Reviews Stevie Nicks with The Pretenders Live in Detroit Nov 27, 2016

Stevie Nicks and the Pretenders rock fans for three hours at The Palace
By Edward Pevos
Mlive.com - includes Photos

 Photos by Tanya Moutzalias - View Gallery

AUBURN HILLS, MI - They have two of the most distinctive voices in music history, Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde. Question is: How do they sound today?

The music icons were in concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Nicks' "24 Karat Gold Tour" on Sunday, November 27, 2016.

The Pretenders:

Chrissie Hynde put a little more umph when singing the "Brass in Pocket" line: "been driving Detroit leaning." She and the Pretenders are fresh off the release of their 10th studio album, "Alone," in 2016.

Hynde and the band performed some new stuff, some old stuff and the band's biggest hits including "I'll Stand By You," "Back On The Chain Gang", "Don't Get Me Wrong," and the aforementioned "Brass in Pocket."

To put it short and sweet, Hynde performed nearly every lyric and every note of each song the way it was meant to be performed. The 65 year old's voice is as powerful and flawless as ever. Hearing her live, along with a solid band was a real treat before the main course.

Stevie Nicks:

That main course was the living legend herself, Stevie Nicks. When you see her without her Fleetwood Mac band mates, you are treated to not only some of her big Mac hits, but many of her solo classics and duets.

No, that wasn't Tom Petty singing with Nicks on their classic "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." Nicks brought out the Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde for a fun rendition of the 1981 hit which originally featured Petty.

Nicks nearly 20 song setlist also included a few songs from her newest and 8th studio album, 2014's "24 Karat Gold." The album is actually filled with new versions of demos that Nicks recorded from 1969 to 1987 with a couple from the 90s. Each song has a story, and Nicks made sure to take a minute to tell the crowd about how her songs came to life.

In her two hour set, Nicks mixed in three Fleetwood Mac hits with "Gypsy," "Gold Dust Woman" and "Rhiannon." Her solo hits included "Stand Back" and "Edge of Seventeen." She also threw in some deeper tracks with "If Anyone Falls," "Wild Heart," "Bella Donna" and "Enchanted."

The 68 year old Nicks still has that amazing voice which is both hypnotizing and mesmerizing. I think fans would have liked to have heard a couple more Fleetwood Mac songs, and I'm not sure what happened to "Leather and Lace," the show closer for most of the tour so far, but if you get a chance to see Nicks in concert, it's well worth your time and money. You never know how many times she'll be back again, with or without Mac.

Review: Stevie Nicks spreads 24 karat gold dust at The Palace
By Gary Graff
The Oakland Press

AUBURN HILLS -- At the start of her concert Sunday night, Nov. 27, Stevie Nicks told the crowd at The Place that, “This show is not what you are going to think it will be.”

In other words, it was time for something other than a pro forma parade of hits -- which Nicks certainly has the catalog to do -- over its two hours and 17 songs.

Those hits were there, of course, from a pounding “Stop Draggin’ My Heart” around with Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, who opened the show, guesting to Fleetwood Mac favorites such as “Gypsy,” “Gold Dust Woman” and “Rihannon” and Nicks solo successes like “Stand Back” and “Edge Of Seventeen.” But the show -- ostensibly promoting Nicks’ 2014 rarities album “24 Karat Gold: Songs From The Vault” -- was also designed as a dive into what she called “the gothic trunk of magical, mysterious things, something different for me after all these years.” And that troll unearthed some of the night’s best moments.

Nicks and her eight-member band started the night digging deep, in fact, with the country-flavored “Gold And Braid” from her 1988 box set “The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks” and a slightly twanged-up arrangement of “If Anyone Falls” from her 1983 sophomore solo album, “Wild Heart.” Nicks was in robust if not always accurate voice -- shuffling around the stage in formidable high heels and sporting eight different shawls during the course of the show plus, for one song, a full-length white fur coat -- as she pulled out “24 Karat Gold” rockers such as “Belle Fleur” and “Starshine” (a collaboration with Tom Petty that sat in the vaults for two decades) and the moody epic “Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream).”

