Saturday, October 29, 2022

REVIEW Stevie Nicks was triumphant in Tampa

Review: Stevie Nicks stupefies and hypnotizes in very sold-out return to Tampa
With some heavy tributes to Tom Petty, too.
Photo and Review By Josh Bradley




“I want you to know that I don’t know how hard that hurricane hit you, because I don’t live here, but we all worried. All over the world, we worried about you every day,” Stevie Nicks admitted to an almost brimful MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Tuesday night.

It goes without saying that against all odds, Tampa Bay got off fairly easy from Hurricane Ian. But even the 74-year-old Fleetwood Mac frontwoman knows that Ian is only a fraction of what made 2022 such a shitty year in the news.

Nicks was angered enough to release a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” earlier this year—penned by Florida boy Stephen Stills—which she  apparently wanted to record from a young age. “It’s always really fun to be a woman, and sing a man’s song, so I did that, and I tried to be very loyal to his version, but to sing it from my heart also,” she explained.

She also reminded us that voting season has arrived, and that we had better not sit the midterms out. “I never voted until I was in my mid-‘60s. What a shame, oh the shame,” she added, citing tour and studio schedules as her excuse.

Then there was the time she was gifted a hand-painted box for her birthday last year, crafted by a Ukrainian artist named Julia. Days after her birthday, Nicks—who had befriended Julia—got a text from her, saying that she was in the process of escaping the country and preparing to seek refuge. In honor of her—and her entire country—Nicks then dedicated a heartfelt rendition of “Soldier’s Angel” to Julia, while graphics of the ailing country flashed behind her. Once done, she encouraged the packed crowd to donate a few dollars to Save Ukraine.

Other than said moments of solemnity, every other ounce of Nicks’s performance was triumphant. Clad in her standard black dress and wiccan-esque regalia, her nine-piece band—not featuring ex-Heartbreaker Benmont Tench III due to scheduling—kicked things off by launching into “Outside The Rain,” which oh-so-smoothly segued into “Dreams,” the latter of which featured no cranberry juice, or, in Nicks’ case, roller skates. Just the majestic twirls and fringed-up microphone she's embedded into our minds.

That didn’t mean that there would be no wardrobe adjustments, though. She had three different cloaks and capes in her vicinities. She sported one drenched in gold sequins that went down like a scarf on “Gold Dust Woman,” and another black one with gold hearts on “Stand Back.” Most notably, however, Nicks was draped in the exact cape she wore on the back cover of her 1981 Bella Donna album.

“It is in perfect condition,” she bragged after twirling around to prove it. “I really don’t get it, but it just keeps on truckin’.”

Twice did she remember her old friend—and ours—Tom Petty, who died five years ago this month. While introducing “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” Nicks told the story of how her at-the-time boyfriend Jimmy Iovine managed to get Petty and the Heartbreakers—who he had produced Damn The Torpedoes for a few years prior—to help spawn a hit for Bella Donna by duetting on the Petty-Campbell-penned track.

The second remembrance came at the start of the encore, in the form of a “Free Fallin’” rendition. If you didn’t shed some tears or at least take off your hat for that one, are you even a true Floridian?

She didn’t skip over “Edge of Seventeen,” which everyone going up to the packed lawn knew was about to be performed based on the tempo of the drums that opened the song. She also didn’t forget to salute the Fleetwood Mac songs that put her on the map in the first place. “Landslide” was a strange way to follow the 10-minute-long epic that was “Gold Dust Woman,” but guitarist Waddy Wachtel provided the acoustic accompaniment for the one tune that has been performed just about every time Nicks has hit a stage, which was penned in a really dingy house belonging to her friends.

“Rhiannon” was presented as one final witchy spectacle at the tail end of Nicks' all-too-short 105-minute set.

“It’s almost Halloween!” She announced afterward. “I’m just getting myself ready.”

Nicks may take a bit longer to prepare herself, but I’m certain that everything majestic about her has a few thousand witches and wizards of Tampa Bay fully ready.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

REVIEW Stevie Nicks Puts a Spell on Charlotte, NC

Stevie Nicks puts a spell on Charlotte at the PNC Music Pavilion
A packed house saw Stevie Nicks perform songs pulled from her acclaimed career as a musician.


Author: Nathaniel Puente

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After nearly a half-century of releasing music with the likes of Fleetwood Mac, and Tom Petty, and on her own during her illustrious solo career, Stevie Nicks has just about done it all.

At 74 years old, Stevie could call it a career and be remembered as a wonderful performer who made some tremendous songs. But Stevie Nicks is not done wowing audiences and releasing musing just yet.

