Stevie Nicks Soundstage: Reactions and Thoughts On The Show

[David]

I was flipping around last night (on TV, that is) & came across Soundstage on one of my PBS channels, so I watched it through to the end. Just extraordinary in every way -- except that band. I don't quite know what to make of them. They had it going on for some of the ballads, like HOW STILL, but they sunk things like SARA.

Stevie & one of her (four?) backup singers had a beauty & incandescence that transcended all time & quantum-leaped all space.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by wildheart048

and, I know this isn't the popular opinion, but I absolutely loved "Crash" ...

I loved it too. I was pleasantly surprised, actually. I have never really watched it through on youtube or anywhere else, because of the horrible reviews it got. Crash is one of my husband's favorite songs and I asked him to watch this SS version to get his opinion. He said he thought it was great.

Michele, I didn't catch the cell phone thing, but I found some humor in the undoing of the laces...just because. I'm not sure why.

Seriously though, how much longer can Stevie be sexy? At 60 she is stunning and whether it's makeup, lighting, camera angles, whatever- it's pretty difficult to pull that off for women even in their 50s.

I really need to order this. Perhaps I could put it on my baby registry on Amazon? I could say it's for the baby.

[Nikolaj]

Enjoyed it quite a lot, and agree with many of the 'Crash' comments, i hadn't liked it live much in '07 but found the Soundstage version surprisingly nuanced, very well sung, and (dare i say) 'Tusk'-like in the production values, and a very high quality moment, darn optomist that i am, i thought it even sounded radio-ready and a chance for her to have the hit i've so long hoped for. Also, imo, she much improved her 'Rock n Roll' performance compared to the 'Crystal Visions' cd version, even tho she still didnt manage to hold the note sufficiently long enough on the last word ("time") and 'bend' that last note which it desperately cries for her to do. Yet i feel she has grown into the song nicely and prefer the longer reprise near the end, a repeated half chorus or so, it works.
Her FACE to me looked the most beautiful in perhaps ever- so strikingly pretty, and not in the usual surgical way of gals her age who look good, but just extremely rested, and the most flawless makeup since 'Mirage Tour' video- as my late cousin said when watching 'Mirage' with me, " she certainly turns herself out well when she wants to"-- her skin was amazing as many said.
Oh...sadly.. the clothes...poor Stevie. She adds so much, so VERY much, bulk and weight to herself in her lower stomach, thighs and hips, the dresses were the worst in terms of ruffles and ridges at her hips and thighs i'd seen in a long time. She just doesn't know.. She isn't nearly as heavy as she makes herself look.
OH, and last (minor) fauxpaus-- on two songs, the camera catches her slapping her thighs together to the rythym of the music (in the black pants)-- not a good look for anyone. Not too many years ago, Oprah had Tina Turner on and showed a clip of Tina dancing across the length of the stage slapping her thighs together, and Tina said, 'when i saw that clip i took it out of the show, it just doesnt look right' and Stevie, tho she didnt do it across the length of the entire stage, lol, it looked unfortunately 'trailer park' on her, and an astute editor would've cut it out of the finished shot.
LOVED the editing of the setlist, how refreshing that 'Dreams' did not show up first or second for the first time in 245 years, and liked 'r&r' in the middle, and think 'Rhiannon' will work nicely in the second hour next week- last bitch is that "Enchanted" needed to be done live, and often, back in 1983 and on the RAL tour, and unfortunately, it comes across to me now as 'Depends-Rock' and needs to go, too too dull and plodding....
But i liked the show from my sofa very much, much more so than from the floody front rows of Jones Beach in '07. Favorite moments: "Crash", much of "Sara'' and "Fall From Grace"- love FFG--- i wish she'd look at an old US Festival "How Still My Love''--- she just doesnt REMEMBER the best ending she did of it, ('hold-still, hold-still, baby-etc) and the lighting from the Street Angel where the stage goes black (for 'this is me talkin to you' in the middle) was also very effective, in '94. Little nuances of 'when did i nail this exactly right' can be hard to recall, but for me this Soundstage of 'How Still' pales BOTH to US Festival and Street Angel tours- too long, and without remembering the climaxing moments...

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

. . . Stevie & one of her (four?) backup singers had a beauty & incandescence that transcended all time & quantum-leaped all space.

Step away from the bong

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

. . . . but they sunk things like SARA . . . .

I think in many ways the juxtaposition of her somewhat harsh vocal in Sara to the rather soft and lush (?) arrangement of the music and backing vocals did not work. Waddy played a harder, edgier guitar in the Bella Donna HBO concert version and it seemingly worked better than the SS version from this vantage point.

