Hollywood Bowl thoughts?

[dontlookdown]

Went to the show last night. The Heartbreakers were great - as usual.
I thought Tom seemed like he's slowed down a bit. Definitely shyed away from the high notes and has mellowed a lot with his delivery. Still a great band nonetheless. There were some fantastic Grateful Dead moments that I loved.
Stevie sounded great. Insider was phenomenal. I do wonder though, if her presence takes away from the purity of the Heartbreakers. I wonder if it would have been better if she just did the two songs (Stop Draggin and Insider) rather than I Need To Know and the other songs she does back up on.
It almost felt like she was drawing too much attention to herself.
Just my thoughts. It was great to see them together again. It had been 25 years since I saw them on the Hard Promises tour.

I'm not trying to be critical for the sake of being critical - I just wonder if
within the context of the Heartbreakers, Stevie might be better off just standing at the mic and singing (as she does on Insider) instead of busting out the hat w/ the feathers and the shawls, and the spins, etc. The crowd was riveted - not a soul was talking in the entire Hollywood Bowl (except for the drunk asshole in front of me who decided to deconstruct the history of Fleetwood Mac during the entire song). And I wonder if all the Stevie Nicks cliche stuff detracts from her stellar singing. Her secret weapon is her gifted vocals. And sometimes I think it would be refreshing to just see her use her voice for what it is - argueabely the strongest rock voice we've heard since Janis Joplin. I think it's quite astonishing that Stevie still has such command of her singing - it might be better and stronger these days then it ever has been.

[SpyNote]

Since this tour is about Tom Petty's "highway companions," I think it's fine to give the guests a little more stage time than usual. Since all of the songs Stevie sings on are written by Petty, I'd imagine his fans wouldn't mind too much seeing that they are still Petty songs. Stevie and Tom came up together in the music scene, so I would hope that people would appreciate the history they have and not view her as an outsider.

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

Since this tour is about Tom Petty's "highway companions," I think it's fine to give the guests a little more stage time than usual.

I agree. I don't get what anybody has against an extra superstar performing and adding to the show. Here in Dallas, a radio personality that went to the concert had problems with Stevie being on stage for the last few songs.

[shebop]

I was surrounded by people who were completely surprised by her appearance - and were thrilled! It seems to me that Tom Petty has always had the laid back sort of personality and appeal that lends itself well to a "guest" addition.
Personally, I was so happy to see Stevie so lively!

[chiliD]

It just amazes me how clueless people can be. She was in the LA Times ads for the show that she'd be "special guest", KLOS was announcing ALL day as they were giving away tickets that she was "special guest"...and still people were stunned that she was there?!?

[dontlookdown]

a lot of people don't read the newspaper.
look what happened with the last two elections!

[sparky]

One person behind us said he didn't realize he was at a Stevie Nicks concert. But he was thrilled, and all he talked about before she showed up was if she would be there or not. Her presence was fine. She did her Stevie thing, and added to the show.
We had this girl next to us who had the loudest, sharpest, most blood curdling scream I have ever heard in my life. Murder victims make less noise. And when she did it she balled up her fists, tilted her head down, squinted, and tensed up her whole body. It was like having an ice pick driven into my ear. During the first song, this drunken bitch was jumping up and down on the stairs and fell flat on her inebriated ass. I howled with delight. She just sat there, as if it had been planned and kept with her carrying on. Now, I am hardly one to complain about someone else's having fun. She was cleary in a state of joy. Like the joy I would have felt if I could have snapped her neck and tossed her down the steep concrete stairs. An act that would have elicited applause and grateful sighs of relief from everyone within 50 feet of her screeching.

Ahhh, concerts.

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by sparky

Like the joy I would have felt if I could have snapped her neck and tossed her down the steep concrete stairs. An act that would have elicited applause and grateful sighs of relief from everyone within 50 feet of her screeching.

thank you for 2 full minutes of incapacitating laughter.

[desertangel]

Originally Posted by sparky

Murder victims make less noise. And when she did it she balled up her fists, tilted her head down, squinted, and tensed up her whole body. It was like having an ice pick driven into my ear....

Man, some of yer posts make ME howl.

Thanks fer the laff.

[shebop]

Am I the only one that saw Mr.Fleetwood there?! I just figured since it hasn't been mentioned - I'd throw it in......

