US Festival 83 Question

[Sorcerer386]

Okay, I may have asked this before, and someone may have even responded to it, but if so, I really don't remember and I'm very sorry. But I have a question for anyone who has the 83 Stevie US Festival concert. At the beginning of Gold and Braid, Stevie grabs her tambourine, and then comes to the mic and says, "(something something something) so you can't hear her play, (something something...)." Can anyone fill in the "something something's"?

[Johnny Stew]

If I remember correctly, Stevie says something about either her or Lori having picked up the wrong tambourine, because it had been deadened (sometimes they'll use tape on them to keep them from making any sound, when they just want to use them for "show").

I can't remember the exact quote right now, but I'll watch the concert later and let you know. (I'll find any excuse to watch a Stevie concert! )



Johnny Stew

[Johnny Stew]

Stevie says (in reference to Lori, I believe), "A dead tambourine she has, so that nobody can hear her play... I pick it up!"

Like I said, sometimes they'll use tape to deaden a tambourine so that someone can use it on stage merely as a prop (so that they're not just standing there doing nothing!).




Johnny Stew

[joe]

i have been asking myself that for years!!!! UGH! I always got "that....blank...tambourine so that noone can hear her play" and then i don't know what she said after...but why would it be deadened? It was a real concert. Not Solid Gold!

Regarding the same concert...please transcribe the following after 'Stand Back'..."...Actually i think i should take one moment now...(something something something) because i just love to take one moment to introduce my band! the elusive band of Stevie Nicks"

Try listening to some Rock a Little concerts and you'll have the same trouble. I hope she understood what she said!

[Sorcerer386]

Thank you Johnny Stew. I figured it had SOMETHING to do with the deadened tambourines, but it was bugging me because I couldn't make out what she was saying. I really don't know why they deaden her tambourines sometimes...they did for Don't Stop if you remember, she gave it to Bill Clinton and he looks at her like "What the Hell?" And she said in the Letterman '94 interview she's over there trying to say "I'm so sorry" while she's singing. I can see that in some songs a tambourine just doesn't work, like I think in I'm So Afraid on The Dance her tambourine is deadened just because I can't really picture a tambourine being heard in that song, and of course you can't hear it. The thing that bothers me is when Christine starts playing a tambourine that you CAN hear, but you can't hear Stevie's. It's like, if you NEED a tambourine, why can't Stevie just play it and Chris just stand and sing? A couple instances of this: Mirage tour on Eyes of the World and The Dance Say You Love Me. In any case, thank you again for transcribing that.

[Johnny Stew]

Actually, Joe... you have the quote right.
Stevie says, "Actually I think I should take one moment now, because... to... because I just love to take one moment... to introduce my band. The elusive band of Stevie Nicks!"


As for the deadened tambourines... if the person using it isn't actually playing it to add to the sound of the song, if they're only playing it to give them something to do onstage, they'll deaden the tambourine so that the person doesnt have to worry if they miss a beat, or if they're not going to play it throughout the entire song.

Usually the tambourine is "live"... so that it adds to the music... but other times it's just for show... so Stevie can have something to do when she's not singing (you'll notice that she often picks it up during the instrumental bridge).

I know it sounds silly to play an instrument that no one is hearing... but it gives her something to do with her hands, during the interludes.




Johnny Stew