She neatly pared the title tracks of her first two albums, “Bella Donna” and “Wild Heart,” draped in the original shawl she wore on the album cover for the former, while a muscular performance of the 1973 Buckingham Nicks track “Crying In The Night” added a bit of pre-Fleetwood Mac fame perspective to the show.

Nicks had plenty of stories to tell as well, some specifically about the songs, others about the circumstances surrounding them. She spoke about the struggle, especially during the early 80s, of balancing her solo work with Fleetwood Mac -- “They’re not understanding. Very nice people, but not very understanding,” Nicks noted -- and she paid tribute to Prince with video screen images during “Stand Back” and “Edge Of Seventeen.” “Prince and I were friends,” Nicks acknowledged. “There’s a story. I’m not ready to tell it yet. It was a long, crazy friendship, a lot of phone calls, a lot of philosophy...”

Nicks’ show accented the songs with plenty of eye candy, too, including animations, prepared videos and vintage photos on the rear-stage LED screen, while orb-shaped chandeliers and light bulbs floated overhead in shifting formations. The effect may have indeed been a different kind of show for Nicks, but also proof that different can be good.

The Pretenders’ generous, hour-long opening set, meanwhile, was its own revelation. With Hynde’s punky swagger still evident -- and her voice as potent now as it was when the group emerged during the late 70s -- the quintet touched on its new album, “Alone” and Hynde’s 2014 solo album “Stockholm,” but mostly tore through 80s touchstones such as “Message Of Love,” “Back On The chain Gang,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” My City Was Gone,” “Mystery Achievement” and a ferocious “Middle Of The Road.” Hynde and company, including original drummer Martin Chambers, effectively dialed it down for torchy, soulful performances of “Hymn To her” and “I’ll Stand By You,” and by the time it wrapped with “Brass In Pocket” the group had done considerably more than just warm the Palace crowd up for Nicks.

Review Stevie Nicks Live at Mohegan Sun Casino Nov 25, 2016

Stevie Nicks, Pretenders thrill Mohegan Sun Casino crowd (review)
By Chris Dondoros
Masslive.com

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – More than four decades into her musical career, Stevie Nicks has a lot of stories to tell.

Fleetwood Mac's most recognizable voice stopped by the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night, treating concert-goers to a career-spanning set – and career-spanning anecdotes – as part of the "24 Karat Gold" tour.

Known as the "Reigning Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" to fans, Nicks lived up to that title early on in her set, with a humble demeanor juxtaposed against a voice that – despite decades of touring – sounded nearly identical to recorded versions of songs such as openers "Gold and Braid" and "If Anyone Falls."

Nicks also wasn't afraid to hit some of Fleetwood Mac's most memorable tunes early on in her 19-song set, including a memorable performance of "Gypsy," complete with Lindsey Buckingham's memorable guitar melodies performed courtesy of longtime guitarist "Waddy Wachtel," who Nicks said she has known since 1971 and whose discography as a session guitarist spans from James Taylor to Iggy Pop.

Unfortunately, however, fans hoping for a performance of "The Chain" or by-the-book "greatest hits" concert would be disappointed.

Instead, Nicks and her backing band took a fresh look at "deep cuts" from her first two solo efforts – 1981's, "Bella Donna" and 1983's "Wild Heart" for much of her set, alongside tracks off Nicks' 2014 effort, "24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault," which were accompanied with stories from Nicks about how each song was written and subsequently "lost" over the years.

Notably, according to Nicks, "Starshine" started off as a 1979 demo written and originally performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers between album cycles, which left the song unreleased until 2014.

In one of the night's most notable moments, Nicks invited Chrissie Hynde – who opened the show with seminal New Wave band the Pretenders – on stage for a performance of another Petty tune, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," with Hynde and Wachtel providing Nicks support during the song's choruses, originally sung by Petty.