[sparky]

Originally Posted by amber

That so warms my cold little heart, that someone who didn't know she would be there got so very excited. I'll add that to the evidence for my theory - "Everyone likes Stevie Nicks!" It's very scientific.

People did go nuts when he intrduced her. I was getting a beer.

For reals I tumbled in Vegas b/c of the fake stairs. Ankle twisted, two nights in a row, not that inebriated. Just so intent on not missing sh*t while going to the bathroom. I mean, i was sprinting in platform thongs.

Also, I usually jump up and down during shows. But without treacherous stairs, that usually isn't a problem.

Okay, but, those Vegas stairs were so small - you think there is just a ramp, but no, they had to put in 2 inch purposeless "stairs".

And I can't help my shrill voice. Gimme a break!

I can so see all of this. The Vegas stairs, keep in mind, are for the blue hairs who go see Screechine and Elton.

This whole thing was funny, Spark, but were you moved? I'm so moved by Petty and Stevie, separate and together. Did you get caught up in the Classic-Rock-Amazing Duets-You-Never- Thought-You'd-See Spirit? Did the two mega selling, mega talented, icons of goodness that is rock, from the best time ever, and so America - the boy and the girl - King and Queen if you will - together on one stage not move you?

It was a good concert and a fun time. But, no, I wasn't particularly moved by it. I've seen them onstage together before. And, frankly, Frank, I have seen Homegirl sing SDMHA and INTK countless times. Insider was cool to see.
Maybe if I had been in the pit or if I had been drunk I would have been moved.

It's just hard to believe you felt so nonchalant as your post here intimates.

Oh, pretty much, I am nonchalant about it.

I'm planning on going out of my f*cking mind when I see this show. I really love the Petty, though.

The boys do put on a good show. I did have a hard time looking at Mike and constantly thinking he looked like a gene splice of Whoopi Godberg and Big Bird. But the music was awesome, and it was an interesting set list. That "Mystic Eyes" cover in the encore was suspect. With such a vast catalogue of great songs, why they chose that cover is beyond me. Especially for the encore. Minor quibble. It was a hoot. I am super excited about meeting Paula for drinks tomorrow night.

[rbs3676]

Oh, Sparky...how I DO love your posts...

rbs

[sparky]

Originally Posted by amber

You a**hole! lol,

I had to pee. And I was losing what little buzz I had.

Yeah, you saw it before. Still. I dunno. You're so jaded nowadays.

I don't know that I am jaded in general. There is no doubt I am a Stevie veteran, which has a specific set of complications.

No, if I'd seen as much stuff as you, I might be nonchalant. Probably not, though. But I still love your world weary, non impressed ass.

I am glad to hear it. You are right, I am world weary. And difficult to impress.

Wait, they did Mystic Eyes as an encore?! *insert blob two* That is totally HELLA, homey! (HELLA now bieng an adjective that means "really cool!")

Uh, oh, I just saw you were not happy with that choice. But I have to say, TP delivered his **** the whole night - So to me, it isn't the same as when Stevie does a cover instead of her own original. In that way that Stevie never brings out a rarity, or a strange thing, whereas in the past TP has.

I like that he does covers. He always does them well. My only issue with that was that is was song 2 of a 3 song encore. Since very few people seemed to know it, the energy went down. It was a pacing problem. The encore should build like a bone crushing orgasm, not have a hiccup in the middle.

Let me ask, which TP song would you have wanted? I would've wanted "Heh Heh HEEEEEEEH! I was bone, a REBEL! Down in Dixeh! (HEHEEHE!) On a Sunday mohnin!'"

Rebels would have been a fun choice. Or The Apartment Song. I also like "One Story Town" quite a bit.

i didn't know you were a TP fan.

Oh, full on. For donkey's years. I have every record. Well, except for the greatest hits and the box set, anyway. I dig Tom.

[sparky]

Originally Posted by rbs3676

Oh, Sparky...how I DO love your posts...

rbs

Hey Mister. So bummed still that I missed you and Liv when I was in yer neck of the woods.

[dontlookdown]

It just occured to me why the show felt a little "off" to me:


It was pretty much hits. And I tend to not be a big fan of hits and singles.
There are SO MANY album tracks by the Heartbreakers that are perfect -

(All of Hard Promises, A few gems on Echo, etc.)

And what happened to The Waiting? - the best Tom song ever!