolling on this tour. For both her and her fans, it's working out just fine.
Stevie Nicks, Pretenders go deep in AAC show
By Robert Philpot dfw.com + Photo Gallery (15 Photos)
DALLAS Stevie Nicks announced early during her concert Sunday at the American Airlines Center that she would be shaking things up a bit, not playing the kind of set list her fans had been used to hearing for decades. Then she and her band quickly played her 1983 hit If Anyone Falls, a reassuring sign that although she’d be playing some unfamiliar material, the show wouldn’t be all obscurities.
And it wasn’t But it was weighted heavily toward deep cuts and non-hits, including a song that dated back to 1973 and her Buckingham-Nicks days, and others that for one reason or another never made it on to an album — at least till the 2014 release of 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault found a home for songs such as Starshine (which Nicks said she wrote while hanging out with Tom Petty) and Belle Fleur.
This is a risky strategy for a classic-rock artist, even if there’s advance publicity about it. On a “school night,” fans often want to hear the hits, but Nicks’ fan base is so passionate that the less-familiar songs were well-received, and in some cases — the title cut from The Wild Heart segueing into the title cut from Bella Donna — stirred a rapturous reaction.
But about a third of the show was hits, from Nicks’ solo career and from Fleetwood Mac, with some excellent twists and turns — bringing out Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders, who opened the show, to do the Tom Petty parts on Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around; extending Gold Dust Woman with Nicks going into a possessed-looking dance (while the big-screen image of her appeared to be turning into melting gold) that ended with her hair covering her face; singing Leather & Lace with background singers Sharon Celani and Marilyn Martin doing the Don Henley parts; the expected but still climactic intensity of Rhiannon, a song Nicks somehow manages it invest her entire self (and possibly more) in every time she performs it.
There was warmth and humor in Nicks’ show, during which she told the stories behind several songs (including how she wrote Leather & Lace for Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, then asked for it back when they split up, and how Prince’s Little Red Corvette helped inspire her hit Stand Back, which he played on). For all the intensity of her singing, the chattier portions of her show were laid-back and personal, including the long introduction of her band (longtime guitarist/musical director Waddy Wachtel, rhythm guitarist Carlos Rios, pianist Darrell Smith — who performed a lovely intro to Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream) — organist Ricky Peterson, bassist Al Ortiz, drummer Scott Crago and the background singers), all of whom she treated like old friends.
Speaking of old friends, the Pretenders blasted through a tight first act, with Hynde in a great mood, greater voice and appealing loose form. She came onstage wearing a cowboy hat and, a few songs in, doffed her jacket to reveal a sleeveless “Everything is Bigger in Texas” T-shirt. The band leaned hard on some of its earliest stuff — Mystery Achievement, Talk of the Town, Message of Love, the Kinks cover Stop Your Sobbing — but not at the expense of later songs like Back on the Chain Gang, Don’t Get Me Wrong and I’ll Stand By You.
And the band was on fire — starting off great and really getting locked in about midset, especially showy guitarist James Walbourne and Martin Chambers, the band’s longtime, sledgehammer-force drummer, with bassist Nick Wilkinson and pedal-steel player Eric Heywood making more subtle contributions.
Back in 1984, Hynde wrote the lines, “I’m not the kind I used to be/I got a kid, I’m 33, baby.” That was more than 30 years ago, but she seemed like she was 33 again Sunday night. She also wrote Time the Avenger, which she didn’t perform Sunday night, but she sure let us know that she’s not read for time to get her just yet.
Stevie Nicks casts a spell over Houston
By Joey Guerra Chron.com + Photo Gallery (30 photos)
Photo: Dave Rossman
It was a night of 1,000 Stevies both on and offstage.
The Fleetwood Mac singer's Saturday show at Toyota Center -- on Halloween weekend, no less -- inspired several fans to don shawls and scarves, floppy and top hats, lace and long, flowy robes.
Others honored the festivities in costumes and makeup. (A Joker here, a sexy cat there.)
Nicks' current 24 Karat Gold Tour is also showcasing a different side of the iconic singer. It included several songs she's rarely performed onstage. This was her third show of the tour, and her voice strengthened as it progressed.
She told the crowd she visited Houston to pick up Lily, a "tiny pink dog," in July. Much of the show was framed like a "Storytellers" TV special.
"Wild Heart," never before performed onstage, could be a hit for a country singer. The Edgar Allen Poe-inspired "Annabel Lee" boasted a rousing, rising chorus. "New Orleans" was originally a poem inspired by Hurricane Katrina. "Starshine" was originally a demo recorded in Tom Petty's basement.
Nicks performed "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)" in a long, white coat. It was no mistake that it played like some sort of gothic drama.
