FANS ARE NOW RATING THE SHOWS AS WELL

1-5

5 BEING THE BEST

by Mike aka "PrisonerInDisguise"

Man...I flew 12 hours from NZ to see Stevie in LA and IT WAS SO WORTH IT! I only just got back today and still trippin'

I was a bit disappointed when I finally got to see The Mac last year....I just thought it lacked the magic I was expecting...but Stevie on Tuesday night was out of this world!

I took my partner and he knows a few of her songs but he was amazed at how good she was...he had to laugh at the start "man....she only has to do a little twirl and you guys go nuts!" but by the end of the night he was doing the same!

There are other reviews on here far better than mine and more detailed....but I'll just say her voice was just so strong and a far better quality than I could ever imagine. The biggest surprise of the night was Rock and Roll....just great! I think the song that showed me just how good Stevie is vocally was Beauty and the Beast.....

So that was my fleeting LA trip....I'd do it all again! THANKS STEVIE!!

by Justin aka "FineSkylark"

Well I just read Michelle's review of last nights show here in Los Angeles and she pretty much nailed all the details on the head.

I'll add my two cents as well but mine will be from more of a personal approach. I could never again get as close to Stevie as I did last night. Front row! Not one single person in front of me except for Sharon and Jana. I was all the way to the right of the stage facing the girls and Stevie's left profile. It was amazing. With this view I also had a great eyeline into the crowd...those who were center stage. So Vanessa does her thing and like Michelle said she flubbed her lines, drawing a huge reaction from the crowd. She also stopped in the middle of the opening piano introduction of "A Thousand Miles" and said, "Yes folks, I'm THAT girl." Everyone laughed. She finished her set and left for about fifteen minutes before Stevie came on stage. Needless to say the crowd went nuts and wild. I was with three friends and we just kept reminding ourselves that we were in the very front row. Surreal. I've never been this lucky before except for when I saw her at House of Blues but even then people were in front of me.

Anyway I can't remember what song it was when this happened but this entourage of about four people walked right in front of me and were escorted into their second row seats. It was Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks and three of her pals. All I could think was that I had better seats than a Dixie Chick! She sat about 4 people to my left. From the angle of the seating I could watch her reactions without compromising my view of Stevie. It's no secret that I am not a Dixie Chicks fan nor do I care for their cover of Landslide. However I couldn't wait to watch her watch Stevie on Landslide.

Like I said Michelle pretty much covered all the basics when it comes to the songs and what Stevie said before and after them. Personally I loved everything but I was expecting something wonderful from Circle Dance. It didn't make me like the song in fact it was just kind of "there." Would have substituted just about anything instead of that song.

So I watched Natalie and her friends talk through just about Stevie's entire set. It was as if they were having their own party and the thousands of people around them were at a concert. To her credit they weren't being loud or anything, never disturbing anyone but she only stood up once to dance (during EOF17). The rest of the time she and her friends stayed seated, at one time even flipping through a roll of photos that her friend brought! I did kind of feel bad because during Landslide there was this guy in the front row who said to his date, "You know this song right?" The girl said, "Yes but I've only heard the awful Dixie Chicks version." GULP! I swear to you this happened!! Now as much as I too hate the cover I would have NEVER said anything like that knowing Natalie was behind me. I don't think this girl knew either. My friends and I immediately looked over at Natalie and we saw her friend nudge her and put her arm around her while they both semi laughed. I'm sure Natalie could not have cared less since it was a huge hit for her and her group. It was just kind of funny to see.

Speaking of EOF17 it was the most lackluster rendition I've seen. Much more energy in Vegas. That however was the only song that lacked I thought. Stand Back for me was the best of the night. I've never seen Stevie laugh or smile so much in any performance. Rhiannon was a highlight too. Great piano introduction. When it finally came time for Stevie's "fan appreciation stroll" I got very nervous. Something has always prevented me from meeting Stevie. I've told this story on here before but for those who don't remember I worked on Stevie's music video for "Everyday." An accident happened where one of the big trees fell on a crew member and I was the only one whose car was on set so I volunteered to drive him to the ER. In my absence my best friend was chosen to be the one in the mask who Stevie puts her arm around at the dinner table and sings to his ear for a few seconds.