Nicks made a stop in Charlotte at the PNC Music Pavilion on Saturday as part of her 2022 United States tour that was canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19 cases.

The 2022 shows are Nicks's first performances since before the COVID-19 pandemic began. She told the audience that the gap made her appreciate her music even more.

That appreciation was on full display as Nicks gave it her all on some of her most beloved songs.

Nicks and her band opened with "Outside the Rain" from her solo debut album Bella Donna (1981). The song faded into "Dreams," one of the most popular songs Nicks made with Fleetwood Mac.

Songs were pulled from both her time in Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. "Gypsy," "Stand Back," and "Edge of Seventeen" were some of the most prominent songs of the night that got the raucous crowd even further amped up.

Every twist and twirl Nicks made on stage brought exuberant cheers from the crowd, which filled up just about every seat and lawn spot the PNC Music Pavilion had to offer.

In between songs, Nicks would tell stories about the track's origin and how she felt at the moment writing the lyrics.

Before "Landslide," Nicks told a story about her early days as a struggling musician when she was in a relationship with Lindsey Buckingham, who would join her in Fleetwood Mac just a year later. 

Before "Soldier's Angel," Nicks pleaded with the audience to donate to the Ukraine war effort. She also requested for people in the crowd to vote in the upcoming midterm election, noting that she voted for the first time in her mid-60s.

Throughout the night, Nicks paid tribute to Tom Petty, who died in 2017. She played the acclaimed duet she recorded with Petty, "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" and covered Petty's "Free Fallin'" as photos of the pair flashed on the concert monitors.

Those in attendance were beyond thrilled watching the "high priestess," as opening act Vannesa Carlton dubbed her, in action. The show proved why Nicks is a premier entertainer even to this day. 

Nicks told the Charlotte crowd she plans to come back to the area for a future tour.




Saturday, October 08, 2022

FLEETWOOD MAC AUCTION From The Lives and Careers of John McVie, Christine McVie and Mick Fleetwood

 


JULIEN’S AUCTIONS ANNOUNCES “FLEETWOOD MAC: PROPERTY FROM THE LIVES AND CAREERS OF CHRISTINE MCVIE, JOHN MCVIE AND MICK FLEETWOOD” AN EXCLUSIVE AUCTION TAKING PLACE IN BEVERLY HILLS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH AND STREAMING ONLINE AT JULIENSLIVE.COM

An auction celebrating three members of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac, that includes the personal items of John McVie, Christine McVie and Mick Fleetwood. This collection represents over fifty years of stage-played instruments, wardrobe, touring gear, memorabilia, jewelry, furniture, and more.

A Portion of Proceeds will Benefit MusiCares


Highlights from John McVie’s collection include…

  • A 1976 Rumours Photo-Matched Custom Alembic “Continuously Fretted” Stainless Steel Fingerboard Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A 1976 Prototype Alembic Series 1 Graphite Neck Through Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A Peter Green Gifted 1962 Fender VI Six-String Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A Royal Albert Hall Stage-Plated 1960 Fender Precision Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A Stevie Nicks Gifted Surfboard.
  • A 1953 First-Year Gibson EB1 Violin Body Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A 1965 Hofner Club Electric Bass Guitar acquired by John McVie during the Peter Green era of Fleetwood Mac.
  • A Rare 1970 First-Year Fretless Fender Precision Electric Bass Guitar.
  • A “Songbird” Stage-Played Photo-Matched Ernie Ball Earthwood Acoustic Bass Guitar.
  • A Black “Little Lies” Music Video Played Video-Matched 1980s Kramer Ferrington Electroacoustic Bass Guitar.

Highlights from Mick Fleetwood’s collection include…

  • The Rumours stage-and album cover-worn hanging balls and signed art print.
  • An iconic stage-played Talking Drum.
  • A 40-inch Stage-Played Zildjian Traditional Gong.
  • A “Bare Trees” RIAA “Gold” Record Award.
  • A Bill Clinton Signed Drumhead and Farewell Concert Setlist.
  • A Harry Styles Pleasing “Shroom Bloom” Campaign Ensemble.
  • A vintage 1967 Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Debut “7th Annual Jazz and Blues Festival Windsor” Poster.
  • A studio-played DW Collector’s Series Rumours Snare Drum.
  • A black felt crow top hat custom-made for Stevie Nicks by Mick Fleetwood with two attached taxidermy crows featuring a wide black ribbon hat band.
  • A 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award.
  • A stage-worn ensemble worn by Mick Fleetwood on various tour stops.