Note - - I liked Sara in the new version. I am just comparing and contrasting -- likely being too picky

To be fair -- I have seen only the posted videos -- the actual telecast and DVD likely will be a better sound.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

OH, and last (minor) fauxpaus-- on two songs, the camera catches her slapping her thighs together to the rythym of the music (in the black pants)-- not a good look for anyone. Not too many years ago, Oprah had Tina Turner on and showed a clip of Tina dancing across the length of the stage slapping her thighs together, and Tina said, 'when i saw that clip i took it out of the show, it just doesnt look right' and Stevie, tho she didnt do it across the length of the entire stage, lol, it looked unfortunately 'trailer park' on her, and an astute editor would've cut it out of the finished shot.

I think the only time I've seen this work is here:



Incidentally, I was looking for the Tusk documentary Angel when I found this instead. The Tusk doc version has always been once of my favorite Stevie performances of all time. I love her passion and her vocals are perfect. This is a fun version too. EDIT: Omg with the nose wiping. Bless her heart- she was having some serious coke drips.

[Enchanted_Stevi]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^^

You are welcome!

Personally, I think she should have used this



for the backdrop for EO17. Perhaps even getting them there to perform it behind her (what a missed opportunity on the 111 or so foot CP stage) Of course, she would have to sing at this pace

I may have left the football team and joined the Dance Squad if my HS had done this

That video is too cool! Thanks for posting

[Enchanted_Stevi]

Stand Back


Enchanted


ROck n Roll


Crash


If Anyone Falls


How Still My Love


Fall From Grace


Sara

[strandinthewind]

She's doing the "mashed potato" -- I just do not see anything wrong with that. Rather, I think it is kind of cool for Angel as she wrote a rock and roll song and that is a rock and roll dance.

I am unsure in what song in the Soundstage she is doing it though.

[Musicman408]

Originally Posted by David

I was flipping around last night (on TV, that is) & came across Soundstage on one of my PBS channels, so I watched it through to the end. Just extraordinary in every way -- except that band. I don't quite know what to make of them. They had it going on for some of the ballads, like HOW STILL, but they sunk things like SARA.

Stevie & one of her (four?) backup singers had a beauty & incandescence that transcended all time & quantum-leaped all space.

This is why for years I've been saying that I need to play keyboards/piano for Stevie.

[strandinthewind]

Okay - thorugh the miracle of modern science -- I just watched an actual broadcast of the show. I recant my use of the word harsh or at least refine my meaning. She and the band sound alot better on the actual broadcast than they do on the clips posted by JWD (no disrespect -- you are da bomb for posting those!!! ) --

Again, I think this perhaps is her solo coda and a good one at that.

As for the phone thing during Sara - - that is not really a cell phone thing. It and I were around way before cell phone LOL. In fact, I think she has used it before in the early late 70's early 80's -- though I could be mistaken.

On edit -- thanks to Enchanted_Stevi for posting those clips!!!! FFG is on fire!

[vivfox]

Sara would have sounded better if the accent of the song was more on the piano than the guitar. They ruined the opening bars of the song for me because of that.
I never liked the song Crash at any of the live shows I'd seen it performed at but for SS I must admit it was probably the best song they've shown us so far.

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think in many ways the juxtaposition of her somewhat harsh vocal in Sara to the rather soft and lush (?) arrangement of the music and backing vocals did not work. Waddy played a harder, edgier guitar in the Bella Donna HBO concert version and it seemingly worked better than the SS version from this vantage point.

The band brought absolutely no personality or variation to it. If you strip the lead vocal & just listen to the backing track from start to finish, you hear how listless & bland & static it is. No dynamics. No evolution. No suspense. No quirkiness. I've heard karaoke tracks of SARA that were more interesting (for example, the SARA instrumental on "You Sing the Hits").

Suggestion to Soundstage: Keep the pianist on acoustic piano, put the drummer on brushes, keep the bassist, & put the guitarist on some sort of weird amp with a phaser. Ask the others to leave the stage for carpaccio, sandwiches & Evian. SARA doesn't really need a synthesizer on it -- I'd have thought I was stating the obvious here. Nor does it need a B3 or rhythm guitar, as Fleetwood Mac proved back when they were good.

[David]

Originally Posted by jannieC

Incidentally, I was looking for the Tusk documentary Angel when I found this instead. The Tusk doc version has always been once of my favorite Stevie performances of all time. I love her passion and her vocals are perfect. This is a fun version too. EDIT: Omg with the nose wiping. Bless her heart- she was having some serious coke drips.

Remember how hot & humid it was in that arena that day. There was some sort of problem with the A/C.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Step away from the bong

Not sure if David was bonging it last night, but what he saw was Vanessa Carlton singing backup. Along with Lori, Sharon, and Jana. So David's not always wrong.