17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe
Behold the absolute peak of Stevie-dom
BY ROB SHEFFIELD | January 14, 2015

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IT1q7L4QA0A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If you want to make the case for Stevie Nicks as the most powerful American rock singer of the Seventies, here's your Exhibit A. Behold: This insane clip of Fleetwood Mac doing "Rhiannon" on The Midnight Special, 1976. It's the absolute peak of Stevie-dom. Here are 17 reasons why this performance proves Stevie is simply the coolest thing in the universe.

1. Stevie's opening words: "This is a song about an old Welsh witch." Translation: This "Rhiannon" is a totally different beast from the smooth studio version you've heard a million times. This version is the epic.

2. Stevie's hair. Oh, the hair. Beyond feathered. The feathers have feathers.

3. Keep in mind, the audience has no idea who Stevie Nicks is. She and Lindsey just joined Fleetwood Mac last year. These people have heard "Rhiannon" on the radio, but they don't know Stevie's name. They've never seen her rock. Rumours doesn't exist yet. They're probably thinking, "Foxy lady. I think she just said this song is about a sandwich?" They have no idea what they're in for.

4. Sweet kimono, Lindsey. Did Stevie let you tie that sash yourself?

5. The way she wails the line, "You cry, but she's gone." So much hungrier and rawer than the studio version. Stevie is not in mellow mode tonight. She's the new girl in a long-running band, but she's here to blow all that history away. She keeps pushing the song harder, faster, as if she's impatient to prove the new Mac is a real-savage-like rock monster, now that she's finally arrived.

6. Stevie takes two power-twirls — one right before the second verse (1:15), one before the third (1:45). Tonight she needs only two twirls to say it all.

7. Oh, that Lindsey/Stevie eye contact. I have spent years of my life trying to decode that look at 2:36. What is that smile? An erotic glance between two tempestuous lovers, sharing a furtive smile of intimacy in the heat of musical passion? Or maybe John McVie just knocked over somebody's beer?

8. That Stevie/Christine split-screen duet in the third verse. Their harmonies really make you notice how much "Rhiannon" sounds like Nirvana's greatest song, "Heart Shaped Box," except not even Kurt would try to get away with rhyming "darkness" and "darkest."

9. The 360-degree Lindsey-cam action at the 3:10 point — perhaps the finest cinematography of the 1970s to involve an upside-down bearded guitar freak in a kimono. Lindsey steps on his magic pedal and transforms into a Welsh druid.

10. Everybody in the band gets a showcase close-up, even John McVie. As always, he looks like he showed up for a barbecue and was surprised to find a concert going on.

11. Mick Fleetwood has a cowbell, but doesn't bang it, because when you're as cool as Mick Fleetwood, all you need is for the cowbell to sit there and listen to you.

12. Lindsey's ‘fro devours him and spits him out while he plays the Mick Taylor solo from the Rolling Stones' "Bitch" all the way through--twice! The Mac jam like they did in the 1960s with Peter Green, like they did in the early 1970s with Bob Welch and Danny Kirwan — except it's better now, because Stevie wrote the song. They still jam like this onstage in 2015, during Stevie's now-legendary "Crackhead Dance."

13. Stevie's shawl-work during the jam. She doesn't overdo it — she just sways from side to side, lifting her lace chiffon in the air, a black widow weaving her spiderweb. Note: This garment probably now has its own corner of Stevie's private temperature-controlled Shawl Vault.

14. Seriously, that hair. An aviary of white-winged doves, growing out of Stevie's head.

15. This performance happened on June 11th, 1976. One week later, Blake Shelton was born. Coincidence? Probably. But you can hear a hint of Miranda Lambert in Stevie's growl.

16. At the 4:30 point, there's a hush and you think the song is over. (The studio version fades out after barely four minutes.) But it's just beginning. Stevie starts to murmur, "Dreams unwind, love's a state of mind," chanting it over and over, beckoning with her fingers. The music speeds up. She stares through the camera and right into your very soul. She's belting now: "Take me like the wind, baby! Take me with the sky!" Lindsey backs her with a couple of power strums. Total shawl/hair fusion. It's a little scary how intensely Stevie quakes, chanting Rhiannon's name, and you notice how steely she looks under all that black lace. She practically jumps out of her boots for that nine-second final howl, and then — like Rhiannon—she's gone.

17. The studio audience must be in shock. Seven minutes ago, they'd never heard of Stevie Nicks. But tonight they'll be seeing Welsh witches in their dreams. And it's 1976. Stevie is just getting started on her lifelong journey of stealing rock & roll hearts. Dreams unwind. Love's a state of mind.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/17-reasons-this-rhiannon-clip-is-the-coolest-thing-in-the-universe-20150114#ixzz3OpQjJp9C

[chiliD]

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

[twinmatrix]

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

+1 it's like a ballad now.

[soul_drifter333]

That particular version is clear as a bell (through the night) and has the ending that the other version goes to a still shot at. Very nice!

[StreetAngel86]

+1 it's like a ballad now.

bring back any RAL incarnation.
thank you.

[SisterNightroad]

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

Is it this?: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/frm7ocgsbrsfsbs/LosAngeles_1977_05_Rhiannon.mp3
Cool.

[DauphineMarie]

bring back any RAL incarnation.
thank you.

Second this

[rainy_sunday]

It may sound like a cliché but Rhiannon is my all time favourite concert song.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/A_kTZXoabnY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This is the oldest video performance of Rhiannon that we have. It's watermarked and faded but it represents Stevie and Lindsey in their prime. I hope that one day when a boxset of Fleetwood Mac's discography will come this concert will be remastered and released on the white album deluxe edition.

2 Stevie's hair is like Suzie Quatro's.

3 She hasn't developed her stage look now but we can already have some foretaste from her pink/white blouse with butterfly wings.

4 Stevie has pants. bell-bottom high-waist pants.

5 Stevie has feathers in her ears, barely noticeable. Just like Janis Joplin, her inspiration.

6 Her voice is a bit soured, in the early tour she still hadn't learned how to use her voice, but she still puts on a great performance.

7 The song, and Stevie herself, is "unripe" compared to the later rendition but more spontaneous.

8 Mick himself is far from the elegant drummer sir we see on the Rumours tour. And he had a bad hat day.

9 Lindsey is hot with his satin blouse, hair in the air, pretending to have sex with is his guitar.

10 Stevie's Rhiannon dance is already fully developed, and it lasts almost an entire minute.

11 Stevie's lip biting at Stevie 5:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY#t=345)

12 The words that end the studio version, "dreams unwind, love's a state of mind", have only a brief mention and Stevie's ready to rock out.

13 She starts fluttering her bat-wings while Mick and Lindsey head-bang their instruments.

14 Stevie's chord suffers when she screams "please take me with you to the sky", making the performance even more heart-felt.

15 She keeps on screaming and stomping until the end, keeping the pace with the band even with her tired voice.

16 Stevie's last scream "take me like the wind, like the sky" makes her face red.

17 At 7:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY) she throws her head and arm down trailing behind her silk sleeve with an elegant gesture; the song is now over.

[rainy_sunday]

So cool, thanks for that!
Gotta love 70's Stevie...


17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/A_kTZXoabnY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This is the oldest video performance of Rhiannon that we have. It's watermarked and faded but it represents Stevie and Lindsey in their prime. I hope that one day when a boxset of Fleetwood Mac's discography will come this concert will be remastered and released on the white album deluxe edition.
2 Stevie's hair is like Suzie Quatro's.
3 She hasn't developed her stage look now but we can already have some foretaste from her pink/white blouse with butterfly wings.
4 Stevie has pants. bell-bottom high-waist pants.
5 Stevie has feathers in her ears, barely noticeable. Just like Janis Joplin, her inspiration.
6 Her voice is a bit soured, in the early tour she still hadn't learned how to use her voice, but she still puts on a great performance.
7 The song, and Stevie herself, is "unripe" compared to the later rendition but more spontaneous.
8 Mick himself is far from the elegant drummer sir we see on the Rumours tour. And he had a bad hat day.
9 Lindsey is hot with his satin blouse, hair in the air, pretending to have sex with is his guitar.
10 Stevie's Rhiannon dance is already fully developed, and it lasts almost an entire minute.
11 Stevie's lip biting at Stevie 5:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY#t=345)
12 The words that end the studio version, "dreams unwind, love's a state of mind", have only a brief mention and Stevie's ready to rock out.
13 She starts fluttering her bat-wings while Mick and Lindsey head-bang their instruments.
14 Stevie's chord suffers when she screams "please take me with you to the sky", making the performance even more heart-felt.
15 She keeps on screaming and stomping until the end, keeping the pace with the band even with her tired voice.
16 Stevie's last scream "take me like the wind, like the sky" makes her face red.
17 At 7:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY) she throws her head and arm down trailing behind her silk sleeve with an elegant gesture; the song is now over.

[SisterNightroad]

So cool, thanks for that!
Gotta love 70's Stevie...

Thanks!!!

https://i.imgur.com/A4ASYmO.gif

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yFLWKdnxWVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


1 This relatively new video has been retrieved from the vaults of the Paste.com site more or less a year and a half ago, and records a Rhiannon performance from the first tour of the new Fleetwood Mac formation with Buckingham-Nicks. It's black and white but very clear and with a vintage allure. I hope more footage like this from the early days comes out.

2 The performance it's a concentrated of Rhiannon: starts ex-abrupto, right in the middle of Lindsey's guitar solo and your ears are blasted. It's unbelievable that in the Rolling Stone list of the best guitarists of the time he is only 100th.

3 Lindsey is handsome with his beautiful curly hair and silk blouse.

4 Right after we see Christine that's very into the performance. She look gorgeous.

5 The first impression we have of Stevie is that of a graceful shadow bound in very light and see-through fabrics. She's already just captivating.

6 Next her image appears blending perfectly with that of Christine: a beautiful woman dancing with silky butterfly wings.

7 Stevie still performs in her clothes, this is before her Margi Kent uniform. Even so she looks like a mystical legendary creature. Can you believe you could have seen her on the streets dress like this?

8 She starts chanting the same line with very little variations; it's the calm before the storm and her voice gradually becomes higher and stronger

9 We finally see her (beautiful) face. She has closed her eyes savoring the moment that's about to come.

10 The song grows increasingly faster and harder and Stevie, always with closed eyes, repeats the same summoning line moving her fabrics like a shaman.

11 Mick is pounding frantically, keeping the band going.

12 Stevie shouts Rhiannon's name shaking her beautiful hair; she's near her breaking point.

13 Now she completely let go of herself, shaking her hair, stomping her feet, flapping her silks and shouting to 'please be taken to the sky' nearly straining her voice.

14 Stevie almost seem to command the listener to dream on. During a performance like this it's impossible not to dream, she's making her audience dream.

15 Stevie turns her back exausted near the end, and then lean herself on the microphone after a look at the other bandmates. All the band is putting a massive effort.