Highlights from Christine McVie’s collection include…

  • A Rumours photo-matched album cover-worn dress.
  • A 1960s stage-played, chopped, and customized touring Hammond B-3 Organ.
  • A Stage-Played Yamaha C3 Baby Grand Piano.
  • A Yamaha E3 Series Disklavier Electric Piano with custom “Christine F*cking McVie” slipcover.
  • A 1969 Christine Perfect Melody Maker “Pop Poll Awards Top Singer” award.
  • A circa 1960s stage-used Hammond Leslie Rotary Speaker.
  • A stage-and event-worn naavy and green polka dot Thea Porter dress.
  • A “Gypsy” American Video Award.
  • A black Four Seasons of London hooded coat.
  • A stage-played Weltmeister LM-25-12 Bandmaster Accordion.
  • A rust-colored, Velvet Blazer worn by Christine McVie to the 1998 Brit Awards.
  • A black velvet biker-style “Songbird” patch jacket ensemble stage-worn by Christine McVie during a live concert performance at First Direct Arena, Leeds.
  • A pair of black, lace-up Zadig & Voltaire combat boots worn by Christine McVie to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on March 29th, 2019 and throughout the 2018/2019 Fleetwood Mac Tour.
  • A 2018-2019 “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac” dressing room road case with portable Yamaha Keyboard and accessories.
  • A 2018-2019 “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac” tour traveling vanity case.

Fleetwood Mac: Property From the Lives and Careers of Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood Limited Edition Catalogue Box Set.


For more information visit Juliens Auction



Stevie Nicks Reschedules Phoenix and Woodlands Shows



Stevie Nicks postponed her October 6th show in Phoenix, AZ and rescheduled it to November 5th. All tickets will be honored for the new date.

The Woodlands, TX show scheduled for October 9th has also been rescheduled to November 2nd.

The two shows were postponed due to a non-covid respiratory illness and Stevie's Doctors have advised that she needs vocal rest.

Stevie Nicks enjoyed two triumphant nights in Southern California

Stevie Nicks Current Tour A Joyous Celebration Of A Rock Icon By Both Fans And Artist
by Steve Baltin



At the time of his death from cancer in 2016, David Bowie was widely and rightly regarded as arguably the greatest rock star of all time. Certainly, he is very high on the short list. However, Bowie did not have a top ten studio album in the U.S. from 1983's Let's Dance to 2013's The Next Day.

Fame is an insanely fickle game. And you can take all the top scientists and statisticians in the world, lock them in a room for a year and they would never be able to figure out the algorithm for fame. It does not exist.

Take the case of the iconic Stevie Nicks. This past weekend Nicks enjoyed two triumphant nights in Southern California, first headlining night one of Eddie Vedder's Ohana Festival Friday night. She followed that with a sold-out show Monday before an adoring crowd at the Hollywood Bowl.

So, what changed? As stated, it's hard to know for sure since fame is determined by so many moving parts. But one can point to quite a few factors and speculate. There was the insane TikTok "Dreams" phenomenon that catapulted that Mac song back to the top of the charts. Then there was Nicks induction into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2019. And, maybe most of all, the incredible admiration she has received from a new generation of stars, from Harry Styles and Taylor Swift to HAIM. So between TikTok and Harry Styles billions of fans under 20 have had a chance to discover Nicks and her status as a true rock and roll queen. On Friday, at Ohana, Pearl Jam frontman Vedder joined Nicks to sing the Tom Petty portion of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."

Maybe far more important than what brought about the well-deserved renaissance is that, as she showed at both shows, Nicks is thriving with the adulation. Nicks has been very careful touring as a result of COVID so in the last few years she has done only a handful of appearances.

It was very evident watching her last weekend how much she missed the road. During a show-stopping "Gold Dust Woman" she twirled and danced around the stage with the reckless glee of a 20-year-old in a mosh pit. Between songs she engaged with the audience so much that during the Bowl show, before the beautiful "Soldier's Angel," dedicated to the people of Ukraine, she joked with the crowd about being on a script so as not to run too long and go over.

She told stories about why she chose to cover Buffalo Springfield's 1967 classic protest anthem, "For What It's Worth," as her latest single, and about the creation of "Landslide." That she could make the crowd laugh as she told a story about writing it in a random millionaire's mansion, then bring the crowd to tears with a perfect version of one of the 10 most poignant songs ever penned in rock was just part of the magic of these shows.

So maybe the better question is what makes these shows so special to Nicks, who is clearly at the absolute pinnacle of her performance because she is so clearly loving being on the road.