"That was for Bella and Edward, who live in my heart, and the stories of 'Twilight,'" she said.
There were, of course, ample moments of classic Nicks. She swirled her scarves and shook her tambourine. And the crowd roared when she took a few signature spins during "Stand Back."
Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, who opened the show, returned for a spirited "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." Deep cut "Outside the Rain" effectively segued into "Dreams."
The final quartet of songs were for maximum fan appeal: a still-searing "Gold Dust Woman;" "Edge of Seventeen," featuring images of Prince flashing on the screens; a swirling "Rhiannon" and "Leather and Lace."
Women danced. Men sang along. And Nicks, in all her witchy allure, proved she still reigns supreme.
Live on Periscope:
Control Illusion shared approx. 90 minutes of the show last night. Check that out HERE.
MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND FEATURING RICK VITO – LIVE AT THE BELLY UP
LIMITED TIME - $9.99 SALE PRICE
Mick Fleetwood, the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, is celebrating his blues heritage with The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, featuring Rick Vito. As well as their own material, the band pays tribute to the original Fleetwood Mac, the blues band that started it all in 1967. Bringing together four stellar Blues and Rock musicians, Mick Fleetwood presents Live at The Belly Up, a 2-hour live album featuring 17 tracks.
At the front of the group is Rick Vito, veteran Bluesman and former Fleetwood Mac vocalist and lead guitarist. Rick adds his personal touch while staying true to the styling of early Fleetwood Mac front man Peter Green. “A lot of guys can play the licks but Rick has the tone and that’s so important in real blues,” says Mick Fleetwood. With Fleetwood anchoring the band on percussion, the “other half” of the rhythm section is Lenny Castellanos on bass. As Mick points out, “I’ve played with John McVie for 40 years, any bassist who plays with me has big shoes to fill.” Lenny does a great job filling those shoes while complimenting Mick’s unique and revered drum style. Mark Johnstone ties everything together on the keys and backup vocals, infusing a vibrant energy to the group.
Live at The Belly Up, features 17 tracks and over two hours of music including
24 Karats of Gold Dust sparkled all over the Pepsi Center last night in an ode to the queen of Rock and Roll, Stevie Nicks. Nicks’ recent release of new recordings of old demos, or 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault, sparked a hefty tour, landing her in the Mile High along with rockers the Pretenders.
The show began promptly with the Pretenders, a solid act in their own right, front-woman Chrissie Hynde especially. Hynde sparked up the show, exposing her seasoned rocker ways while playing her rock jams like “Brass In Pocket” and slaying the hell out of the harmonica. After a little over an hour, the group waved good night and Martin Chambers, the band’s drummer, donated his shirt to the crowd. Even after all of these years, the Pretenders have kept their eccentric stage persona.
Just before nine o’clock, a figure draped in dark clothing and blonde curls pouring down the front of it could be seen walking onto the enormous stage. The microphone stand was decorated with a long, sparkling scarf. Next to the stand was a tambourine, also dressed in a long dazzling cloth. Nicks belted “All These Years” to open her set, with her full band joining on with keys, drums, piano, bass, guitar and backup vocals. With her latest release being the re-visitation to many unreleased tracks from her many decades-long career in writing music, Nicks explained to the eager crowd that this tour and this performance is not “the same Stevie Nicks that you are used to.”
“If Anyone Falls in Love,” and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (which brought back out Chrissie Hynde, this time decked out in a Broncos jersey) were more than enough to raise the entire Pepsi Center to their feet to celebrate through dancing. The old hits are always wonderful, however, this tour being in support of a release of forgotten tunes, you could guess she played a good amount of songs that had never been memorized, and in some cases, even heard. “Belle Fleur,” like many others of the set-list, inspired a lengthy background story from Nicks, explaining the origin and why it never made it to record. The added anecdote to each track as she went down the reasons and happenstances that can occur in the industry accrued a sense of intimacy between the crowd and the artist – it felt as though she was sharing her personal journals with us.
“Dreams,” of course, earned an excessive (yet necessary) mass phone recordings and perhaps the first real sing-a-long of the night. “My Belladonna,” “Annabel Lee” and “New Orleans” grooved the second half of the icon’s set, and with each passing track, Nicks explained more and more of the backstories of how things came to be for her.
The many whimsical outfits, obviously inspired by Nicks’ style, twirled to the music that the band rocked out, some new some old and some unreleased. After announcing her band, Nicks dropped the inevitable bomb on her audience with a banging “Edge of Seventeen.” All the way from the familiar rift at the beginning to the last of the hit, everyone in attendance sang along and were dancing out of their seats. Nicks thanked those whole-heartedly as she left the stage, mentioning that she used to live in Denver.