16 It ends with one last powerful scream and then she collaps with a reference to The Dying Swan.

17 Stevie rises again in a swirl of veils and thanks the audience with crystalline voice. She takes a last bewitching glance at the camera and smiles.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cjx-NL4GlmE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This video is the studio performance of Rhiannon from the famous Rosebud documentary. This track plus Go your own way, You make loving fun and Say you love me should have been recorded live at Santa Barbara along with World Turning and I'm so Afraid, but the proximity of the venue with an airport made it impossible to use the footage as the show had been continuously disturbed by the planes flying. This makes the performance particularly powerful, precise and clear, counterbalancing the absence of the audience that in my opinion makes Stevie performances more fiery.

2 Part of the Rhiannon performed originally at Santa Barbara is visible on the Disney Channel documentary "Going Home" exactly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDqkaUCk_oM#t=228. I always hope some more footage from this comes out.

3 It's 1976, by now Stevie is famous and Rhiannon is a staple song. She grew more confident in singing it and performing it, in this moment Rhiannon is a force of nature.

4 Stevie wears this beautiful Rhiannon dress with a deep V-neck, laces and beads on the cleavage. It's a beautiful dress, captured just this one time on video.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/e1c7f8170be67817068b4daa8478130b/tumblr_mjv4xhOTw51qcaugio9_r1_1280.jpg

5 Her hair is so blonde it reflects light and seems golden.

6 The performance starts particularly slow, but Stevie's vocals are sharp and bright. 1976 is the best year for her voice.

7 Lindsey wears a blue silk kimono, matched with his eyes. Maybe it's a gift from Stevie or maybe he's just a dressy guy, anyway we ladies appreciate it.

8 Christine-Lindsey-Stevie harmonies on the chorus are soft and high, perfectly like the album ones.

9 "Once in a million years a lady like her rises Rhiannon you cry but she's gone" is biting, in anticipation of the approaching ending part of the song.

10 Stevie's lip biting at 2:11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjx-NL4GlmE#t=131)

11 Above all the other's, Christine's harmonies are clear, but sweet, her voice emerges distinct from Lindsey's and Stevie's in the chorus.

12 After chanting like a siren "Taken by the sky" Stevie's roaring "No" prepares the viewer for the fiery end.

13 We have a close-up of John playing his bass. If you hadn't already noticed, you do now: he is effortlessly cool.

14 Stevie does her butterfly-flight dance. She glides and twirls rapidly, closes one wing on herself and then, with her head low down and her arms moving sinuously, starts to walk like a spider, her black veils hanging up from her arms. It's like a methamorphosis and Stevie from lightweight and balletic is becoming misterious and mighty.

15 Quickly the song itself morphes and Stevie starts screaming "dreams unwind love's a state of mind" while her arms twitch under the silks.

16 Mick, filled with tension and excitement, has a mad and fanatic espression, ready to lash back.

17 Stevie tosses her heir and finally explodes while Mick observes pleased: she screams to be taken to the sky extending her arms, her feet stomps and her arms frenetically open and close her black bat wings. Then she grabs at the microphone nearly destroying it and with a spurt of dark fabrics she unleashes in shouts and arms fluttering, culminating in a rasping yell of release with outstretched arms. After that, Stevie turns vehemently preparing for the grand ending: her hand gently brings her veil on the microphone while she does her last voice-shattering cry. John's bass close the effort.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe


<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1J7__XJU44I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This is Fleetwood Mac performing in Philadelphia at the Spectrum on the 21 March 1977, around the 5th concert date. I'll be honest, I don't know how I can pull out 17 good things about it as in this video you almost can't see/hear ****, but it's a rare footage from the start of the Rumours tour and I think it would still be great to see the entirety of the show.

2 Stevie is still at the best of her voice and you can hear her still singing all the high notes and the high part of her harmonies, while later on the tour she switches part with Christine.

3 Fleetwood Mac perform in the dark, I think it would have been awesome to see them at the time with this special atmosphere.

4 We have the first decent close-up at 1:49. Stevie has her signature rumours shaggy hair, apart from here we can see it on video only on the footage from the Paris rehearsals used for the Don't stop and Dreams official video. I'd like to know if more video footage of those rehearsals exists.

5 The scream at 2:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J7__XJU44I#t=172), just like on the White album tour.

6 After that, finally turns on the light, and we can see the rest of the band. At the beginning of the Rumours tour they wore clothes based on a sort of vintage concept, and we can see Lindsey with a Victorian blouse and John wearing a white shirt and a waistcoat. Later on the tour only Stevie and Mick would remain loyal to their stage clothes.

7 At 3:16 we have the first good close-up of Lindsey during his guitar solo in his resplendent shirt.

8 Around 4:25 Stevie reappears from the dark with her arms raised up with her silk wings/sleeves hanging from her hands on her face.

9 After a while it becomes a tiny bit clearer and we can see Stevie's arms covered in her Silver and white stones moving her hair from her face in preparation for the end.

10 We also get to see Christine dressed in white while Stevie passes her for a brief moment during her Rhiannon dance, the only moment of during this part of the song in wich both the ladies are visible.

11 At 5:21 Stevie moves her fingers in an enticing gesture while singing "take me like the wind, baby, take me with the sky"

12 After, Stevie grabs her microphone and the "exorcism" part begins: she screams the same line while looking at the audience all over the place making entice gestures with her arms, one at a time.

13 At 5:48 all the lights are on and Stevie now shouts, glaring in every direction, flapping her silks while moving backwards like preparing for an assault.

14 Now Stevie loses control and wrenches her microphone with her sleeves in every direction and completely throws back her head and hair before finishing the song.

15 After a last pull a the microphone, Stevie closes with a powerful cry: "take me to the sky, dreamer"

16 The song ends with Stevie letting herself fall on her knees with her silk sleeves hanging up her head.

17 The last thing we see is Stevie's nice big thanking smile.

[vivfox]

SisterNightRoad, WOW, I have never seen this video B4. Didn't know it existed and I Loved it.

[SisterNightroad]

SisterNightRoad, WOW, I have never seen this video B4. Didn't know it existed and I Loved it.

http://media.giphy.com/media/i3yBkSizAxJRu/giphy.gif

[bombaysaffires]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yFLWKdnxWVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


1 This relatively new video has been retrieved from the vaults of the Paste.com site more or less a year and a half ago, and records a Rhiannon performance from the first tour of the new Fleetwood Mac formation with Buckingham-Nicks. It's black and white but very clear and with a vintage allure. I hope more footage like this from the early days comes out.

2 The performance it's a concentrated of Rhiannon: starts ex-abrupto, right in the middle of Lindsey's guitar solo and your ears are blasted. It's unbelievable that in the Rolling Stone list of the best guitarists of the time he is only 100th.

3 Lindsey is handsome with his beautiful curly hair and silk blouse.

4 Right after we see Christine that's very into the performance. She look gorgeous.

5 The first impression we have of Stevie is that of a graceful shadow bound in very light and see-through fabrics. She's already just captivating.

6 Next her image appears blending perfectly with that of Christine: a beautiful woman dancing with silky butterfly wings.

7 Stevie still performs in her clothes, this is before her Margi Kent uniform. Even so she looks like a mystical legendary creature. Can you believe you could have seen her on the streets dress like this?

8 She starts chanting the same line with very little variations; it's the calm before the storm and her voice gradually becomes higher and stronger

9 We finally see her (beautiful) face. She has closed her eyes savoring the moment that's about to come.

10 The song grows increasingly faster and harder and Stevie, always with closed eyes, repeats the same summoning line moving her fabrics like a shaman.

11 Mick is pounding frantically, keeping the band going.

12 Stevie shouts Rhiannon's name shaking her beautiful hair; she's near her breaking point.

13 Now she completely let go of herself, shaking her hair, stomping her feet, flapping her silks and shouting to 'please be taken to the sky' nearly straining her voice.

14 Stevie almost seem to command the listener to dream on. During a performance like this it's impossible not to dream, she's making her audience dream.

15 Stevie turns her back exausted near the end, and then lean herself on the microphone after a look at the other bandmates. All the band is putting a masive efffort.

16 It ends with one last powerful scream and then she collaps with a reference to The Dying Swan.

17 Stevie rises again in a swirl of veils and thanks the audience with crystalline voice. She takes a last bewitching glance at the camera and smiles.

wow… I feel like I should lie back and light a cigarette after all that…...:D

[bombaysaffires]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe


<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1J7__XJU44I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This is Fleetwood Mac performing in Philadelphia at the Spectrum on the 21 March 1977, around the 5th concert date. I'll be honest, I don't know how I can pull out 17 good things about it as in this video you almost can't see/hear ****, but it's a rare footage from the start of the Rumours tour and I think it would still be great to see the entirety of the show.

2 Stevie is still at the best of her voice and you can hear her still singing all the high notes and the high part of her harmonies, while later on the tour she switches part with Christine.

3 Fleetwood Mac perform in the dark, I think it would have been awesome to see them at the time with this special atmosphere.

4 We have the first decent close-up at 1:49. Stevie has her signature rumours shaggy hair, apart from here we can see it on video only on the footage from the Paris rehearsals used for the Don't stop and Dreams official video. I'd like to know if more video footage of those rehearsals exists.

5 The scream at 2:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J7__XJU44I#t=172), just like on the White album tour.

6 After that, finally turns on the light, and we can see the rest of the band. At the beginning of the Rumours tour they wore clothes based on a sort of vintage concept, and we can see Lindsey with a Victorian blouse and John wearing a white shirt and a waistcoat. Later on the tour only Stevie and Mick would remain loyal to their stage clothes.

7 At 3:16 we have the first good close-up of Lindsey during his guitar solo in his resplendent shirt.

8 Around 4:25 Stevie reappears from the dark with her arms raised up with her silk wings/sleeves hanging from her hands on her face.

9 After a while it becomes a tiny bit clearer and we can see Stevie's arms covered in her Silver and white stones moving her hair from her face in preparation for the end.

10 We also get to see Christine dressed in white while Stevie passes her for a brief moment during her Rhiannon dance, the only moment of during this part of the song in wich both the ladies are visible.

11 At 5:21 Stevie moves her fingers in an enticing gesture while singing "take me like the wind, baby, take me with the sky"

12 After, Stevie grabs her microphone and the "exorcism" part begins: she screams the same line while looking at the audience all over the place making entice gestures with her arms, one at a time.

13 At 5:48 all the lights are on and Stevie now shouts, glaring in every direction, flapping her silks while moving backwards like preparing for an assault.

14 Now Stevie loses control and wrenches her microphone with her sleeves in every direction and completely throws back her head and hair before finishing the song.

15 After a last pull a the microphone, Stevie closes with a powerful cry: "take me to the sky, dreamer"

16 The song ends with Stevie letting herself fall on her knees with her silk sleeves hanging up her head.

17 The last thing we see is Stevie's nice big thanking smile.

god her voice was so amazing then…….. And Lindsey playing the Les Paul sounds so much more rocking than his Turner. :sorry:

[SisterNightroad]

wow… I feel like I should lie back and light a cigarette after all that…...:D

Yeah, I noticed that too but it was too late to go back on my literary effort.
At least it's "still a better story than Twilight". Or should I say "still a better story than 50 shades"?

god her voice was so amazing then…….. And Lindsey playing the Les Paul sounds so much more rocking than his Turner.