Again, this would be speculation, though I did speak to the forthcoming and captivating Nicks for 90 minutes in 2020. At that point she offered a profound tribute to fallen friends like Tom Petty, who she honored multiple times at the Bowl. She came out to Petty's "Running Down A Dream" and covered "Free Fallin,'" in the encore. At the time of our talk she spoke about losing so many friends.

So maybe having suffered so much loss, Nicks is appreciating being on the road and the rapport with her friends with a renewed vigor. Or maybe she just missed touring. Whatever the case may be Nicks showed at both shows the admiration and love between her and her growing legion of fans is very mutual and appreciated by all. The result is an incredibly joyous evening celebrating a true rock icon.



Stevie Nicks returned to the Hollywood Bowl in classic Stevie fashion

Stevie Nicks Returns to the Hollywood Bowl for a Witchy Night of Shawls, Classics and Tributes
Nicks performed her classics like "Edge of Seventeen," "Gypsy," "Dream" and paid tribute to friend Tom Petty by closing with a cover of "Free Fallin'"

By Daniela Avila 



Fall is in the air and Stevie Nicks brought the witches out to the Hollywood Bowl!

On Monday night, Nicks returned to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles for Stevie Nicks Live in Concert and fans of the iconic singer flooded the seats, dressed in classic Stevie fashion from head to toe.

The show opened with the 74-year-old singer's longtime friend Vanessa Carlton. Shortly after 9 p.m., the singer came out to "Outside the Rain," which was featured on her 1981 album Bella Donna with her signature bedazzled microphone.

Shortly after, the crowd sprung off their seats when they heard the beats of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" — prompting everyone to dance and sing along. Once Nicks was finished, she addressed the crowd and joked that rather than going on tangents she would try to stay focused when recounting her stories throughout the show.

"I'm so happy to be here because you're my home," she told the crowd as they cheered. "You've been here every step of the way. You've been here forever. Let's get this party started."

Throughout the night, she sang classics like "If Anyone Falls," "Enchanted," "Gypsy, "Soldier's Angel" and even performed her new song "For What It's Worth" — a re-recording of the 1966 Buffalo Springfield song. For each song, she recounted a fun story about how it came to be.

When it came time for her smash-hit "Landslide," the songstress dedicated the song to her family and to Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, who was sitting in the audience.

"He's my best friend and the person that I went to for solace," she said.

It also wouldn't be a Stevie Nicks concert without a touch of witchy attire. Throughout the night, the singer switched in and out of various shawls to match the theme of the song. During her performance of "Bella Donna," she wore the original one from the album's cover art: "Everybody wants it," she joked.

The singer also made sure to commemorate her late friend Tom Petty, who made Nicks an honorary Heartbreaker — and she never fails to mention she would've loved to be a part of the band. First, she prefaced her 1981 duet with Petty "Stop Draggin' My Heart" by recounting the story of needing a single for her solo debut — and this was the perfect fit.

Later, during her encore (and after "Edge of Seventeen" of course!), she wrapped the show by covering Petty's "Free Fallin.'" This was unlike her other shows where she regularly concludes with "Rhiannon." During the performance, photos of herself and Petty were projected onto the background.

"The only thing that ever really heals anything is music," she said during her exit speech. "You are an awesome audience and I will take that with me for the rest of my life."

In July, Nicks revealed she would resume her 2021 tour after canceling over concerns surrounding the rising number of COVID-19 cases around the country.

"These are challenging times with challenging decisions that have to be made. I want everyone to be safe and healthy and the rising Covid cases should be of concern to all of us," she wrote at the time.

"While I'm vaccinated, at my age I am still being extremely cautious and for that reason have decided to skip the five performances I had planned for 2021," she continued. "Because singing and performing have been my whole life, my primary goal is to keep healthy so I can continue singing for the next decade or longer."




Stevie Nicks dedicates Landslide to John McVie at Hollywood Bowl

Stevie Nicks, Timeless As Ever At The Hollywood Bowl
The iconic singer's performance was full of classic hits, touching tributes, and yes, lots of shawls.

BY BRITTANY SPANOS


Most people were winding things down on Monday night in Los Angeles yesterday, but the streets near the Hollywood Bowl were buzzing with thousands of fans doing their best Stevie Nicks impressions. They wandered toward the venue, paying homage to the rock star’s many eras, wearing outfits that captured her effortless Southern California Seventies glam or showing off examples of her witchy drapery, capturing the style and spirit that make Nicks a timeless icon.

Those fans were there to attend her sold-out show at the historic venue on Monday evening. The performance was part of a tour she kicked off earlier this year, which she’s scheduled in spurts between festival sets and shows at select US cities.

