What Stevie Wants (Santa Barbara Bowl Review)

[MacMan]

What Stevie Wants
Stevie Nicks. At the Santa Barbara Bowl, Friday, July 29.
Reviewed by Will Engel
SBIndependent

Rumors have it that Stevie Nicks wants a regular Vegas gig. No doubt, after enjoying her energizing performance at the Bowl last Friday, Nicks’ adoring Santa Barbara fans would love to see her perform right here for as many nights as she desires. Clearly, the feeling of love is mutual, as the charismatic Nicks interacted warmly with her core California audience throughout her performance, feeling very much at home.

Few performers have Nicks’ ability to give self-indulgence a good name. Backed by an eclectic band and a huge screen accentuating each song’s mood, Stevie devoted herself to the performance with passion and flair. Touching songs like “Landslide” (one of two dedicated to her dad, who was at the concert and who, “at 80, still rocks”) revealed a knowing vulnerability that struck a deep emotional chord. The accompanying visual montage of pictures and video clips captured the many ups and downs of her life and added a haunting nostalgic quality to the song’s emotive imagery.

It could be easy to mock some of the concert’s most whimsical, silly moments, but somehow Nicks has a cosmic understanding that her fans will always be in tune with her every flight of fancy. Stevie’s nine-member band provided the necessary support to pace her through the numerous costume alterations she reveled in making throughout the night. Completely comfortable even when being outrageously over-the-top, Stevie brings sincerity to the absurd.

In addition, Nicks’ singer-songwriter perspective clearly informs her covers, revealing the heart of whatever material she touches. On introspective songs like Bonnie Raitt’s “Circle Dance,” Nicks nailed every phrasing, bringing out the meaning and emotion of the lyrics. The crowd also loved the fresh energy Stevie brought to her reinterpretations of her own songbook. In particular, her performances of classics like “Rhiannon” and “Edge of Seventeen” felt as fresh as the spontaneous banter she so enjoyed engaging in with the Santa Barbara faithful.

Nicks may be getting older, but her heart remains devoted to her music, her imagination, and her performance. Can this rock ’n’ roll icon successfully bring her vital vision to the world of Las Vegas? The crowd’s enthusiastic response to her rocking show highlighted every reason Vegas should give Stevie what she wants and stop dragging her heart around.