I agree that that concert was special, if you're interested the Ivory keys site has recently posted an upgraded bootleg of this show: http://stevienicksivorykeys.blogspot.it/2014/12/live-03211977-spectrum-philadelphia-pa.html

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe


<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xPc-NpoVwvQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This video doesn't need a presentation, it's the famous "Rumours tour" concert filmed by Warner on the 5th of December 1977 at the Tokyo Budokan. Fleetwood Mac, especially Stevie after vocal chord surgery, in Japan weren't at the top of their game but this performances are still special and raw. The Budokan, the most special concert place in the east, is said to bring out the best in musicians, and many musicians include it among their favorite venues. It was born as a palace for martial arts but when in 1966, in absence of another possible place, had to house the Tokyo Beatles concert, the sport building become concert place. If you want to read the interesting history of the Nippon Budokan, you can find it here: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/budokan-venue/

2 Stevie makes her entrance walking slowly with her arms wrapped around herself, enveloped in her black silk sleeves and with her soar voice pronounces: "This is a song about a... a good witch..."

3 A gold light illuminates Stevie's face: she's particularly gorgeous with her Robert Plant-like hair, she's a "Golden goddess".

4 In this performance she dropped all the high notes, but what lacks in virtuosism is compensated in charm and charisma, singing sultrily with her eyes closed and covered in a see-through black silk veil.

5 The spirited look she has at 2:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=132

6 And again at 2:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=161

7 Her sweet bewitching harmonies on the chorus.

8 When the lights switch to red it's the clue that Stevie is about to switch from golden to fiery goddess; she starts bringing out the power in her voice.

9 I think we all know from whose closet Lindsey's hawaiian shirt comes... nice solo anyway.

10 From the bootlegs I can hear that the band's playing during the Japan tour was harder, heavier, maybe because around that time Lindsey started to be interested in punk-rock. Anyway musically the Japan shows are my favourites.

11 Under the red light Stevie unfolds her wings-arms one at a time and starts her magic: during Christine and Lindsey's interlude twirls faster and faster, never tiring, until she stops abruptly and moves forward with her head down, always swinging her silks.

12 She stops with her arms in the air and the veils falling covering her face and starts making unearthly sounds. She starts twitching her arms gradually lowering them, and uncovers her hair first, then her face. Now we can see her beautiful face again.

13 With outstretched wings-like arms, Stevie begins howling "Dreams unwind love is hard to find" in trance, letting her velvet top lower in the meanwhile.

14 Now Stevie prepares for her big end: she tosses her silk sleeves away and frames her face with her open hands sideways, always with closed eyes.

15 Stevie finally grabs her microphone and her voice becomes biting. She bends her knees caressing her hair and lets go: "golden, emerald, satin" making enticing gestures with her fingers.

16 The end is near and Stevie, all over her microphone, starts pushing over the limits of her voice and slowly rising while chanting "all the same, all the same, Rhiannon" over and over.

17 She throws her hand open in the hair and, during the last dream on scream, she closes her fist and lets herself fall like the dying swan.

[snroxman]

bring back any RAL incarnation.
thank you.

Absolutely!! RAL era Rhiannon just ... has so much excitement. I count myself as very fortunate to have experienced this era in person. :)

[olive]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe


<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xPc-NpoVwvQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This video doesn't need a presentation, it's the famous "Rumours tour" concert filmed by Warner on the 5th of December 1977 at the Tokyo Budokan. Fleetwood Mac, especially Stevie after vocal chord surgery, in Japan weren't at the top of their game but this performances are still special and raw. The Budokan, the most special concert place in the east, that is said to bring out the best in musicians, and many musicians consider include it among their favorite venues. It was born as a palace for martial arts but when in 1966, in absence of another possible place, had to house the Tokyo Beatles concert, the sport building become concert place. If you want to read the interesting history of the Nippon Budokan, you can find it here: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/budokan-venue/

2 Stevie makes her entrance walking slowly with her arms wrapped around herself, enveloped in her black silk sleeves and with her soar voice pronounces: "This is a song about a... a good witch..."

3 A gold light illuminates Stevie's face: she's particularly gorgeous with her Robert Plant-like hair, she's a "Golden goddess".

4 In this performance she dropped all the high notes, but what lacks in virtuosism is compensated in charm and charisma, singing sultrily with her eyes closed and covered in a see-through black silk veil.

5 The spirited look she has at 2:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=132

6 And again at 2:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=161

7 Her sweet bewitching harmonies on the chorus.

8 When the lights switch to red it's the clue that Stevie is about to switch from golden to fiery goddess; she starts bringing out the power in her voice.

9 I think we all know from whose closet Lindsey's hawaiian shirt comes... nice solo anyway.

10 From the bootlegs I can hear that the band's playing during the Japan tour was harder, heavier, maybe because around that time Lindsey started to be interested in punk-rock. Anyway musically the Japan shows are my favourites.

11 Under the red light Stevie unfolds her wings-arms one at a time and starts her magic: during Christine and Lindsey's interlude twirls faster and faster, never tiring, until she stops abruptly and moves forward with her head down, always swinging her silks.

12 She stops with her arms in the air and the veils falling covering her face and starts making unearthly sounds. She starts twitching her arms gradually lowering them, and uncovers her hair first, then her face. Now we can see her beautiful face again.

13 With outstretched wings-like arms, Stevie begins howling "Dreams unwind love is hard to find" in trance, letting her velvet top lower in the meanwhile.

14 Now Stevie prepares for her big end: she tosses her silk sleeves away and frames her face with her open hands sideways, always with closed eyes.

15 Stevie finally grabs her microphone and her voice becomes biting. She bends her knees caressing her hair and lets go: "golden, emerald, satin" making enticing gestures with her fingers.

16 The end is near and Stevie, all over her microphone, starts pushing over the limits of her voice and slowly rising while chanting "all the same, all the same, Rhiannon" over and over.

17 She throws her hand open in the hair and, during the last dream on scream, she closes her fist and lets herself fall like the dying swan.



she's really high , there are tv cameras on her ( she always performs best when she's being filmed ) it's been a while but I believe the dress is on display in the Hard Rock in Boston

[SisterNightroad]

she's really high , there are tv cameras on her ( she always performs best when she's being filmed ) it's been a while but I believe the dress is on display in the Hard Rock in Boston
In Japan the band didn't have access on drugs so she wasn't high. Maybe she was stoned.
I knew this dress was on the Rock n roll hall of fame museum.

[rainy_sunday]

One word: wow! I've seen this before but I love your analysis. This version is really heavenly...


17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe


<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xPc-NpoVwvQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This video doesn't need a presentation, it's the famous "Rumours tour" concert filmed by Warner on the 5th of December 1977 at the Tokyo Budokan. Fleetwood Mac, especially Stevie after vocal chord surgery, in Japan weren't at the top of their game but this performances are still special and raw. The Budokan, the most special concert place in the east, is said to bring out the best in musicians, and many musicians include it among their favorite venues. It was born as a palace for martial arts but when in 1966, in absence of another possible place, had to house the Tokyo Beatles concert, the sport building become concert place. If you want to read the interesting history of the Nippon Budokan, you can find it here: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/budokan-venue/

2 Stevie makes her entrance walking slowly with her arms wrapped around herself, enveloped in her black silk sleeves and with her soar voice pronounces: "This is a song about a... a good witch..."

3 A gold light illuminates Stevie's face: she's particularly gorgeous with her Robert Plant-like hair, she's a "Golden goddess".

4 In this performance she dropped all the high notes, but what lacks in virtuosism is compensated in charm and charisma, singing sultrily with her eyes closed and covered in a see-through black silk veil.

5 The spirited look she has at 2:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=132

6 And again at 2:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc-NpoVwvQ#t=161

7 Her sweet bewitching harmonies on the chorus.

8 When the lights switch to red it's the clue that Stevie is about to switch from golden to fiery goddess; she starts bringing out the power in her voice.

9 I think we all know from whose closet Lindsey's hawaiian shirt comes... nice solo anyway.

10 From the bootlegs I can hear that the band's playing during the Japan tour was harder, heavier, maybe because around that time Lindsey started to be interested in punk-rock. Anyway musically the Japan shows are my favourites.

11 Under the red light Stevie unfolds her wings-arms one at a time and starts her magic: during Christine and Lindsey's interlude twirls faster and faster, never tiring, until she stops abruptly and moves forward with her head down, always swinging her silks.

12 She stops with her arms in the air and the veils falling covering her face and starts making unearthly sounds. She starts twitching her arms gradually lowering them, and uncovers her hair first, then her face. Now we can see her beautiful face again.

13 With outstretched wings-like arms, Stevie begins howling "Dreams unwind love is hard to find" in trance, letting her velvet top lower in the meanwhile.

14 Now Stevie prepares for her big end: she tosses her silk sleeves away and frames her face with her open hands sideways, always with closed eyes.

15 Stevie finally grabs her microphone and her voice becomes biting. She bends her knees caressing her hair and lets go: "golden, emerald, satin" making enticing gestures with her fingers.

16 The end is near and Stevie, all over her microphone, starts pushing over the limits of her voice and slowly rising while chanting "all the same, all the same, Rhiannon" over and over.

17 She throws her hand open in the hair and, during the last dream on scream, she closes her fist and lets herself fall like the dying swan.

[SisterNightroad]

One word: wow! I've seen this before but I love your analysis. This version is really heavenly...

http://media0.giphy.com/media/kai9NaIopYWe4/giphy.gif

[DauphineMarie]

In Japan the band didn't have access on drugs so she wasn't high. Maybe she was stoned.
I knew this dress was on the Rock n roll hall of fame museum.

I think that was during the Tusk Tour, because it was right after Paul McCartney was arrested in 1980 in Tokyo.

Either way, this is my favourite performance of Rhiannon Ever, and I had never figured out the words when she said "golden, emerald, satin." I always thought it was "go and, send her, end her, send her, go on, end her, send her"... HAUNTING

[pryderi]

That totally solidifies her queen of rock and roll status!

[SisterNightroad]

I think that was during the Tusk Tour, because it was right after Paul McCartney was arrested in 1980 in Tokyo.

Either way, this is my favourite performance of Rhiannon Ever, and I had never figured out the words when she said "golden, emerald, satin." I always thought it was "go and, send her, end her, send her, go on, end her, send her"... HAUNTING
I'm not sure about what she says at 100% but I totally can hear her say "Golden", then thinking about the Three birds of Rhiannon where she says that one is golden, one emerald green and one snow white I figured it was one of her ad-libs merging from other songs. I asked a lot of time ago to Gold dust Stevie for her opinion and she gave me that answer, so I think it's the one.

[DauphineMarie]

I'm not sure about what she says at 100% but I totally can hear her say "Golden", then thinking about the Three birds of Rhiannon where she says that one is golden, one emerald green and one snow white I figured it was one of her ad-libs merging from other songs. I asked a lot of time ago to Gold dust Stevie for her opinion and she gave me that answer, so I think it's the one.

