The entire night was enchanted...

As I approached Radio City, thunder rumbled, the rain started, and I heard Stevie’s voice singing over the theater loudspeakers. Entering the lobby, I was surprised by the diversity of the crowd; all ages, from little girls to men in their fifties. Lots of Dance tour shirts! My husband and I got to our seats, 20th row center orchestra, in time to see the end of Boz's very enjoyable set. Stevie came on after only a ten minute interval... I could see her standing on the side of the stage as Chris read her intro... as she walked on stage the crowd jumped up and went crazy! You have never heard such deafening cheers! She sang Outside the Rain beautifully. I won't go through every song but will share the many highlights... Enchanted really rocked, she had so much energy on this one. Gold Dust Woman was the best song of the night, it was done to perfection. The crowd went wild when she started spinning. A million times better than the video version, if you can imagine. When she came back to the to do her acoustic set, a purple-pink spotlight followed her to center stage, then she twirled under it. There appeared to be glitter in the light. This effect was just dazzling! The segue from the acoustic set into Sleeping Angel was really well done, and she sang that song so beautifully I was in tears. Stand Back was BY FAR the best version of this song I have ever seen her do, without question! Even my husband (who tolerates my Stevie obsession)was on his feet, loving it! She danced forehead to forehead with Carlos, and really belted this out like I've never heard her. Whole Lotta Trouble really rocked. Landslide - again, people were absolutely screaming throughout the song, every time she paused. She seemed overwhelmed by the reactions. Throughout the night she would go over to the side of the stage to change jackets, etc. She is really thin now, you can see what a little lady she is without all of her layers. She came back on for 17 in a gorgeous grey silk dress... someone gave her a wreath of flowers for her hair which she wore, with her gown she looked like a medieval princess, so lovely! There were some little girls down front dressed like miniature Stevies in chiffon and top hats. Last but not least, Has Anyone.. was fantastic, I of course had tears again, as I had throughout a lot of the night. Her voice was so clear and strong!! She said at the end "when they ask her about the men in her life, and they HAVE been asking her lately!" and she laughed and continued, "they were poets, priest of nothing, but they were REAL legends". This song just gave me shivers.

Her set was great, the best I have ever seen. The lighting was really well done, the lights all came through the big stained glass fan in the center of the stage and changed continuously throughout every song. You could see how much thought Stevie put into every last detail of the entire show. Even my husband was completely blown away, not only by Stevie, but by the incredible reactions she got from the crowd. I saw FMac at MSG Thanksgiving, and this crowd was ten times louder and more enthusiastic. Everyone was on their feet for almost every song, and you could feel the adoration everyone had for her. Stevie looked just beautiful and much happier than at the FM show. The entire night was enchanted...I only wish I could see her again!

Stevie Liberated

June 17 1998

After seeing Fleetwood Mac last summer, I looked forward to the opportunity of seeing Stevie solo for the first time. Wednesday, June 17 at Radio City in New York City did not disappoint.

Stevie's show was a combination of Fleetwood Mac hits, many of her own hits and a number of lesser-known songs from her box set. The Fleetwood Mac songs were well done, but her band as good as they were could not match Lindsey's guitar playing. With the exception of Rhiannon, which was just great, I liked the Fleetwood Mac versions of her songs better.

Stevie's own songs were another story. The way Stevie rocked, you would never know she was 50. The audience really got into it with her big hits of Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Stand Back, Whole Lotta Trouble and Edge of Seventeen. However, I liked some of her lesser-known stuff best. The trilogy of After the Glitter Fades, Garbo, and Rose Garden told the story of someone that always wanted to be a singer, right from when she was 5 and danced at the bar to her grandfather's country music. It really told the story of a woman that had good times and bad. From the days of waiting on tables to that smash sucess of Fleetwood Mac, to the dark days of cocaine, to the happy and reborn star of today.

As a matter of fact Stevie seemed truly liberated from Fleetwood Mac. While the Fleetwood Mac shows were technical perfection, they were also all business. This concert was truly a personal affair. Stevie reacted well with her audience and took the time to explain many of her songs. She changed her outfits many times and always was dressed to fit the moods. She was her usual twirling self. Many times she has been criticized for all the twirling at her age, but without it she wouldn't be Stevie Nicks. It is just that 5 year old again getting up on the tables and doing the twirls. Anyway, who says what a 50 year old has to be like. I myself will be 50 this year and have been a fan of Stevie and Fleetwood Mac from day one.

At the end of the concert, Stevie went from one end of the stage to another, shaking the hands of all the people in the front row. She truly seemed to enjoy every minute of being there. Stevie closed her show with an encore of Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You. She spoke with the audience and told everyone how much she loved the east and how much more enthusiastically we reacted to her show than the westerners. She told us to take care of ourselves and lets do this again. Stevie was almost in tears, totally soaking up every minute of what was happening.

Stevie, please come back, we will be there again.

Swee-eeet, Sweet City Woman!

June 17, 1998

Swee-eeet, Sweet City Woman! This is an old song, but it just comes to mind seeing Stevie in New York: "You can hear her voice, you can see her face, you can almost touch her!" Stevie Nicks at Radio City New York was "fabulous!" (I guess I got there just a bit earlier than Mo--I loved your review my friend :o) !) It was just beginning to drizzle as we went in. I saw lots of young women in tops hats walking around, a few women wearing black dresses and platform shoes. There were so many people in the lobby, but I did head for the souvenir stand anyhow. Lots of neat things were there: a variety of shirts, one sweatshirt that I noticed, and the stuffed bears were beautiful! The bears were honey-colored with a smile on them, wearing a Stevie Nicks shirt! (I do suggest you get one--and Angel S you were absolutely right in this suggestion to me!) There were a couple of types of keychains, including one for Boz Scaggs, and some magnets with the ~Enchanted~ logo and a pic of Stevie on it. The tourbooks were lovely and contained a calendar within it. It had pictures of Stevie's home in it, and she showed her Hall of Fame Statuein it! (It was $18.00 a copy, though~but I had to get it!) Every item sold there seemed designed by Stevie--she obviously had the final say!