By the time I got back to the set they had wrapped and she had gone home. I couldn't believe it! I have rushed the stage before as well but I never manage to get my hand close enough to be shaken. This time was going to be different. I was all primed and ready up front. She was getting closer and closer but people from behind were pushing and trying to get past security. So many people were pissed off because Gibson Ampitheater was only letting the front row go to the stage. Not the front two rows, just the FRONT row. People were so irate and jumping over the banister and crawling under guards. It was unreal.

Finally Stevie gets to me, she sees me and I mouthed the words, "thank you so much for this" and she smiled and reached down to touch me. Just then, and I swear again this happened (and also surprised Michelle didn't mention it unless she didn't see it) but someone through a shawl at Stevie and it landed on her head, covering her face. The guards rushed over and started pulling it off but it was caught around her. She herself ended up pulling it off very slowly and gave a face like, "why would you do that?" I thought, that's it I lost my chance again. I was wrong though because she actually bent forward to me and APOLOGIZED!! She actually said, "Sorry about that" as she leaned forward and took my right hand in her right hand, clasping it shut with her left as I pulled my left hand up clasping her other one shut. For about 2 seconds in my life Stevie Nicks and I had both of our hands touching each other's. Sure I'm not the only one in the world nor will I be the last but it finally happened. I know I sound like a school girl but it was extremeley wonderful to finally be able to say that I got to touch Stevie. After that the rest of the night didn't matter much.

She closed of course with Rock and Roll and Beauty. Once again, Rock and Roll was fun, she wore pants, she was having a blast but I still would have traded that for another of her own. All in all the night was amazing! I slept with a giant smile!

by Michele Jackson aka "mjackson866

Just got back from Gibson Amphitheater. I think the show went flawlessly.

Curran, the tambo was there. It might have been there in Anaheim too. Perhaps, I simply didn't notice. But this time, it was front and center during Rock and Roll. The streamers flowing from it matched the feathers in Stevie's hat.

Now, I have to say that there was a small part of me wondering if there would be any guest appearances, since this was Los Angeles and all . . . There weren't any, but I can't say that decreased my pleasure.

Vanessa flubbed A Thousand Miles. This night and Sunday, she calls so much attention to any mistakes she makes that I begin to wonder if they're staged. Once she tells the audience she messed up, they support her even more through to a successful finish.

Speaking of flubbing, Stevie trips me up by changing the lyrics to Enchanted. She says "it's just a light through the night," instead of "it's just a voice throught the night." She also twists a few words in SDMHA as well.

The extended piano intro to Rhiannon really is beautiful. Quite as effective as the drum solos preceding Edge.

Sorcerer really is a masterpiece. It seems like it gains a different sort of beauty with each new arrangement, starting with Lindsey's acoustic to tonight's rather steamy rendition. Stevie says it had its inception with her, small town girl, being intimidated by Hollywood, but she exudes such sultry confidence when she sings it. Far from being overwhelmed, the lady from the mountain is the conquerer.

During Gold Dust Woman, I see Stevie backing away during Al's bass interlude. This is the part where she usually plays with John, who teasingly stalks her. But Al doesn't even look in her direction. You can't save me now. You can't free me now. You can't do it now.

Actually, what's remarkable with so many of the songs this tour, including the late and lamented How Still My Love is how much new energy you can get out of them by just changing the music at the beginning of the song and the wording at the close. Even the small unexpected twists make tunes we heard in the course of so many other tours, novel again.

Remember when Ain't Misbehavin' first came out and all the promos showed Nell Carter outstretching both arms and shaking her bosom? Well, Stevie has borrowed that little dance step, twice for Stand Back. She smiled, proud of herself each time she did it. Again, by giving Stand Back a second ending (after Carlos' solo at the end) and one high kick to finish all, she gives the song multiple peaks, by just modifying the close.