I think this is right. This makes so much more sense lol. Thank you for clearing this up!

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0hiAtGzOnHs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This performance was recorded in November 1977 at the Sydney Rockarena. 4 years ago the Outside Broadcast supervisor of the concert has drawn out from his personal vaults this never been seen on TV performance along with Oh well, You make loving fun and Go your own way. He had promised to post the rest of the concert but for some reason stopped; I hope someone else will post the rest because this show has both very good quality and performance.

2 The author of the video specified that the audio comes from two shotgun microphones placed at the speaker towers because the crew was not allowed to take an audio feed from the desk. This explains why the sound isn't crisp clear but rather muffled and raw, but it also means that the audio is exactly as you could have heard live the night of the concert.

3 This is towards the end of the Rumours tour, Stevie's voice is quite worn out but she still sings with much passion and puts in a massive effort, like all the others band members.

4 Stevie is gorgeous as always, and she wears this particularly beautiful black Rhiannon striped dress. This dress had never been captured on video before, and there aren't even a lot of live picture of it on the internet, so this video is special.
http://40.media.tumblr.com/080b0070ff4ed5a2d9d07cac07b96346/tumblr_n6aeubsNYK1tziohao1_500.png

5 The wind that night blew strongly, giving an added flavour to Stevie's performance, moving her soft ruffled waves and lifting her silks in every direction. In an interview she stated that she developed her style also thinking about her audience, prefering fabrics that enhance big movements that you can see from afar and that with the wind can look even more wonderful. This is that kind of performance.

6 Stevie's voice on the "Rhiannon" armonies is still strong and high; this is before the Japan tour and right before her vocal chords breakdown. Even if her voice isn't at top form, you can hear her put in a massive effort.

7 Her glaring at the camera at 2:25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hiAtGzOnHs#t=145

8 The beautiful close-up at 2:46, with the golden green light enlighting her skin, making her look a beautiful spatial creature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hiAtGzOnHs#t=166

9 the silks flying at 3:05 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hiAtGzOnHs#t=185

10 When Stevie starts singing "Taken by the sky" with her hand grasping the microphone and her sleeves hanging down, twitched by the wind, you hear her tone changing and becoming gradually more powerful, until the final explosive No.

11 Stevie temporarily exit the scene: we see a flashy close-up of Christine dressed in a luscious red blouse and then the scene switch to Lindsey, in his attractive indian blouse, playing manically his guitar solo shaking his hair.

12 Stevie begins to slowly rotate her veil kept between her fingers while the calm descends. She gradually starts to rotate herself and, when the rythm escalates, she spreads both her black silk wings and twirls increasingly faster under the light that now has turned red.

13 Stevie suddenly stops; the wind now rushes and, with an ecstatic look on her face, she makes her hair and her silks blow in the wind while Lindsey strums. Now Stevie turns her back and flutters her black sleeves at the rithm of John's bass, slowly making her way to the microphone.

14 With her arms up in the sky and her veils down overlaying her, she roars at lenght while the wind enticingly twitch her silk fabrics, uncovering her face one part at a time. She sings "Dreams unwind love's a state of mind" over and over, with her arms progressively opening and the light changing from purple to red, gold and then green, when she finally belts "Love is hard to find" with her head thrown back.

15 "Take me like the wind, baby, take me with the sky" Stevie beckons with her hand and then she pulls up her microphone and begins chanting "All the same" bending on her knees, green-lit at the start of her "Rhiannon rage": she completely bends her knees and open her hands like claws toward the audience, first to the right, then to the left and lastly she claws upwards while crouching down.

16 Stevie demands "Take me to the sky" with a sinuous hand gesture, continuing to sing like she wants to eat the microphone. Slowly rising, she stares at the audience with fiery eyes, rithmically opening and closing her hand along her "Dream on" screams.

17 Now exhausted, Stevie collapse on her side with her arm still on the microphone's stand waiting for her last moment. Mick is frantically beating the drums, we hear her last cry while she slowly appears on the screen with her strained face and abandons the microphone stand. Mick closes the song, Stevie rises to thank the audience in a swirl of black.

[olive]

maybe while were bombarding her social media with the Question : are you recording with Fleetwood Mac , we should add these old videos so she can see that she once varied her wardrobe before she was "branded " and had to appear in public exactly the same as not to confuse her fans

[olive]

Well, I have to admit even I have had enough of that god-awful flouncy top but I think if Stevie really knew that we are demanding that she starts recording with the band right away or that she begins wearing new fashionable clothes to please her fans she would get pissed off and do right the opposite.

if that were the case why are you not bombarding her with it on her twitter , face book , &
instagram . instead of the speculative bull sh!t here ?

[Hawkeye]

Than you for posting all of these incredible Rhiannon's. That last one from Austrailia is 100 percent new to me. It's crazy how much with that hairstyle stevie looks identical in 1977 as she currently does. Obviously there are more wrinkles in her face but other then that she looks the same. She made the same faces during SOTM. As she is in that video

[SisterNightroad]

Than you for posting all of these incredible Rhiannon's. That last one from Austrailia is 100 percent new to me. It's crazy how much with that hairstyle stevie looks identical in 1977 as she currently does. Obviously there are more wrinkles in her face but other then that she looks the same. She made the same faces during SOTM. As she is in that video

Thank YOU. I love that video too. I'd love to see Gold dust woman from that show, it's a pity that the man who posted it sort of disappeared. I hope someone else that has the recording one day will share the whole concert.
Stevie aged very naturally, the proof is that she still looks good without make-up.

[olive]

[QUOTE=SisterNightroad;1160058] I simply answered ironically.
/QUOTE]

so did i :rolleyes:

[SisterNightroad]

[QUOTE=SisterNightroad;1160058] I simply answered ironically.
/QUOTE]

so did I :rolleyes:

Oh, I'm sorry, I just didn't want this:

http://media.giphy.com/media/3xz2BKYgL6vOnSzLk4/giphy.gif

[olive]

[QUOTE=olive;1160068]

Oh, I'm sorry, I just didn't want this:

http://media.giphy.com/media/3xz2BKYgL6vOnSzLk4/giphy.gif

you had me confuse with the others
;)

[Aussie W/Heart]

Thank you for posting this awesome series of Rhiannon clips, especially this one :thumbsup: I went to their Melbourne Rock arena concert, & lucky to of made it all the way to the front. It was fantastic!!!

[SisterNightroad]

Thank you for posting this awesome series of Rhiannon clips, especially this one :thumbsup: I went to their Melbourne Rock arena concert, & lucky to of made it all the way to the front. It was fantastic!!!
You're welcome!
http://replygif.net/i/346.gif

Do you remember something of your experience?

[teedeerocks]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yFLWKdnxWVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


1 This relatively new video has been retrieved from the vaults of the Paste.com site more or less a year and a half ago, and records a Rhiannon performance from the first tour of the new Fleetwood Mac formation with Buckingham-Nicks. It's black and white but very clear and with a vintage allure. I hope more footage like this from the early days comes out.

2 The performance it's a concentrated of Rhiannon: starts ex-abrupto, right in the middle of Lindsey's guitar solo and your ears are blasted. It's unbelievable that in the Rolling Stone list of the best guitarists of the time he is only 100th.

3 Lindsey is handsome with his beautiful curly hair and silk blouse.

4 Right after we see Christine that's very into the performance. She look gorgeous.

5 The first impression we have of Stevie is that of a graceful shadow bound in very light and see-through fabrics. She's already just captivating.

6 Next her image appears blending perfectly with that of Christine: a beautiful woman dancing with silky butterfly wings.

7 Stevie still performs in her clothes, this is before her Margi Kent uniform. Even so she looks like a mystical legendary creature. Can you believe you could have seen her on the streets dress like this?

8 She starts chanthe same line with very little variations; it's the calm before the storm and her voice gradually becomes higher and stronger

9 We finally see her (beautiful) face. She has closed her eyes savoring the moment that's about to come.ting

10 The song grows increasingly faster and harder and Stevie, always with closed eyes, repeats the same summoning line moving her fabrics like a shaman.

11 Mick is pounding frantically, keeping the band going.

12 Stevie shouts Rhiannon's name shaking her beautiful hair; she's near her breaking point.

13 Now she completely let go of herself, shaking her hair, stomping her feet, flapping her silks and shouting to 'please be taken to the sky' nearly straining her voice.

14 Stevie almost seem to command the listener to dream on. During a performance like this it's impossible not to dream, she's making her audience dream.

15 Stevie turns her back exausted near the end, and then lean herself on the microphone after a look at the other bandmates. All the band is putting a massive effort.

16 It ends with one last powerful scream and then she collaps with a reference to The Dying Swan.

17 Stevie rises again in a swirl of veils and thanks the audience with crystalline voice. She takes a last bewitching glance at the camera and smiles.

Not to sound perverted or anything,but this really sounds like the big "O".I have often wondered if that has ever happened to her onstage because she is so in the moment:shrug::sorry:.Now THAT would be a great question to ask at a Q &A:o....

[SisterNightroad]

Not to sound perverted or anything,but this really sounds like the big "O".I have often wondered if that has ever happened to her onstage because she is so in the moment:shrug::sorry:.Now THAT would be a great question to ask at a Q &A:o....
Would you really have the gut to ask her if she's ever had an orgasm on stage?
Yeah, Bombaysapphires even said "I feel like I should lie back and light a cigarette after all that".
Sometimes I think I should really get a boyfriend.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yz5h3g-_N9w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This performance takes place at the Capitol Centre of Largo in the August 1978, during the "Penguin Country Summer Safari Tour". This is probably the worst quality video we have but it still portrays a great show. This Youtube channel uploaded most of the circulating videos of the show, I hope some new will be pulled out sooner or later: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDivt9LpehQ1JnTd384aUtw/videos

2 The 1978 summer tour happens after that Fleetwood Mac have started the recording of the Tusk album in the early 1978. They test new material on the tour, namely Sisters of the moon, but also the new Lindsey's musical influences start to show themselves in a new way playing: this tour has a rougher, harder sound than the Rumours tour.

3 Stevie starts the song in an unusual way: "This is a song about a lady from Wales".

4 In this period Stevie changed style because she was suspected of witchcraft; I personally love her style during this period because Stevie's wardrobe shone with colors: violet and burgundy shawls with golden arabesque patterns, white, red, pale-blue and pink dresses and multicolors scarves. This is the first time in video that Stevie doesn't wear a black Rhiannon dress: the video doesn't permit to discern, she could be wearing her white, pink, pale-blue or red dress with her white or black feathered head-dress.
http://40.media.tumblr.com/e44afb380966ac7ee578307a1f993c04/tumblr_mnm98abw9p1qcaugio3_500.jpg http://41.media.tumblr.com/2b0f1175f3b6ab3d77a0cf0562e7b0a6/tumblr_mnm98abw9p1qcaugio1_500.jpg

5 Stevie whistles her armonies on the Rhiannon chorus instead of singing them, just as during the Tusk tour. During this tour, and also for the Majority of the Tusk tour Stevie's voice suffered and started to drastically change: she couldn't reach her highest notes anymore and tried to force her voice down during her live performances. A Rolling Stone review of their 1978 Philadelphia show stated: "the band is better off in concert when she shuts her mouth and whirls around the stage. Nicks sounded consistently weak vocally and apparently uninterested in the old material. Whole sections of the show, especially the one starting with "Dreams," were ruined by her lackluster vocals. She had to be saved repeatedly by Christine McVie’s backup harmonies, which were embarrassingly more tuneful and responsive to the arrangements than Nicks’."

