This is my review from then
http://www.nicksfix.com/. After I heard a boot of the concert, I realized, after the fact, that Lindsey didn't have a real grasp on Goodbye Baby, but that is not the impression I got at that time.
August 1, 2003
The Reno show was stunning in every way, marred only by a fight that broke out in the audience during "Don’t Stop" that left Stevie mostly apologetic towards the victims and furious with the perpetrators, but also briefly in tears and unable to continue singing "Goodbye Baby" herself.
Let me just say that instead of retreating out of harm’s way, Stevie stood frozen at the very edge of the stage with her hand on her hip the entire time fuming, as if she believed that by maintaining an authoritative presence there, she could help quell the rioters. She was fearless, shaken, angry, and – needless to say – beautiful, all simultaneously. However, that came at the end of the show and until that point, we were treated to breathtaking performances and comradery. Stevie and Lindsey were at the top of their game individually and together I’ve never seen such synchronicity, ease and happiness between them. Of course, I’ve never been at a show where they appeared out of sorts this year either.
Even on the videos, I’ve only suspected a distance between them twice. Once was on Leno and the other time was May 19, Philadelphia. Other than that they’ve always been warm enough towards each other, but last night was special. They were sharing everything and never missed one opportunity to connect. Maybe it’s because the arena was quite small. Perhaps they were forced into more intimacy than normal. They’re both me-oriented, have been in the past and will be again in the future, but last night they were as one. And because they could not have interacted that way with Christine there, just for that performance I’m glad she wasn’t. However, I’m going to London for Thanksgiving on the mere hope that Christine will make a guest appearance at the November 29, show. I went last November to see Gillian Anderson in a play and I will be there again this year, just for Christine. I could not miss her more.
Anyway, last night I began to notice that Stevie and Lindsey were especially playful during "Second Hand News." She had both hands full of fringes from her microphone stand and was waving them around like pom poms, while singing the "Bow bow bow" parts. Lindsey looked at her and laughed as he began his verse. I find it amusing how she starts the show with the very modest top on and then for "Never Going Back Again" goes over into the corner to get dressed for Rhiannon. When she returns mid-stage she suddenly has all of this decolletage. She’s like Dolly Parton Nicks. It’s not even a full costume change, yet she goes from matron to siren that quickly.
During "Come" when Lindsey lifts his guitar over his head at the end, you see his stomach over his belt. If he were in a "Special K" commercial, he would be able to "pinch an inch." I can’t imagine why though. The way he works out and sweats 3 nights a week, he should be skeletal. We in the computer generation will all probably succumb to carpal tunnel syndrome very soon, but what happens to a guitarist like Lindsey? As he flexed his fingers for "Big Love," I thought by the time he is 75, he probably won’t even be able to use his hands and wrists anymore. There was a Japan video where we saw John getting a wrist massage. Lindsey expends so much of his body, running, screaming, and assuming extraordinary positions, just for effect. I can’t imagine what kind of physical shape he’ll be in in 20 years. Odds are, he might not be able to move, but he’ll still look pretty cute.
Usually, if I bring a camera, I try to photograph Lindsey and Stevie during "Landslide" but the "Say You Will" interlude is getting to be so special that I’m going to change this practice. This time when they met in the middle, she did her lariat motion and he kind of rolled his head back in response, then leaned in towards her. She pretended to play his guitar and he strums it with the neck extended towards her, as if giving a private performance. I find it very tender. When they clutched hands during "Landslide" they were laughing and pointing at one another. Afterwards, as they stood side-by-side Stevie said something to him and Lindsey didn’t hear, so he leaned down as she repeated it twice more. Then he air kissed her temple. It kind of reminded me of the way Christine used to talk to him on stage, especially when they shared a mike during "World Turning" and you could see him mouthing the word "What!" back to her. Guess you can’t really hold a conversation in a stadium full of cheering fans.
He looked towards Stevie after "Say Goodbye." She wasn’t looking at him, just as she looks at him walking away after "Silver Springs," and he doesn’t look back. Still, those unreturned glances after the songs end seem to have special meaning, given the content of the songs. Stevie dedicated "Beautiful Child" to someone named Jemima (Jenina?). Lindsey mouthed the words, "your hands held mine so few hours and then" as she sang them.
To me, "Gold Dust Woman" is gaining in depth all the time. In her solo shows, Stevie is impassioned in most of the songs, but with FM it’s a little different, she only loses herself in a few. She’d have a persona during "Rhiannon" and "Sisters of the Moon", as if she was becoming the heroine in the song. Nowadays, she transforms herself into the "Gold Dust Woman" who is a very sensual and mysterious character indeed. Stevie’s moves as she brings the "shadow of a woman" who is "running in the shadows" to life are very sultry.
