Orange County Register review

[Rickypt]

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/0...cle_609981.php

Nicks sticks to familiar territory
The Fleetwood Mac alum is still effective, but her Anaheim show could have used a wider set list.

By GEORGE A. PAUL
Special to the Register

One of the best times to catch your favorite musician on tour is when he or she has nothing new to promote. You'll often see a more spontaneous concert, get to hear some rarely heard gems and plenty of hits.

Stevie Nicks is an exception.

Recent solo tours have started with the same four songs, albeit in a different order. After extensive Fleetwood Mac road work in 2003-04, performing those tunes again is tiresome. Granted, Nicks probably feels obligated to play "Rhiannon" and such, but why not dig up some of her other contributions from the band's illustrious catalog, like "Gypsy," "Sara" or "Beautiful Child"? It's not like she has to argue with Lindsey Buckingham over set-list choices anymore.

Then there's the matter of giving short shrift to successful solo singles. Notably absent Sunday night at the Pond were Nicks faves "Talk to Me," "If Anyone Falls," "Rooms on Fire," "I Can't Wait," "Nightbird" and "After the Glitter Fades." Sure, everyone has tunes they would like to hear, but is a little variety too much to ask?

Those shortcomings aside, the blond rock vet and her nine-piece band delivered an engaging, 100-minute set that was rapturously received by die-hard fans. The sandpaper-voiced Nicks, 57, sounded better than ever and still exudes a smoldering sexuality.

And the turnout? More than half full (some upper-level sections were blocked off). That's not too shabby, considering the Mac's "Say You Will" tour had a difficult time selling out the same venue, and Nicks plays the much smaller Gibson Amphitheatre in L.A. tonight.

The 15-song show started off with a rollicking "Enchanted" from 1983's "The Wild Heart." Nicks appeared onstage clad in black glittery top and a flowing skirt as large screens flashed her old videos (captivating animation and images were projected throughout the evening). Her longtime guitarist, Waddy Wachtel, did an adequate job subbing for Tom Petty on simmering rocker "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," which seamlessly segued into the luxurious "Dreams."

Surprises came from a pair of covers: Bonnie Raitt's "Circle Dance" (sophisticated and tame) and Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" (a delightful zinger, with Nicks belting it out in a feathered black top hat, accompanied by young opening act Vanessa Carlton).

A drum solo gave way to synths and strobe lights for a vibrant, danceable "Stand Back." Veteran backing singer Sharon Celani traded defiant vocals with Nicks, who did her trademark twirls. The same energy marked an extended, hypnotic take on "Gold Dust Woman" (Nicks was wrapped in a gold fringed shawl) and metal-tinged "Edge of Seventeen."

Elsewhere, the piano-led "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" was a tear- jerker, and the stirring closer, "Beauty and the Beast" (with clips from the original Jean Cocteau film), was infused with high drama. Nicks is still a revered diva. Maybe next time she can give her followers a well-rounded concert experience.

Alone on piano, Carlton's deeply personal and bittersweet adult pop tunes fared well in the cavernous arena. Her 35-minute set was leavened by a self-deprecating sense of humor and prompted a standing ovation. Highlights included the lustrous hit "A Thousand Miles" and plea for tolerance, "Who's to Say."