6 "Rhiannon you cry but she's gone and your life knows no promise, still your life it's haunted" at 2:16 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz5h3g-_N9w#t=136)

7 For the first time Lindsey is portrayed in video with short hair. This will become his signature Tusk look.

8 Lindsey's guitar solo is a taste of his future Tusk Rhiannons, with a preference for distorted sounds over the clean and melodic sounds of the Rumours tour.

9 Stevie begins her Rhiannon dance, this time flapping her silk sleeves one after another and then adding a twirl. With her back to the audience, she spreads her silk wings and lets the wind wave them.

10 Now Stevie turns again to face the audience; with her head down, slowly rising while fluctuating her veils, she starts her chant, even if a little out of tune: "Dreams unwind love's a state of mind..."

11 Stevie progressively opens her arms unveiling her face and singing ponderously. Nonetheless she keeps going with a genuine smile on her face ready to unleash her Rhiannon rage.

12 Stevie grabs her microphone, chanting while stomping her feet, and then crouches, pointing in every direction while shrieking: "All the same...all the same, Rhiannon"

13 Now Stevie slowly rises, throwing one of her sleeves behind her back and screaming while beckoning at the sky with her hand: "Emerald, golden, cold white, take me with you to the sky"

14 During her last, long, fatigued cry, Stevie lift her arms above her head opening them wide.

15 Rapidly Stevie takes off her feathered headdress and rotates it in the air with a roar.

16 Mick marks the end of the song with his drum roll, and Stevie makes herself fall on the floor graciously while twirling the haiddress in her hand in the air .

17 When she raises, Stevie thanks the public with a deep bow that shakes her long hair.

[teedeerocks]

Would you really have the gut to ask her if she's ever had an orgasm on stage?
Yeah, Bombaysapphires even said "I feel like I should lie back and light a cigarette after all that".
Sometimes I think I should really get a boyfriend.

To answer your question -NO WAY would I ask her about the big "O"!It was just a thought.....Plus I'm sure she would have a few choice words for me - I can hear her now -"Who in the f**k do you think you are?Where do you get the balls?!"And I would ask her "Would you say that to Bob Dylan?";)BTW,I think I need to get a little friend too:nod:

[SisterNightroad]

To answer your question -NO WAY would I ask her about the big "O"!It was just a thought.....Plus I'm sure she would have a few choice words for me - I can hear her now -"Who in the f**k do you think you are?Where do you get the balls?!"And I would ask her "Would you say that to Bob Dylan?";)BTW,I think I need to get a little friend too:nod:
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5fbe6Pcbg1qcb58yo1_500.gif

[SisterNightroad]

13 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JwJY-2SAHrA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This very short Rhiannon is from the Los Angeles Tusk Tour Rehearsals held the 19 October 1979. The footage is cut at the end but is a good quality recording with some good close-ups.

2 The performance in itself is not outstanding but it is interesting as it shows the band in a close and neat studio setting without the disturbances of the live setting.

3 This performance is very similar to the first performances of the Tusk Tour but it lacks that sort of edginess that Rhiannon will gain especially during 1980. It's an interesting piece of evidence of the band's sound evolution during the Tusk period.

4 Stevie is showing the first symptoms of the vocal strain that will affect her for big part of the Tusk Tour.

5 In this video Stevie wears the shawl that in 2013 gave to Lily Rabe/Misty Day on American Horror Story: Coven. It's not so easy to distinguish especially the colors, but looking closely we can see the flower pattern has the same forms.
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/2-07-2015/O2uDWP.gif http://images.tenplay.com.au/~/media/TV%20Shows/ELEVEN/American%20Horror%20Story/Galleries/Coven%20Episode%2010/AHS_Coven_Ep10_5.jpg

6 "She rings a bell like a bell through the night" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwJY-2SAHrA#t=28

7 In this video we have the first taste of the "Tusk bun". Maybe not everyone knows that this was once deemed the Best rock female hairdo, " Curly short bangs fronting a giant bun. That single hairstyle embodied late 1970s America, from disco to the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment it was party in front, suffragist in back"

8 The incitement hand gesture she does at 0:56 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwJY-2SAHrA#t=56) towards Lindsey or Mick, like saying "keep it up!".

9 After the instigation Stevie sings livelier and even starts stomping her legs adorably one after the other.

10 We also have a first glimpse of Lindsey's definitive Tusk look; the hair was already short for the 1978 tour but now he wears sartorial pants and a blue shirt matching the color of his eyes. Probably I'm one of the few ladies that favours his look during the Tusk period, but I really find Lindsey more attractive with short hair and a handssome suit. In fact I find any man more attractive with a suit. I hate the make-up he did on most of the 1980 dates though.

11 Stevie-Christine intense eye action at 2:05 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwJY-2SAHrA#t=125)

12 Stevie's sensuous swinging motion after that she turns again forward.

13 Stevie's leaning down, preparing for the shout that precedes Lindsey's guitar solo, right before the video shuts down.

[bombaysaffires]

3 Stevie starts the song in an unusual way: "This is a song about a lady from Whales".

She's started the song this way before.

I never knew Rhiannon was a whale. I just thought she was Welsh. :shrug:

:woohoo:

[SisterNightroad]

3 Stevie starts the song in an unusual way: "This is a song about a lady from Whales".

She's started the song this way before.

I never knew Rhiannon was a whale. I just thought she was Welsh. :shrug:

:woohoo:
Oh yeah, it was Wales.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K-F5iCSHYjE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This rare video is from the second day of the Tusk Tour rehearsals, the 20 October 1979, also known as "Dress rehearsals". I find it interesting because it offers a valuable insight of the band's work behind the performance of the songs. Other videos from this day are here: https://www.youtube.com/user/nicksaddict07/videos

2 The video is blurry but the sound compensates for it. The overall quality of the video is inferior to the previous day's rehearsals, but I prefer these ones because Stevie wears the Rhiannon dress and her voice is noticeably better.

3 Around 0:52 the band loses track of the song with a playful remark from Stevie: "Ah ah... well not that funny was it?" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-F5iCSHYjE#t=55)

4 "She rules her life like a high skylark" ad-lib at 1:33 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-F5iCSHYjE#t=93), like during the Tusk Tour.

5 Similarly as during the late part of the Rumours Tour, Stevie sings "your life knows no promise" and whistles the chorus harmonies.

6 At around 3:55 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-F5iCSHYjE#t=235) the lights switch on and the camera gets slightly closer; we can see better the entirety of the band.

7 After Lindsey's guitar solo, begins Stevie's Rhiannon dance; it's just a faint flutter of sleeves but is noticeable as Stevie moves her arms one after another and then twirls in a repetitive sequence.

8 While reaching the centre of the stage, Stevie's dance gets barely more visible: she's coreographing various graceful ballet sequences with her arms wrapped in her silk sleeves.

9 As she gets to the microphone, Stevie bows down and swirls her wings ahead and around. Then she rises up again and lifts her arms are above her head, briefly still in silence.

10 Stevie groans and begins her chant, lowering her arms: "dreams unwind love's a state of mind...dreams unwind love is hard to find...I know"

11 Stevie is ponderously bringing out the power in her voice while flapping strongly her silk sleeve "Take me like the wind baby, take me with the sky..."

12 Stevie hastily turns her back and then grabs the microphone; tapping her foot she chants hauntingly "all the same, all the same Rhiannon" gradually louder.

13 Flexing her legs, Stevie finally starts screaming and spreading her knees, glaring at every direction until, finally, the stage lights up again.

14 Stevie's now stomping: "all your dreams unwind but your love's a state of mind...all your dreams unwind baby it's still a state of mind" when she suddenly spins around.

15 Stevie grabs again the microphone stand with a swirl of her sleeve and crouches, twitching her arm back and forth. The silks float following her movements as she rages: "Dream on, you're a dreamer...don't you try hard, oh try to leave her..."

16 The song ends with of one of my favourite ad-libs: "dream away, stay away, stay away, stay away..."

17 Stevie waits for the ending notes swaying in her silks; after her last strenuous cry waves her silks in semicircular movements while making herself fall on the ground.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K3pOCBO4ndE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This Rhiannon was performed in Largo the 25 November 1979 at the Capital Centre. The show took place one month after the start of the Tusk Tour on the 26 October 1979, and 2 weeks and a half after the Tusk documentary concert, held the 6th of November at the Checker Dome in St. Louis (that would be a Rhiannon to see). TheSuperFleetwoodMac also revamped from this show Go your own way, Sara and Sisters of the moon and you can find them on his channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSuperfleetwoodmac/videos.

2 Fleetwood Mac had still a fresh and passionate delivery. They admitted in interviews that the first shows of a new tour are the best because, traveling and performing for prolonged times, they progressively get bored.

3 Stevie's voice then had lost a part of her range but gained that particular fragile raspy sound that marks the Tusk Tour. Soon during 1979 her voice suffered great damage both due to her overtiring concert schedule and heavy amount of cocaine usage, and it hadn't returned the same ever again. However between the end of that year and the start of 1980 she went to a otolaryngologist and recovered enough to go on with the tour.

4 The band still performs the song in a clean and proper way compared with the 1980 performances wherein the band improvised heavily and sounded much rawer.

5 I love the way Stevie looks during this tour: the chestnut brown hair, the Tusk bun, the shawls and jackets specific for each song and the many new colors of her wardrobe. Here she wears her grey-blue Rhiannon dress, worn for the first time in 1978:
http://40.media.tumblr.com/cc285bde2f4022f32fbf1aed7c088cf0/tumblr_mjvj0dtS7a1qcaugio2_1280.jpg

6 Stevie's harmonies on the Rhiannon chorus feel like ghost whispers.

7 The "taken by the wind" lyrics switch at 3:05 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3pOCBO4ndE#t=185)

8 "Taken by surprise": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3pOCBO4ndE#t=198

9 The powerful spin Stevie takes after her denial scream.

10 Stevie begins her butterfly flight in the dark. All we can see is a suggestive but just visible flutter of silk fabrics while Christine and John jams.

11 Stevie starts growling, holding her arms over her head with her sleeves draping and fluttering in front of her face. Then she slowly lowers them and simply puts her veiled hands on the microphone repeating her old chant, this time highlighting each line with an haunting "I know".

12 After a powerful "take me like the wind baby take me with the sky...", rapidly gets away in a silk vortex and comes back at the microphone flapping her wings. With her hands wrapped in voile she sings religiously under the red light: "all the same...all the same, Rhiannon...all your dreams unwind but your love's a state of mind"

13 The spotlight is turned on and Stevie unleashes her Rhiannon Rage: she slightly bends down and glares with fiery eyes, shaking her clenched hand, pointing her finger and screaming "dream on, you silly dreamer, would you try hard? you can't leave her..."