Of course, what she does in the middle also works. Before she spins, we see an image of her on the screen in back spinning. I guess some people stare at that image and think that's the Stevie of the past, but as soon as the lady in the film stops revolving, the real live Stevie begins (though she doesn't do it as fast as the image on the screen). By previewing what was coming, they actually increased the appreciation of spins that were already famous to begin with.

She starts HAEWAFY by saying, "this is something I hardly ever, will hardly never get to do." Then she says that someone told her a story and after hearing it, she walked straight home and wrote this song. "Joe, this is for you." Ok, so what was it that she hardly ever gets to do? Sing that song or introduce it with a story? I've seen her do both way too many times.

For Circle Dance, she points out that she'd had Bonnie's record and listened to it many times before she ever discovered this song. One day it just jumped out at her. So now, because of this song, she thinks of Bonnie every day. I kind of question the wisdom of deciding to perform a song live that it took you about 100 listens to get to even notice, but whatever. The words are very poignant. I don't think the music is unique. Yet, if the words capture you, for whatever sentimental reason, I suppose that's all it takes.

For the band introductions she says that Darrell Smith's piano playing just breaks her heart. I agree. It's very powerful. Ok, Sunday, she said that Taku and Carlos were gorgeous while she only described Brett as "sweet." Tonight, she describes Brett as the one with that sexy Hammond hanging around his neck. So now, even Brett's organ has more sex appeal than he does! Taku, in her opinion, is still the best percussion player in the world. Waddy is the man of her dreams, love of her life, friend forever.

During Fall From Grace, I notice that Stevie doesn't even try to hit the note from the word "high." She just steps back from her mic and lets Sharon take that one away.

For Landslide she says that it's because she's home that she feels so chatty. She wants to dedicate the song to all of her goddaughters and she has many of them. She dedicates it to Mick's daughters and to Lindsey Christine. Yes, "Lindsey Christine" Stevie repeats explaining: "No, she wasn't named after me."

But she also mentions a "Stevie Rose" who she doesn't think is there tonight. The music starts and she is just about to being the song when she remembers one more girl: Molly!

After meeting and greeting with the crowd during Edge, Stevie turns back into the band and gives Jana a high five. She customarily gives Sharon a low five, but not before pretending that she might bypass her, for a minute. Moving center stage, Stevie is standing away from her mic, not singing, but still mouthing the words "I know what it sounds like. I know what it sounds like." She makes a beckoning motion with her fingers, "saying come away, come away," quite the siren.

Personally, I wouldn't have chosen Rock and Roll myself. But Stevie expresses so much joy and exuberance while singing it that her pleasure is more entertaining than the music ever could be. And I think you almost have to be singing someone else's song to get that much fun out of it. I mean, when it's your work, you're proud of it. You can interpret it better than anyone. Yet, I don't know if you can be objective about it enough to just have a ball. Stevie standing there all decked out, patting her hip in time to the music. She's like a vaudevillian performer on this tour more than ever, playing roles, making each song a variety show skit almost.

When I looked at just the setlist on paper. I thought that the concert would drag in places. But except for right after Stand Back (which had the crowd standing and clapping for such an extended period of time, that I thought it a little jarring to change the mood to such an extremely quiet one that quickly), there was no disjointedness. I think it's because she seems to inhabit the song's personality more than she has in the past. Instead of just being Stevie Nicks singing, she takes on the character of the song. On the SYW tour, for instance, she wasn't really doing that, except with GDW.

Vanessa came out and sang on Rock and Roll, but if she's going to reappear at all during Stevie's set, I think it should be in a different way.

Darrell Smith even had a candelabra on his piano to match the scenery in that BATB video. I'm sure he loved having his inner Liberace revealed.

Stevie closed by saying, 'thank you for letting us be a part of your life. You're certainly a part of ours.'

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