I was in the second row of the 1st balcony and had a great view. I tried to be mindful of this view and not block the sight of those behind me, but a few times we just had to jump up! I sat next to gentleman who started chatting about the Nicks Fix, etc. to me. He had just been at a Stevie concert and lived in Long Island and it's funny how quickly Stevie's fans connect! I brought binoculars and shared them around~it was such a communal kind of atmosphere. This was an indoor concert, so perhaps a little more settled than other kinds of concerts I have been to--but great! A few rows back sat a man who could catwhistle very loudly to Stevie. . .and he did from time to time, and it got us all laughing. I bet Mo could hear him up on the 3rd balcony!

The sound system was wonderful--it was indoors, so it was particularly! Even Stevie commented on how great it felt to her! Boz Scaggs was first, and I was surprised to find that I DID know a lot of his music. I just didn't know the titles: Dirty Low Down (I thought it was called, "I wonder, wonder, wonder, wonder who!") and Lido, and a few others. I gotta tell you though, since we are kinda like family on the ledge, I kept wanting him to move along. . .(no disrespect to Mr. Scaggs, but I can to see and hear her royal Stevieness!); nonetheless, he did rock and the sound was great!

Finally the curtains dropped and when they were raised again, I saw the beautiful set everyone has described before--pink and white and with a fan gently blowing the curtains about. Stevie's microphone was there, with all the ribbons and things on it (that Sarah has been the keeper of, btw!). The band was in place -- I knew Lenny Castro right away, and I also knew Sharon and Mindy. A very handsome Christopher Nicks came out and spoke to the audience, giving the definition of enchanted--and introduced his beautiful sister to a very enthusiastic crowd! I had so many thoughts flooding through my mind at once: I felt the excitement of knowing I would soon see Stevie, I enjoyed the knowledge that Terri was down there, sitting in the front row, knowing that Mo was right there "over my head" (and, yup, "it sure feels right!"), and that awesome sense that all of you ledgies were there with me--along with the friends that actually brought me!

Finally, the beautiful Stevie Nicks came out~wearing her beautiful black chiffon clothes, glistening with jewelry and that forehead glitter too! Ali did a great job listing the music set, so I won't repeat it, but Ali was 100% on the money! Yes, Mo, you knew Gold Dust Woman got to me--the second I saw standing off to the right in the almost darkness, slipping on the Gold Dust Woman Shawl! She was powerful Barbara, and I really did think of you, Ms keeper of the Gold Dust Woman song! And I heard the lovely cow bell sound~you will all love hearing it! "Did she make you cry, make you break down. . ."~why YES she did! ;o) She IS the Gold Dust Woman!

Hayley, you will be very pleased with Golden Braid~the woman still has that energized voice that she had on Stevie Nicks In Concert! I kept wondering how she would do this particular number--well, she just doesn't jump around as much as she used to, but she totally has it where it counts! That voice of hers is so in control! And while you will miss the Waddster's "pasty white skin and hair" I believe you will all love this number.

Stevie Talks! That used to be a big thing when Garbo moved from the silent screen to the "talkies" but even Stevie chuckled realizing how quite we were listening to her talk! We just haven't heard her talk so much (or so fast!) at a concert! She explained how the 3 songs of her acoustic section ("After the Glitter Fades," "Garbo," " You Never Promised Me a Rose Garden") form a trilogy of her early career in the music industry. And she did talk! It was terrific!

Stand Back! had everyone up and dancing in the aisles! It was a really great treat to look down in the orchestra section and see the party going on, while we played up top! I think the posted guards at the front of the orchestra were totally outmatched by the Stevie celebrants! They were outmanned, outgunned, outnumbered! It was terrific! :o) I believe she wore that beautiful black shawl with the golden moons on it for this number! Stand Back!

Edge of Seventeen just seemed to come to quickly! I knew it was coming from Rhapsody's post about the drum and bongo drum duet, and I felt sad! But then it brought along a lot of other associations . . . and I felt all fuzzy and happy, too! Suddenly, it was as if the Great White Winged Dove descended, and everything was okay. Piper was definitely there in spirit with me! I hear the ca-all of the nightbird! Stevie is the master of this song. She did that famous Stevie noise where you know her soul is given up into that song. Thank you Stevie. I loved it!

Stevie put her soul into the entire performance--she totally connected to the audience, and, just as she did on the Letterman show, she sang directly to her fans. One of the encore songs was "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You?" WELL I HAVE, she said to us very clearly. She lovingly held onto her notes just as she did on Letterman--far better than any recorded cd I have heard. You could feel the warmth, the love! "Know it, feel it," is what she seemed to say to us. It is so very real!

I know she must be incredibly tired after each performance, especially if she is keeping her usual night-owl schedule and recording in her journal after shows! I just loved knowing all these details she has managed to share with us via the press, through Ginny and others. Thank you Stevie for a beautiful night. Those of you who are yet to see her, you are in for a treat. The woman is awesome at 50, and not about to slow down! love, blackcat