14 The band plays roughly, while Stevie improvises fiercely, building musical tension: "no, your love doesn't unwind and your love's not a state of mind, I know". Both these two elements will be taken to the extreme during the latter part of the Tusk tour, in 1980, whose climax for me is the Rotterdam performance.

15 The camera rapidly shoots up close Stevie's and John's face. Stevie stomps her feet and jabs at the audience. She gesture at herself with her hand like a claw "try on, try on, try..." before spinning away with an exhausted look on her face.

16 Stevie comes back, leans her hands on the microphone with her long sleeves hanging down and belts out her last words: "so long..."

17 After a last twirl, she collapse on the floor shaking her sleeves over her head and bending her knees to finally curl up wrapped in her fabrics.

[Hawkeye]

this is incredible what your doing with chronicling the greates and most intrestingly evolving live song in fleetwood macs history. and your accomonying analysis is right on too.

The Largo 78 Rhiannon has long been one of my favorites if not my vey favorite live Rhiannon ever. But that 79 version also from largo is new to me. and while a lot of that version is sub par and parts of it would get better later in the tusk tour, that piano playing by christine is unbelievably hypnotic, maybe the most hypnotic ive ever heard.

[SisterNightroad]

this is incredible what your doing with chronicling the greates and most intrestingly evolving live song in fleetwood macs history. and your accomonying analysis is right on too.

The Largo 78 Rhiannon has long been one of my favorites if not my vey favorite live Rhiannon ever. But that 79 version also from largo is new to me. and while a lot of that version is sub par and parts of it would get better later in the tusk tour, that piano playing by christine is unbelievably hypnotic, maybe the most hypnotic ive ever heard.
Thank you, it's nice to be acknowledged!
I try to be as objective as possible describing the feel I get from every performance but with my lack of technical knowledge of instruments is difficult.
It's true, Christine's playing is particuarly compelling in this performance, especially in the jam part after Lindsey's guitar solo.
Also in this video in which Tusk morphes into a blues jam you can see Christine is a natural Blues player: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6XMffcXjuk

[teedeerocks]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K3pOCBO4ndE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This Rhiannon was performed in Largo the 25 November 1979 at the Capital Centre. The show took place one month after the start of the Tusk Tour on the 26 October 1979, and 2 weeks and a half after the Tusk documentary concert, held the 6th of November at the Checker Dome in St. Louis (that would be a Rhiannon to see). TheSuperFleetwoodMac also revamped from this show Go your own way, Sara and Sisters of the moon and you can find them on his channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSuperfleetwoodmac/videos.

2 Fleetwood Mac had still a fresh and passionate delivery. They admitted in interviews that the first shows of a new tour are the best because, traveling and performing for prolonged times, they progressively get bored.

3 Stevie's voice then had lost a part of her range but gained that particular fragile raspy sound that marks the Tusk Tour. Soon during 1979 her voice suffered great damage both due to her overtiring concert schedule and heavy amount of cocaine usage, and it hadn't returned the same ever again. However between the end of that year and the start of 1980 she went to a otolaryngologist and recovered enough to go on with the tour.

4 The band still performs the song in a clean and proper way compared with the 1980 performances wherein the band improvised heavily and sounded much rawer.

5 I love the way Stevie looks during this tour: the chestnut brown hair, the Tusk bun, the shawls and jackets specific for each song and the many new colors of her wardrobe. Here she wears her grey-blue Rhiannon dress, worn for the first time in 1978:
http://40.media.tumblr.com/cc285bde2f4022f32fbf1aed7c088cf0/tumblr_mjvj0dtS7a1qcaugio2_1280.jpg

6 Stevie's harmonies on the Rhiannon chorus feel like ghost whispers.

7 The "taken by the wind" lyrics switch at 3:05 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3pOCBO4ndE#t=185)

8 "Taken by surprise": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3pOCBO4ndE#t=198

9 The powerful spin Stevie takes after her denial scream.

10 Stevie begins her butterfly flight in the dark. All we can see is a suggestive but just visible flutter of silk fabrics while Christine and John jams.

11 Stevie starts growling, holding her arms over her head with her sleeves draping and fluttering in front of her face. Then she slowly lowers them and simply puts her veiled hands on the microphone repeating her old chant, this time highlighting each line with an haunting "I know".

12 After a powerful "take me like the wind baby take me with the sky...", rapidly gets away in a silk vortex and comes back at the microphone flapping her wings. With her hands wrapped in voile she sings religiously under the red light: "all the same...all the same, Rhiannon...all your dreams unwind but your love's a state of mind"

13 The spotlight is turned on and Stevie unleashes her Rhiannon Rage: she slightly bends down and glares with fiery eyes, shaking her clenched hand, pointing her finger and screaming "dream on, you silly dreamer, would you try hard? you can't leave her..."

14 The band plays roughly, while Stevie improvises fiercely, building musical tension: "no, your love doesn't unwind and your love's not a state of mind, I know". Both these two elements will be taken to the extreme during the latter part of the Tusk tour, in 1980, whose climax for me is the Rotterdam performance.

15 The camera rapidly shoots up close Stevie's and John's face. Stevie stomps her feet and jabs at the audience. She gesture at herself with her hand like a claw "try on, try on, try..." before spinning away with an exhausted look on her face.

16 Stevie comes back, leans her hands on the microphone with her long sleeves hanging down and belts out her last words: "so long..."

17 After a last twirl, she collapse on the floor shaking her sleeves over her head and bending her knees to finally curl up wrapped in her fabrics.

The mystery is about to be solved - she's about to pop right out of that dress in the photo at the bottom.In fact it looks like her right areola is showing a bit......Oops!:o Great performance though!

[bombaysaffires]

The mystery is about to be solved - she's about to pop right out of that dress in the photo at the bottom.In fact it looks like her right areola is showing a bit......Oops!:o Great performance though!

and she just couldn't figure out why everyone was saddling her with that 'sex symbol' label!!:laugh:

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HG3yyCGlByk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This is from the famous White Winged Dove concert, recorded the 13 December 1981 on the last night of the White Winged Dove Tour at the Wilshire Theatre and aired the 8 April 1982. The tour lasted only 17 days but Stevie had surrounded herself with accomplished musicians: Waddy Wachtel, Roy Bittan (E-Street Band), Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne), Benmont Tench (Heartbreaker) Russ Kunkel (James taylor et al.). This channel on youtube posted an upgraded version of the whole video few months ago: https://www.youtube.com/user/sandybeagan/videos

2 This version starts with a ballad rendition of the first two verses; the song will be performed in this same way much later during the Dance tour by whole Fleetwood Mac. About working with Stevie on the live rendition of Rhiannon, Roy Bittan says: "She's the only artist I toured with other than Bruce. She asked me to go on the road, and I had some time off – I couldn't pass up the opportunity. It gave me a chance to reinterpret some of the Fleetwood Mac stuff. We began 'Rhiannon' real slow, almost a classical version of it. Then after the first verse the whole band would kick in. It was a fantastic experience."

3 Stevie's voice is readjusting to a lower but more powerful register; in fact at this time she was labeled as a contralto, while during the Rumours years she was still considered a soprano. Early eighties are, after mid-late seventies, the best years for her voice.

4 Stevie hilarious replies to a very attached fan: "I'll never forget you either!" at 1:39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG3yyCGlByk#t=99

5 The classical Rhiannon ad-libs reflects those of the current days: "Rhiannon, some ask...Rhiannon, you say...Rhiannon, don't go...Rhiannon...".

6 Stevie's hair during Bella Donna is glorious, blonde and feathered, but backcombed and blowed by a fake wind, almost a revisit of the 70s Farrah Fawcett style in the 80s tone.
http://rockalittle.com/nicksfix133.jpg

7 During this performance Stevie is very emotional for two reasons. One is that this is the end of her short solo tour, and the following day she must join Fleetwood mac in France at the Chateau D'Hérouville to record Mirage; the second is that her best friend Robin was recently diagnosed with terminal leukemia. To quote her words: "That should've been a time when I was the most happy and felt the most self-confident and successful. But actually, I really felt the most helpless, because all the money in the world couldn't save this woman's life. It was a very sad, yet balancing, thing for me." This is my favourite Rhiannon solo performance because of this heartfelt and fragile delivery.

8 Starting her new solo career, Stevie felt the need to reinvent her style, turning from the iconic black Rhiannon dress on the Rumours cover to the white dress on the classic cover of Bella Donna: "The white outfit I'm wearing is the exact opposite of my black outfit on Rumours. Over that it says, 'Come in from the darkness.'The dark side of anyone, the side that isn't optimistic, that isn't strong. I've got to become stronger because I am very sensitive, and everything really touches me.". On tour Stevie adopted a stratified style with velvet legwarmers, white clothes, lace, miniskirts, arabesqued wrap-dress and sparkling and colorful shawls and, since she couldn't go backstage and change after every song, she simply stripped the layers off or changed shawl between songs. I love this period because Stevie blends elements of the 80s fashion in her own style, adapting her tastes to new trends and personalizing fashionable pieces, making her style timeless. The beautiful lace blue shawl that she wears draped on her head is the same from the opening performance of Gold dust woman and Outside the rain.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/e2fa60b3996240289967781c26537894/tumblr_mlpozpDjMl1qcaugio5_r1_1280.jpg

9 The mad look on her face at 4:01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG3yyCGlByk#t=241

10 The way she swings her hips at 4:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG3yyCGlByk#t=248

11 Stevie's band playing is a bit more "scrambled" than the classic Fleetwood Mac Rhiannon. Also Stevie's performance is less ceremonial and more lively and genuine. Stevie twirls in the middle of Waddy's Rhiannon guitar solo, not during her Rhiannon dance; in fact this solo performance, as any other, also lacks her characteristic "Rhiannon rage".

12 At the last "would you even try?" Stevie moves her hair away from her face and twists her hand around her microphone. During Waddy's guitar solo, instead of temporarily leaving the stage to give way to the guitarist, she stands behind him rythmically waving and flapping her shawl like it was a pair of blue lace wings. Stevie then goes kissing bassist Bob Glaub and saluting drummer Russ Kunkel with her index finger.

13 Stevie turns back to her microphone stand looking forlorn and shuts the entire band with a single gesture, her hand lowered down and her legs kneeled. She starts to sing again: "dreams unwind love's a state of mind" with her voice broken from crying. This rendition stops at "take me like the wind child, take me with the sky" after which Stevie goes waving and hugging her percussionist Bobbye Hall and her beloved backup singers and friends, Sharon and Lori. Instead of an exorcism, this Rhiannon coda is a farewell.

14 Stevie returns to Waddy and victoriously lifts her fist up holding her shawl between her fingers. She turns her back to the audience and raise her arms over her head with her fingers intertwined and a foot on the drums step, waiting for the band to finish.

15 While the band is playing the last notes, Stevie opens her long hands, showing her extremely long fingers, and at last rapidly spreads her arms and closes her fists while the lights turn off.