After a brief moment, the artist returned to play “Rhiannon” and “Leather and Lace.” Two imperative songs for the evening rocked the rowdy crowd to an ease, ensuring at least most of the needs of her fans had been met. As Nicks embarks on this large tour ahead of her, she has left a piece of herself in Denver, one that she will hopefully return for again and again for the rest of her never-ending-vampire-blood-fueled existence.
Stevie Nicks and The Pretenders Rocked Tough and Tender at the Pepsi Center Last Night
by Tom Murphy
Westword.com
Tonight it was easy to forget that Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and Stevie Nicks are both senior citizens and that their greatest impact on popular culture happened in the first half of the 1980s when both ruled the airwaves. Go ahead, try to tell them that. Because last night, both stars rocked like the old days.
Sure, Nicks was then a member of one of the most popular rock bands of the era as a singer and songwriter in Fleetwood Mac but she also established herself as a solo artist of note beginning with her striking 1981 solo album Bella Donna. The Pretenders seemed to come from out of nowhere and were not really post-punk or New Wave despite Hynde's roots in England's punk world and the timing of the first Pretenders record, issued in 1980. Historical coincidences aside, Hynde and Nicks simply played the show like they were having fun with the music and rediscovering a newfound passion for the material.
What became obvious immediately during both sets is how Hynde and Nicks, both rightfully acknowledged for their powerful and arresting vocals, have unconventional and distinctive voices. Both are capable of a broad range of emotional expression and tonal range. Both have grit, and Hynde somehow manages to be tough and tender, while Nicks makes a virtue out of really selling the vocal lines with a forcefulness like she's amplifying and projecting her direct emotional experience. Both styles create a riveting tension and versatility of expression that is at the root of what makes their music so compelling.
It’s rare that someone takes the stage and you can actually feel the energy of the room shift, but Stevie Nicks had that force inside the Pepsi Center Thursday night.
The Phoenix-born rock goddess started her career more than 40 years ago, yet her passion for music was more commanding than ever. Nicks opened with “Gold and Braid,” a song originally intended for her “Bella Donna” album that never made the cut. The lively jam allowed Nicks to shimmy her shoulders and open up her infamous sandy vocals. Opening with the not-so-well-known song prepared her fans for a set-list of rarely-played treasures. But the whole night wasn’t just treasures. Those jonesing for the classic Nicks hits got exactly what they went for.
The Pepsi Center show was just the second night of her 24 Karat Gold Tour — the first in her hometown of Phoenix — so kinks were to be expected, but Stevie Nicks didn’t miss a beat. She jetted into “If Anyone Falls” and then with a couple twangs of the guitar, she brought the entire crowd to its feet with “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Standing in for the original duet’s Tom Petty was Chrissie Hynde, whose band The Pretenders opened the show. Their raspy vocals were perfectly in sync proving, as Nicks has been doing for years, that she doesn’t need a man to do anything.
Nicks’ lyrics are not only empowering, but her powerful delivery is what creates a space of vulnerability and connection for her fans. Her latest tour embraces women and highlights Nicks’ mastery of her craft. Her live version of “Bella Fleur” gave fans a taste of her vocal range and proved she still has the vocal chops we fell in love with in the ’70s. But there’s nothing quite like when she performed Fleetwood Mac songs.
When Nicks moved into “Dreams,” it was pure magic. Although there were no famous Stevie Nicks twirls on stage during the song (only one the entire night), when she grasped the microphone and sang “When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know” it reminded fans that no matter what mistakes we make tonight, tomorrow is a brand new day.
Nicks moved through her set quickly, only breaking a couple times to tell stories. She thanked the crowd and shared her tie to Colorado with family from Cripple Creek, and that she has an insane Aunt Gertrude (who we now want to meet.) She continued on to “Wild Heart” and “Starshine” — both of which share a raw pain that fans can dance to. While Nicks has always specialized painful ballads, the hard pang of guitar and steady, solid beat of drums made it impossible to wallow for too long, giving fans that crucial space to explore pain.
She strategically saved the best of her magic for the end of the night. Proclaiming that there were spirits in the Pepsi Center, she donned a golden scarf on her shoulders and performed “Gold Dust Woman” and “Edge of Seventeen.” And with a brief break she came back onto stage in all black and went into her encore.
“Rhiannon.”
She closed the night with “Leather and Lace” from Bella Donna; the original duet was performed with Don Henley, but Nicks again, carried it just fine without him.
Far after the lights went up and daydreams were twirling through the chilly Denver streets, Nicks’ fans were left with the feeling they were stronger than they know if they just open up to it. It’s okay to not know what’s next, just be the best you while you figure it out.
Setlist intact from the first night, which is cool!
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