The Wild Heart Tour: 1983

[Nikolaj]

I saw a very early-in-the-tour'Wild Heart' show, when Stevie played solo at The US Festival in '83. It was magical. I've written about it many times, I'm sure at least once here, but it was life-changing for me. The first ever live performance of 'Stand Back', she said. Amazing energy, in really fine voice, and she for sure had a good buzz going, not to any detriment at all. Awesome version of 'Angel'- which I'd never heard live before, and everything she did that night seemed spontaneous, fresh, and from the heart. I loved when she had a wine glass in her hand and got back to the mic late during 'Stop Draggin' and how she yanked on Waddy's hair, and sang that song with the most fire I've ever heard her put into it. A killer 'How Still My Love'--- I have tons and tons of great memories of the show, and have had it for years on vhs then dvd and still watch it, remembering how sweltering hot it had been all day long, with planes flying over the grounds spraying water on the crowds to avoid anyone dying of the heat, and then how bitterly cold it became when night fell and we were all jumping up and down and hugging strangers to stay warm. Stevie was the next to final act- Mr. Bowie closed the show. He was great. Stevie was greater.
It was my first time seeing U2 who performed in the afternoon and I knew I was witnessing a band about to become huge- Bono was amazingly, amazingly, good. Lots of great music, The Pretenders were excellent that same day, and it still makes me proud of her that Stevie was the greatest performer of all at that extraordinary event that was The US Festival 1983.