16 Both the performance and the tour are over, everyone is moved and hugs each other, Stevie above all; then all the band members gather and bow at the audience. Stevie tearfully pronounce a few meaningful words of goodbye: "Thank you for being with us on this very special night, goodnight!" and after a last wave of her hand, everyone goes backstage with Stevie.

17 This Rhiannon leaves a different aftertaste than Fleetwood Mac interpretations: it is less angry and potent but it's warmer and more joyful; it conveys a sense of belonging.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0VENy0tvEpM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1 This Rhiannon is from the Mirage HBO special recorded on the 21 and 22 October 1982, a fan-favourite also because the Mirage tour, which only went on for two months, is the last tour that features the Rumours band formation until the 1997 reunion. The VHS contains a total of 13 songs, Rhiannon being the only one that was filmed during the 21st, however the tapes are still unreleased in their entirety.

2 There's another unreleased taped show of Fleetwood Mac headlining the final night of the 1982 Us festival. Part of the footage was to be released in a documentary about the event in 2012, but the release date has been postponed several times since then. A snippet of Rhiannon performed that night is visible on the 1982 Fleetwood Mac interview "Two on the town": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luxK918mcoE&t=179

3 Stevie wears the same white Rhiannon dress of the Bella Donna cover. During this tour her style morphed once again, consisting of highly contrasted colors, a lot of white and black balanced with touches of red or (less often) pink, a slightly backcombed revisited shag with very light gold hair with darker highlights, black smokey eyes and coral red lips. This style combined the most romantic elements of the fashion of the decade, such as black lace, voluminous discoloured hair and dramatic make-up, in stevie's personal style and creates a twenties vintage allure. In my opinion Stevie looks especially beautiful during Mirage and this era defines her image in the eighties even better than her later solo career.
http://36.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwd784kesD1qcaugio1_r1_1280.jpg

4 At this time Stevie's voice change started during Bella Donna is complete, sounding more profound and confident. She's lost a great part of her upper range but added a lower and stronger quality to her huskiness. New York Times said about her 14 September performance at East Rutherford: "She has lost the reedy fragility of her mid-1970's voice. But she compensates with a hoarser, rougher rock contralto, and her stage demeanor blends glamour and a kind of dangerous charm."

5 Nearly two weeks before this concert Robin Anderson, Stevie's best friend, passed away from leukemia. This practically destroyed Stevie but also made her performances on this tour the most heartfelt and wild of her entire career, giving birth to the mythical "speaking in tongues" version of Sisters of the moon.

6 Starting from Tusk, Sisters of the moon gruadally takes over Rhiannon as the fan-favourite show highlight, inheriting that same "rage beast" elements that made Rhiannon seem like a demonic possession. By 1982 Rhiannon has metaphorically transformed from an exorcism to a prayer, becoming more wistful and brooding rather than angry and desperate.

7 Stevie appears completely wrapped in white silks, and starts singing very roughly. Vocally this is not one of the best performance of the tour, also because this night she still suffered from the flu, but visually this is one of my favourite Rhiannon to date.

8 Also Lindsey (despite what Carol Ann Harris wrote) has a wardrobe change with new pale dandy outfits complete with vests and hats and a longer haircut. However his playing during the Mirage tour is cleaned out of the Tusk excesses but it doesn't really regress to Rumours, that had a polished but stripped-down sound while Mirage has lost the more progressive elements but abounds with virtuosity and flourishes, seeming like an attempt to adapt the Rumours sound to the eighties canon.

9 The Stevie-Christine eye-sex at 1:49, a recurring theme through the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VENy0tvEpM&t=109

10 Stevie's slow spin at 2:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VENy0tvEpM&t=142

11 During this tour Stevie replace "taken by the sky" with the verses that close the studio version of Rhiannon: "dreams unwind, love's a state of mind". This may have been Lindsey's idea and you can hear Stevie and Lindsey working on this part during the Mirage rehearsals here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ijjtda7vfkaidg2/AADFHCq-x5a2MXJlAkz5lZoFa/2-12%20Rhiannon%20-%20Live%201982%20Rehearsal.mp3?dl=0

12 Stevie does perhaps the most graceful and hypnotic Rhiannon dance of her entire career, spinning in her white flowing dress, lapping her silk wings and then swaying her hips with balletic moves as she gets closer to the microphone.

13 Stevie hoarsely sings again the part, progressively lifting her voice until she screams "Dreams unwind, love is hard to find", then she hastily turns her back to the audience wavering her long sleeve. She puts hand and sleeve back on the microphone and continue singing but then restlessly turns again flapping her opposite arm. This time she grabs again the microphone whith both her veiled hands, finally belting out "take me like the wind child and with the sky, no" before lowering her gaze and her head.

14 Stevie crouches stomping her feet in a glorious pose. A famous magazine once called this exact posture "hidden dragon" and included it among her best stage moves: "There’s something imposing about this great stance, like something serious is about to happen. Stevie digs her feet in, assumes the position, and just lets loose, like in this unforgettable performance of “Rhiannon” from Fleetwood Mac’s 1982 Mirage tour."

15 Stevie lets herself go in one of the last glimpses of her old Rhiannon rage, improvising one of the most particular ends of the song "baby you don't change her and I don't change her...we're all the same, Rhiannon" frantically passing the microphone's shaft from a hand to the other. This same lyrics can be heard on the Baton Rouge performance of Sisters of the moon.

16 After her last lines Stevie tiredly turns around and wraps herself in her silk sleeves, slowly stamping and swinging her hips at lindsey's guitar solo, waiting for its end.

17 Stevie sings out her new lines for the last time, spins around and, after a high kick with spreaded arms, she lets herself fall down waving the fabrics around her body.

[Andyleo]

This is definitely one of my favourite Rhiannons. And YAY!! You used my youtube video. :]:wavey:
The intensity in her deliverance along with her rusky voice adds up, for me, to be one of the best (and sadly last) awe-inspiring Rhiannons.
Love your 17 breakdowns!!

[SisterNightroad]

This is definitely one of my favourite Rhiannons. And YAY!! You used my youtube video. :]:wavey:
The intensity in her deliverance along with her rusky voice adds up, for me, to be one of the best (and sadly last) awe-inspiring Rhiannons.
Love your 17 breakdowns!!

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141121221533/the-overseer/images/7/7d/Thank_you_for_the_gif_1702c7a2b305471dd44c75a00aeadb32.jpg

Aww, thank you! I didn't know you were on The ledge!
I used your video because it was the better quality for Rhiannon!
With the passing of the time I began to love every Rhiannon, this one is special because, after Rumours, Mirage is the second best era for Stevie's voice and image.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GsXl1X3Jfm8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1) This is Stevie's encore on the third and final day of the 1983 Us festival, a "music and culture festival to bridge state-of-the-art technology and new music" held the 30 May of 1983. This event was recorded and later Showtime broadcasted and released as a compilation dvd three Stevie's performances Outside the rain, Stand back and Stop draggin' my heart around. Due to technical sound problems Stand back and Stop draggin' my heart around had to be overdubbed; you can see them in this video for Japan TV with some alternate scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qGo3iWI13U

2) We probably see the pinnacle of Stevie's solo career: after Bella Donna in 1981 and Mirage in 1982, with The Wild heart she has a top album for the third year in a row. This tour setlist is probably the best of Stevie's entire career, mixing classic Fleetwood Mac material (Gold dust woman, Dreams, Sara and Rhiannon), Bella Donna's biggest hits (Leather and lace, Stop draggin' my heart around and Edge of seventeen), meaningful deep cuts (Outside the rain, How still my love and Beauty and the beast), her freshest hit with Fleetwood Mac (Gypsy), and her new album most striking hits, destined to become classics (If anyone falls and Stand back). On this particular date Stevie surprisingly replaces Sara and Gypsy with Angel and Gold and braid.

3) This is just the second date of The wild heart tour and Stevie is nervous and somewhat shy having to perform solo and being filmed before a crowd of 200'000 people alone while the previous year she had participated with Fleetwood Mac. More than once she stated during her interviews that when she had to perform for videos she had to be relatively sober and restrained from cocaine. That's why her performance here is very demure but enthusiastic and filled with moments of absolute cuteness (see How still my love performance).

4) Stevie's voice during The wild heart doesn't have particularly severe problems, as there is hardly an occasion in which she isn't able to sing, but it has an overall scratchier and partially forced sound, anticipating the change that will happen during Rock a little.

5) The scene opens with Heartbreaker Benmont Tench playing a very beautiful Rhiannon intro. Recently Roy Bittan's work with Stevie has been praised a lot, but it shouldn't be overlooked either Benmont Tench's skill, as he was behind songs like Kind of woman, Gate And Garden, Enchanted, Nightbird, I Will Run To You and participated on both albums Trouble in Shangri-La and 24K gold.

6) Less than a year before Stevie's best friend Robin died and, as she admitted herself, at the time every song still brought her to tears. Just before Rhiannon she introduced Edge of seventeen With a dedication to Robin: "I would like to make one dedication tonight, and that is to my best friend who is a white winged dove". On her solo tours, Rhiannon is the song that brings out most sentiment in Stevie.

7) Stevie starts singing with her voice weary from the shrieking and the emotion, giving a heart wrenching interpretation of the classical Rhiannon intro: "Rhiannon, some say...Rhiannon, you ask...Rhiannon don't go...Rhiannon"

8) After that the whole band kicks in Stevie starts singing ponderously in her light-gold shawl, progressively bending with her microphone.

9) She rules her life like...what? https://youtu.be/GsXl1X3Jfm8?t=227

10) Sweet moment with ‘Wizard’ during the chorus: https://youtu.be/GsXl1X3Jfm8?t=268

11) Stevie turns and grabs her microphone again, continuing to sing despite her deep feelings overflowing. During the second chorus she starts her farewells: she wanders on the stage, bows before her drummer (Lybert Devitto) and salutes him, then goes to the guitarist that kisses tenderly Stevie on her nose in a comforting way.

12) Stevie returns to her microphone with tears streaming her face, bends down and sings giving her all despite barely being able to be heard.

13) Eventually Stevie finds her voice again, despite the microphone that nearly shuts down its sound during the Rhiannon coda: "Your dreams unwind and love's a state of mind"

14) During her last few notes, Stevie spreads her arms wide like a pair of wings and slowly drifts away towards the public.

15) A relieved Stevie finds consolation in the bond with her audience and waves her hands in front of the fans that sings with her, following the rythm of her lifted arms.

16) Stevie is finally happy again and satisfied by the incredible experience of this grand event and says a moving goodbye to the audience: "I want you to know that you're so very very special to me. Goodnight".

17) A voice out of field declares rightfully: "Ladies and gentlemen, the first lady of rock and roll Stevie Nicks...we will remember this for ever!"

