Blossom Akron Beacon Journal Review

TheMacAttack · #1 06-26-2005, 01:06 PM

Posted on Sun, Jun. 26, 2005

Stevie Nicks can still work crowd

Rock music legend doesn't disappoint dedicated fans

Fresh off a 10-date late spring tour with fellow '70s rock icon Don Henley, rock's still-reigning gypsy Stevie Nicks brought her band, 30 years of her songs and a few surprises to Blossom Music Center on Saturday night.

Despite Nicks' icon status, there was plenty of room in the venue, particularly on the lawn. The most obvious culprit would likely be the $75-$125 cost of choice pavilion seats, but those areas were packed with dedicated fans who stood for most of the 85-minute set.

Following a taped intro featuring a medley of Destiny's Child's Bootylicious (which samples the guitar riff from Edge of Seventeen) and a recently recorded remix of Dreams, the 57-year-old Nicks and her nonet appeared all dressed in black. They began with Outside the Rain from her solo debut Bella Donna, which smoothly segued into the Fleetwood Mac classic Dreams.

Nicks' voice has dropped a few octaves over the decades, but she still can belt out signature tunes such as Stop Dragging My Heart Around with longtime guitarist Waddy Wacthel in place of original partner Tom Petty.

The 14-song set covered most of her solo career, ignoring songs from her The Other Side of the Mirror and Street Angel albums but including the upbeat rock tune Sorcerer from her most recent solo disc, 2001's Trouble In Shangri-la.

Typically, Nicks was dressed in flowing dresses. A few drum breaks were provided so she could make the ever-important wardrobe changes, all of which were greeted with fervor from fans.

Rather than dig deeper into her Fleetwood Mac songs, Nicks performed some interesting covers, including Petty's I Need To Know, a pretty take on Bonnie Raitt's heartfelt ode to her father Circle Dance and a rockin' version of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll.

The crowd may have been relatively small but they were vociferous and active, with nearly everyone leaving their seat to dance along with the synth-heavy '80s hit Stand Back. Nicks responded with her signature moves: the shoulder shimmy, the first full body twirl of the evening and a high leg kick that seem to send some fans into star-crossed apoplexy.

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Malcolm X Abram can be reached at 330-996-3758 or [email protected]

vermicious knid · #2 06-26-2005, 04:13 PM

Oh my! The shoulder shimmy! First the Madonna/Britney kiss, then the Janet Jackson malfunction, and now this. Isn't there any decency left in the world?

amber · #3 06-26-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vermicious knid

Oh my! The shoulder shimmy! First the Madonna/Britney kiss, then the Janet Jackson malfunction, and now this. Isn't there any decency left in the world?

well, it is pretty sexy....

AliceLover · #4 06-26-2005, 04:38 PM

Funny... both reviews I have read for this tour have blamed the empty venues on ticket prices. Definitley something her management should pick up on.

David · #5 06-26-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Beacon Journal

Nicks' voice has dropped a few octaves over the decades.

Exaggerate much?

Sometimes I wonder whether these newspaper reviewers know what an octave is. A one-octave drop is tremendous, though not unheard of. A drop of a "few octaves" would be reason to consult an ENT specialist, pronto. It would indicate some sort of trauma or acute illness.