Lindsey has been doing "I’m so Afraid" for so long that I sometimes think it too familiar. However, it was fresh and powerful this time around. When the music begins, he is moving back and forth between Mick’s drums, yelling. Even though he is far from his mic, you can still hear the yells faintly, but they are to motivate the band, not for the audience. Most singers would try to preserve their voice, rather than shouting for enthusiasm’s sake alone, but Lindsey’s just reckless about it. He described himself as "half heart" and "half hazard". I’d agree. During "Silver Springs," Stevie asked, "Am I still a fool?" There’s a Mirage rehearsal tape where Stevie is telling them that she doesn’t think they should drag out the end of "Tusk". Well, she spoke about 16 years too soon. The more time Lindsey has to think about "Tusk," the sillier he decides to make it. He weaved his way over to Stevie and John, jumped on John. Unplugged his guitar amp, swung it at Stevie, then laid the guitar down altogether and chased her. Then, they danced. Then he waved his hand frantically at the band to remind them not to end the song. There is some new tapping music added to the close and he gets on his knees and crawls towards center stage. It’s just stupid and I shudder to think how much sillier it can get before the tour ends.
After Tusk he is hunched over, monkey-like and he stays that way for a few moments, not even taking the guitar from the roadee immediately. Then, he begins dancing as Taku’s drums start. In the wings, Lindsey practically mouthed ALL the words to "Stand Back" as Stevie sang and twirled. For "Go Your Own Way" she always sings packin’ up and shackin’ up with him, during this tour. She mouthed the "give you my world" part too, before singing "open up it’s waiting for you" into the mike. Aside from ending the song on the drum stand, banging at Mick’s cymbals, Lindsey is now also trying to strum his guitar while spinning it around 360 degrees. He has become a musical Harlem Globetrotter. When they left the stage and returned for "World Turning" Lindsey had Stevie’s hand in both of his and kissed it. As they sing someone throws a hat or something onto the stage. They both watch it fly and land with their eyes moving. Then, they look at each other and smile.
The whole night had been so great that I was looking forward to seeing how "Don’t Stop" would end, but before it could a fight broke out among about 20 people in the audience in front of Stevie. I don’t know who started it, but one man was being beaten pretty badly by the others. Stevie simply froze above them at the edge of the stage, as security intervened. She did not move away and pretend it wasn’t happening. She viewed the violence angrily for long minutes. Lindsey, having come from his side of the stage, just made an L-turn at center, ended the song, put his guitar on the floor and interacted with the fans in front of him. He would not look at what was happening at the right. Mick came up and after security wrestled with the crowd, Mick and Stevie started to walk off, but she stopped to curse at the people on the surveillance monitors near the exit. They had the audience on camera and the ability to talk to the security people through headphones and earpieces. I think that Stevie believed if they had done their job, the entire melee might have been avoided.
They returned for the last encore, with Lindsey pulling Stevie’s hand as usual, but her face was still stony. She got to her mike and said, "We are SO sorry for what happened," to the crowd. Mick told the people on the floor that he’d hoped they’d settled down. Mick hugged Stevie and Lindsey came over and rubbed her back. Stevie started "Goodbye Baby," but began to cry and turned to Lindsey and said, "I can’t do it, you do it." He tried to coax her for a moment but again she said she could not do it. So, he sang. We know he ended "Silver Springs" one night in 1997, but at that time he only had to sing a partial sentence. With "Goodbye Baby" he had to sing a few of the verses and it’s a good thing he knew the words.
I think we’ve heard that "Dreams" tape where Christine is singing the lead. She sounds great and knows a lot of the words, but sings the verses all out of order. Then, I heard Stevie on the radio laughing and saying she didn’t know the words to "Never Going Back Again." So, even if you hear a song several times a week, that doesn’t mean you can sing a part that isn’t yours. Lindsey crooned gently and sweetly "and I who went to sleep as two . . ." when he got to the chorus, Stevie was able to sing it with him and then she ended the song herself. She took her deep bow as usual. When she moved back in line for the group bow, Lindsey kissed the crown of her head. As she left the stage, she could not smile, but she sincerely thanked the crowd for being there and waved to the people in the wings. Mick said that after what had happened that night, it was especially important that everyone remember "to be good to each other in this crazy world." Despite everything, I thought it was the best show I had seen this year. 