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SNgXVmxj52A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1) This Rhiannon is performed on the 19 April 1986 in Iowa City at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It is just around the 5th date so Stevie is still at the beginning of the Rock a Little Tour, the peak of her self-indulgent lifestyle (it is at the end of this tour that she got into the Betty Ford Clinique). Other videos of this tour can be found on Mistralwindbebe’s youtube channel, that features performances from Ames, Cuyahoga Falls, Jones Beach, Lincoln and Dallas (which includes a rare Sara performance, since the song was dropped after just four dates): https://www.youtube.com/user/mistralwindbebe/videos

2) It is during the Rock a Little era that Stevie’s voice shows the greatest change and damage, so this tour marks a relative point of no return for her career as a singer. This early performance however is particularly noteworthy because it shows a very energetic but still present Stevie, with shrill but powerful vocals. At the time she had already lost most of her higher range and her voice sounds uncomfortable to the point of losing some of her signature emotional expressiveness. However she makes up with an even more overdramatic and histrionic stage behavior and a desperate, bleating singing. The Philadelphia Inquirer says, in a review of the 6 May concert: “Stevie Nicks...possesses a first-rate rock-music voice - throaty and intimate, pitched low and just a little bit ragged around the edges. It is an alluring, confiding voice, yet Nicks often uses it to belt out loud, fast songs. Therein lies the central aspect of her appeal: she sounds like a delicate waif who has decided to get tough - sheer heaven for listeners who like to think of themselves as sensitive, but not suckers…Nicks inspires devoted fans who adore her loopiest apostrophes to gypsies and wood nymphs. But the most skeptical observer would be very hard pressed to deny that she is a very good rock vocalist, and occasionally an inspired one…Nicks sang with the delicate balance of passion and befuddlement that this marvelous work deserves.”

3) On this tour Stevie truly experimented with the 80s fashion, sporting big back-combed hair, fluo streaks, ruffles, lace corsets and all-eyelid makeup. On stage she brought out all her different outfits from the previous years; to quote her about her style, she doesn’t really change, she just keeps “adding layers”. For this Rhiannon performance, she wears the same black velvet cloak of her Wild Heart album cover:
http://s11.postimg.org/5itbwirpf/0d0eaa8ee8b2d4b610ab4d3373f999b6.jpg http://s12.postimg.org/n6ihgn025/tumblr_lr5rdjn_Vhx1qcaugio1_1280.jpg http://s3.postimg.org/5du3pqdgj/tumblr_n9opks_Zew31swd40wo1_1280.jpg

4) The song starts with its usual slow intro featuring the amazing sound of flutes before Stevie’s voice kicks in.

5) She switches some lyrics but doesn’t even blink an eye.

6) Stevie’s voice is throaty but powerful. She interposes parts in which she belts out the lyrics to parts in spoken verses. During this parts Stevie, enveloped in her cape, resembles a renaissance poet or a priestess that recites a mystical poem.

7) When the second part of the song begins, the lights switch on and we can get a glimpse of Stevie’s sparkling black dress under the cape while she starts singing out with her signature trilling voice.

8) Stevie’s voice sounds uncertain and she herself seems nervous fumbling her arms about the stand. However she recovers herself during the chorus when the audience starts singing along, gaining her confidence back with her vocalisms and clapping her hands.

9) During the second chorus she takes down her hood and lets loose with her improvisation, her voice now a plaintive warble: “Oh she rules her life like a fine skylark babe…” flapping then the hems of her cape like wings before closing them tight around her body and starting to growl low.

10) After the mid-song pause, Stevie begins her Rhiannon chant, with a spin that opens her cloak wide after each verse “Dreams unwind love’s a state of mind yeah…” then also flipping her hair “I know you know that your dreams unwind and love is hard to find…”

11) After that the lyrics starts to grow more and more unrecognizable as Stevie takes the microphone in her hands, bends down and slowly steps back. Soon her vocals turn into a simple wavering lament. This is the closest, and also the last, that we see her signature “Rhiannon rage” solo.

12) After the end of the Rhiannon coda, Stevie can’t help herself to return screaming at the microphone twice.

13) Stevie twists and turns her arms and hands daintily while pacing around the stage, slowly walking towards her fans.

14) When she gets to the stage boarder she has the crowd in her hands. During this Rhiannon edge-walk we can see that she’s still totally capable of doing it, just like the Tusk documentary performance of Sisters of the moon.

15) When Stevie reaches the end of the stage she bursts into a frantic spinning string, her arms spreading out her cloak and revealing the brilliant mass of her black silk gowns that now billows in the motion.

16) She finishes in a shrill cry barely distinguishable: “Oh, take me to the sky, dreamer!”

17) Spreading out her imaginary velvet wings Stevie turns her back and crouches on the floor with her head down in a worshiping manner until the last note fades.

[SisterNightroad]

Flashback: Stevie Nicks Delivers a Scintillating 'Rhiannon' in 1981
E Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan helped her find the hidden "Thunder Road" inside the Fleetwood Mac classic

<iframe width="820" height="461" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DH7t1ZWKZbs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Stevie Nicks' 1981 debut solo LP Bella Donna was her first chance to shine outside of Fleetwood Mac, but that doesn't mean she did it alone. To make up for the absence of her bandmates she cobbled together an incredible supergroup of stars from many of the biggest acts of the late 1970s. Not only do Tom Petty and most of the Heartbreakers play on the album, but so does Don Henley of the Eagles and Roy Bittan of the E Street Band along with session pros Waddy Wachtel, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Russ Kunkel.

Many of them were unable to hit the road with her that summer because of their own commitments, but it happened to come when Bruce Springsteen was beginning a long hiatus from the road following his grueling tour in support of The River. It gave keyboardist Roy Bittan time to go on a rare tour with someone other than Springsteen. "She's the only artist I toured with other than Bruce," Bittan told Rolling Stone in 2015. "She asked me to go on the road, and I had some time off – I couldn't pass up the opportunity. It gave me a chance to reinterpret some of the Fleetwood Mac stuff. We began 'Rhiannon' real slow, almost a classical version of it. Then after the first verse the whole band would kick in. It was a fantastic experience."

Check out video of the incredible version of "Rhiannon" he's referring to right here. It begins almost like "Thunder Road" from Springsteen's Live 1975/85 box set and is almost a glimpse into another world where Roy Bittan wound up in Fleetwood Mac instead of the E Street Band.



http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-stevie-nicks-deliver-a-scintillating-rhiannon-in-1981-w497763

[Nathan]

Iowa '86 is a personal favorite. It has it all. She definitely looked her barfly best (and hottest) on this tour. Plus - that twirl!!

I like when she gets down low to have a little chat with Waddy. Looks kind of dirty.

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SNgXVmxj52A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

1) This Rhiannon is performed on the 19 April 1986 in Iowa City at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It is just around the 5th date so Stevie is still at the beginning of the Rock a Little Tour, the peak of her self-indulgent lifestyle (it is at the end of this tour that she got into the Betty Ford Clinique). Other videos of this tour can be found on Mistralwindbebe’s youtube channel, that features performances from Ames, Cuyahoga Falls, Jones Beach, Lincoln and Dallas (which includes a rare Sara performance, since the song was dropped after just four dates): https://www.youtube.com/user/mistralwindbebe/videos

2) It is during the Rock a Little era that Stevie’s voice shows the greatest change and damage, so this tour marks a relative point of no return for her career as a singer. This early performance however is particularly noteworthy because it shows a very energetic but still present Stevie, with shrill but powerful vocals. At the time she had already lost most of her higher range and her voice sounds uncomfortable to the point of losing some of her signature emotional expressiveness. However she makes up with an even more overdramatic and histrionic stage behavior and a desperate, bleating singing. The Philadelphia Inquirer says, in a review of the 6 May concert: “Stevie Nicks...possesses a first-rate rock-music voice - throaty and intimate, pitched low and just a little bit ragged around the edges. It is an alluring, confiding voice, yet Nicks often uses it to belt out loud, fast songs. Therein lies the central aspect of her appeal: she sounds like a delicate waif who has decided to get tough - sheer heaven for listeners who like to think of themselves as sensitive, but not suckers…Nicks inspires devoted fans who adore her loopiest apostrophes to gypsies and wood nymphs. But the most skeptical observer would be very hard pressed to deny that she is a very good rock vocalist, and occasionally an inspired one…Nicks sang with the delicate balance of passion and befuddlement that this marvelous work deserves.”

3) On this tour Stevie truly experimented with the 80s fashion, sporting big back-combed hair, fluo streaks, ruffles, lace corsets and all-eyelid makeup. On stage she brought out all her different outfits from the previous years; to quote her about her style, she doesn’t really change, she just keeps “adding layers”. For this Rhiannon performance, she wears the same black velvet cloak of her Wild Heart album cover:
http://s11.postimg.org/5itbwirpf/0d0eaa8ee8b2d4b610ab4d3373f999b6.jpg http://s12.postimg.org/n6ihgn025/tumblr_lr5rdjn_Vhx1qcaugio1_1280.jpg http://s3.postimg.org/5du3pqdgj/tumblr_n9opks_Zew31swd40wo1_1280.jpg

4) The song starts with its usual slow intro featuring the amazing sound of flutes before Stevie’s voice kicks in.

5) She switches some lyrics but doesn’t even blink an eye.

6) Stevie’s voice is throaty but powerful. She interposes parts in which she belts out the lyrics to parts in spoken verses. During this parts Stevie, enveloped in her cape, resembles a renaissance poet or a priestess that recites a mystical poem.

7) When the second part of the song begins, the lights switch on and we can get a glimpse of Stevie’s sparkling black dress under the cape while she starts singing out with her signature trilling voice.

8) Stevie’s voice sounds uncertain and she herself seems nervous fumbling her arms about the stand. However she recovers herself during the chorus when the audience starts singing along, gaining her confidence back with her vocalisms and clapping her hands.

9) During the second chorus she takes down her hood and lets loose with her improvisation, her voice now a plaintive warble: “Oh she rules her life like a fine skylark babe…” flapping then the hems of her cape like wings before closing them tight around her body and starting to growl low.

10) After the mid-song pause, Stevie begins her Rhiannon chant, with a spin that opens her cloak wide after each verse “Dreams unwind love’s a state of mind yeah…” then also flipping her hair “I know you know that your dreams unwind and love is hard to find…”

11) After that the lyrics starts to grow more and more unrecognizable as Stevie takes the microphone in her hands, bends down and slowly steps back. Soon her vocals turn into a simple wavering lament. This is the closest, and also the last, that we see her signature “Rhiannon rage” solo.

12) After the end of the Rhiannon coda, Stevie can’t help herself to return screaming at the microphone twice.

13) Stevie twists and turns her arms and hands daintily while pacing around the stage, slowly walking towards her fans.

14) When she gets to the stage boarder she has the crowd in her hands. During this Rhiannon edge-walk we can see that she’s still totally capable of doing it, just like the Tusk documentary performance of Sisters of the moon.

15) When Stevie reaches the end of the stage she bursts into a frantic spinning string, her arms spreading out her cloak and revealing the brilliant mass of her black silk gowns that now billows in the motion.

16) She finishes in a shrill cry barely distinguishable: “Oh, take me to the sky, dreamer!”

17) Spreading out her imaginary velvet wings Stevie turns her back and crouches on the floor with her head down in a worshiping manner until the last note fades.