With much of her set moving along at a slow pace, Nicks would save some of the night's best performances for last, starting with a brooding rendition of 2011's "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)," which Nicks said was inspired by the film "Twilight: New Moon" and inspired her to release her first solo album in nearly a decade. She also offered the one-two punch of Fleetwood Mac's "Gold Dust Woman" and an extended rendition of solo effort "Edge of Seventeen."

Nicks rounded out the show with a pair of encores that aptly paid respect to the two distinctive eras of her career: concert favorite "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac, which Nicks said she has performed at every concert since 1975, and "Leather and Lace" from 1981's "Bella Donna."

Hynde and the Pretenders opened the show with a lengthy set to an already-full arena that included back-to-back performances of hit songs "I'll Stand By You" and "Back on the Chain Gang" along with "Brass In Pocket."

Happy 71st Birthday to John McVie

Happy Birthday Johnny! Have an amazing day! Wishing all the health and happiness in the world.

Review Stevie Nicks Live in Grand Rapids, MI November 23, 2016

Stevie Nicks, The Pretenders mint golden performance for Grand Rapids fans
by Lorilee Craker
Localspins.com

VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

Nicks’ “24 Karat Gold Tour” trotted out some golden oldies as well as some fresh material on Wednesday, not to mention spotlighting two rock ‘n’ roll icons. (Review, photo gallery)

Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde on tour together?

It seemed a little weird at the outset, but by the time Nicks sailed onto the stage at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on Wednesday night, there proved to be a certain alchemy that made a lot of sense for this “24 Karat Gold Tour.”

And any concertgoer with lingering doubts bought in when the two oddly paired tour mates performed a duet on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” which Nicks originally recorded with Tom Petty.

Now that was golden.

There was Nicks, with her gossamer shawls and sorceress vibe, proclaiming that the Petty song “saved her life.” Or her career, at any rate.

Then witness Pretenders frontwoman Hynde, all sinew and strut, belting the Petty parts in the song. Together, those two grand dames of rock ’n’ roll made beautiful music together on Thanksgiving eve.

At 68, Nicks sounded in top form Wednesday as she warbled some old hits and unearthed some new-to-us songs from the “dark, gothic trunk of mystical, magical things.” From that trunk, she pulled out some songs which had not received their full due over the past 40-some years of her songwriting, or at least, the stories she told to introduce them seemed to imply this.

“Crying in the Night,” for example, harkened back to 1971, when she recorded the beachy gem with Fleetwood Mac bandmate and then-love Lindsey Buckingham and no one paid any attention at the time.

“New Orleans” came out of Nicks watching the impending Hurricane Katrina on TV from “her ocean” in California. And somewhat peculiarly, “Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)” had its origins in Nicks falling for the “Twilight” franchise a few years ago.

ENGAGING STAGECRAFT AND STORY-TELLING

Waddy Wachtel on lead guitar and Carlos Rios on rhythm guitar elevated every song, old or new, known or unknown, with their stringed artistry.

Superb stagecraft, with mystical moonscapes, falling water and – more than once – impressions of Prince showing on massive screens behind the band enriched the experience.

A born storyteller, Nicks’ narrative about almost every song was entertaining and added value to the unknown tunes. At times, it felt like the audience was sitting in her living room, shooting the breeze, learning about her artistic processes.

Still, folks really came to hear the hits and they were rewarded with “Gypsy,” “Stand Back” (which incited most concertgoers to stand up) and Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman.”

Some of that gold dust flickered around Hynde and The Pretenders as they opened with a burly 15-song set.

Taking a page from Nicks’ penchant for playing a bunch of almost unknown songs, Hynde opened with two cuts from a minty new album, October’s “Alone” – the title track and “Gotta Wait” – backed by a dazzling band that featured guitarist James Walbourne and hard-hitting drummer Martin Chambers.

“I love the Midwest,” Hynde said. “People dig guitar-based rock ’n’ roll and that’s what it’s all about!”

Wednesday’s crowd of Midwesterners definitely dug some of the classics, including “Back on the Chain Gang,” “Message of Love” and the ever-sweet “I’ll Stand By You.”