Nicks’ longtime friend Vanessa Carlton opened the night with a brief set that, of course, included a venue-wide sing-along to “A Thousand Miles.” Shortly before 9 p.m., the stage lights dimmed and Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” blasted from the sound system. It would be the first of many touching tributes to Petty, who made Nicks an honorary Heartbreaker. It’s an gesture she’s taken seriously ever since.

Nicks’ setlist focused heavily on Bella Donna, The Wild Heart and her Fleetwood Mac classics, a decade-long stretch of career home-runs that showed she was a living legend before time had the chance to do so itself. After opening with “Outside the Rain,” she got “Dreams” out of the way, prompting a beautiful bit of harmonizing from the audience.

Any fan of Nicks knows that she’s a natural born storyteller, and on stage and in interviews, she’s more than happy to share long-winded tales of her life, her songs, and her famous friends and lovers. Early on, Nicks made a promise that she would rein it in for the night with her stories, even though this particular show had an audience full of some of her closest confidantes.”I have so much to say,” she promised. Some fans giggled and would have been happy to bask in as many tales she would have liked to spin.

She made good on her promise to keep it short and sweet, though: Before “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” her hit 1981 duet with Petty, she recalled how her producer and then-boyfriend Jimmy Iovine (who was seated in the crowd) told her she needed a single for her solo debut. He then clued her in on the Petty-penned track. Just as she launched into her recently released cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” she sang the praises of songwriter Stephen Stills. And she prefaced a twirl-filled “Gypsy” with some life advice about pulling your mattress off the bed frame to remind yourself who you are. Later, she dedicated In Your Dreams’ “Soldier’s Angel” to the people of Ukraine, singing it in tribute to one Ukrainian woman, in particular, named Julia who had sent Nicks a paining of sunflowers that she displayed on screen as the song began.

As Nicks sang her way through her past, she continued to breathe new life into some of rock music’s most classic and enduring songs. She belted “Wild Heart” as effortlessly as she did nearly 40 years ago (after dedicating it to comedian Kathy Griffin, naturally). During “Gold Dust Woman,” she embodied the same feverish, frenetic stage presence that made her Seventies performances of the song so iconic, moving as if possessed by the guitar solo while wrapped in a golden shawl (one of four she pulled out during the night, including the blue one she wore on the back cover of Bella Donna).

The final stretch of the show was an unrelenting series of hits. “Landslide” was dedicated to her many godchildren as well as John McVie, her close friend and “therapist.” The main set concluded with an extended cut of “Edge of Seventeen,” before the encored kicked back off with a cover of Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” The song fit her like a glove, a true tribute to one of her best friends and musical heroes, whose likeness was displayed on a slideshow behind Nicks as she sang it. She ended the song by staring at some lingering shots of the him and her together, performing on stage later in his life.

Unlike other shows on this tour, Nicks skipped frequent show closer “Rock and Roll” (a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic) in favor of her own “Rhiannon,” a more fitting finale. The Bowl’s attendees ranged from teens to Boomers, and in that moment, like many before it, it didn’t matter how or when Nicks’ songs found their way into your life. The show erupted into one final, loud, sing-along before the truly timeless star twirled off into the California night.








Sunday, October 02, 2022

Lindsey Cancels the Remaining European Dates of Tour


Lindsey performed in London on Oct 1st and Berlin prior to that on Sept 28th. The first 5 dates of his European tour were canceled due to illness. He also canceled the remaining dates of his European tour due to illness.
• Glasgow Oct 3
• Liverpool Oct 4
• Dublin Oct 6

Not sure what the health issue is but he did have covid which caused the first rescheduling of the Euro dates, this could be a relapse. Get well Lindsey! 

His tour resumes in the US on October 26th.

10/26/2022 - Bristol, TN - Paramount Center for the Arts
10/27/2022 - Louisville, KY - Kentucky Center for the Arts (Brown Theatre)
10/29/2022 - Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman Place
10/31/2022 - Eau Claire, WI - University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (Pablo Center at the Confluence)

NOVEMBER, 2022
11/1/2022 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
11/3/2022 - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center
11/4/2022 - Elkhart, IN - Lerner Theatre
11/6/2022 - York, PA - Appell Center for the Performing Arts
11/7/2022 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
11/9/2022 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
11/10/2022 - New London, CT - Garde Arts Center
11/12/2022 - New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre New Jersey
11/13/2022 - Annapolis, MD - Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts
11/15/2022 - Roanoke, VA - Jefferson Center
11/16/2022 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
11/18/2022 - Nashville, TN - CMA Theatre (Country Music Hall of Fame)
11/19/2022 - Augusta, GA - The Bell Auditorium

Photo: Matthew John Benton