View Photo Gallery by Anthony Norkus

Review Stevie Nicks Live in Philadelphia November 20th

Stevie Nicks digs out old favorites for Philadelphia show
by Janelle Sheetz
AXS.com

Asa Fleetwood Mac singer and solo artist, Stevie Nicks has no shortage of hits and fan favorites to play live -- but it's some of her favorite lesser-known songs that she's choosing to focus on her 24 Karat Gold Tour, which stopped in Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center Sunday night.

Though Nicks probably doesn't need an opening act -- in fact, Fleetwood Mac doesn't have one for their tours--she tapped The Pretenders to get things started, who played an exciting rock set peppered with some classics of their own, such as "Back on the Chain Gang," "I'll Stand by You," "Don't Get Me Wrong," and of course "Brass in Pocket." Frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, despite joking about her age, still sounds fantastic, easily singing and playing hits that are now decades old.

Nicks and her eight-piece band opened her own set with "Gold and Braid" and continued for about two hours with songs spanning her career, from the beginning with Buckingham Nicks to Fleetwood Mac to solo. Hynde returned to the stage early in the evening to join Nicks for "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," originally performed with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, before Nicks continued on not with hits, for the most part, but with tracks pulled out of what she calls her "Gothic trunk" and featured on 24 Karat Gold: Songs From The Vault, often taking the time to tell the personal stories behind the writing and recording. Despite being in a packed arena, Nicks' personality and willingness go behind the scenes made one feel as though they could easily be in a smaller venue at a more intimate show. She shared stories of what inspired songs like "New Orleans" and "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)," as well as tales of interactions with other musical heavyweights like Petty, Don Henley, and Prince, whose picture was often displayed on the large screen behind Nicks.

Despite the focus on songs that are among her favorites but might not be known to a wide audience, Nicks didn't avoid guaranteed crowd pleasers--Fleetwood Mac song "Gypsy" made an early appearance, followed by "Gold Dust Woman" at the end of the set, complete with a gold shawl and Stevie's dancing. The band's music was featured a final time during the encore with "Rhiannon." As for Nicks' most famous solo songs, she ended her set with the hit "Edge of Seventeen" and ended her encore with the lovely "Leather and Lace."

Nicks' solo shows may not pack the intensity of Fleetwood Mac's, but that's also part of the charm--Nicks is still an iconic singer and songwriter in her own right, and the 24 Karat Gold Tour gives fans a chance to see a different side of her.

Stevie Nicks' songs provide an antidote to today’s often embattled pop music

THE RESURGENT APPEAL OF STEVIE NICKS
Her generous songs provide an antidote to today’s often embattled pop music.

by Amanada Petrusich
The New Yorker

The cover of “Bella Donna,” Stevie Nicks’s first solo album, shows the artist looking slender and

wide-eyed, wearing a white gown, a gold bracelet, and a pair of ruched, knee-high platform boots. One arm is bent at an improbable angle; a sizable cockatoo sits on her hand. Behind her, next to a small crystal ball, is a tambourine threaded with three long-stemmed white roses. Nicks did not invent this storefront-psychic aesthetic—it is indebted, in varying degrees, to Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina, de Troyes’s Guinevere, and Cher—but, beginning in the mid-nineteen-seventies, she came to embody it. The image was girlish and delicate, yet inscrutable, as if Nicks were suggesting that the world might not know everything she’s capable of.

This intimation is newly germane: a vague but feminine mysticism is in. Lorde, Azealia Banks, FKA Twigs, chvrches, Grimes, and Beyoncé have all incorporated bits of pagan-influenced iconography into their music videos and performances. Young women are now embracing benign occult representations, reclaiming the rites and ceremonies that women were once chastised (or worse) for performing. On runways, on the streets, and in thriving Etsy shops, you can find an assortment of cloaks, crescent-moon pendants, flared chiffon skirts, and the occasional jewelled headdress.

Full article at The New Yorker

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