Concert Review
Stevie Nicks
Seneca Niagara Events Center
Niagara Falls, NY
July 7, 2012
Review/Photos By: Joseph Suto
July 2, 1983, which takes us all the way back to her Wild Heart Tour, was the last time Stevie Nicks graced a Buffalo area stage as a solo artist. Fans of Ms. Nicks have been clamoring for her to play in the area and have waited a very long time. Well, Saturday evening at the sold out Seneca Niagara Events Center, fans old and new both received their fill as Nicks and her band sifted through her catalog. Nicks made it a point to say how she was glad the fans were enjoying her more recent material. She stated this is not a greatest hits tour as she backed that up by playing no less than six cuts from last years In Your Dreams release, also her latest.
Nicks decided to try something a little different by starting off with the Zeppelin classic “Rock And Roll”. It wasn’t that the performance was bad, but perhaps one of her own songs such as “Stand Back”, which was played later in the set, would have gone over better in the opening slot. The chart topping “Dreams” was the first of four Fleetwood Mac songs on the evening. Stevie stated how “New Moon” from the Twilight series of films inspired her to finish writing Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream) a song from In Your Dreams that dates back almost some thirty years.
Nicks’ band was very good as they ran through the aforementioned “Stand Back” with considerable ease. Other highlights included “Rhiannon” and “Landslide” both Fleetwood Mac songs. There were a few moments where the show seemed to lose some steam. Noticeably missing from the set were two relevant songs “Talk To Me” and “If Anyone Falls” that would have raised the bar a little bit higher.
Nicks gave a large amount of credit to her vocal coach Steve Real, who has been with her since 1997, as she brought him out to sing Don Henley’s part on her 1981 smash “Leather And Lace”. Guitarist Waddy Wachtel has played with Nicks since her first solo album Bella Donna and is also her musical director. Following his solo he tore into her arguably best known song “Edge Of Seventeen” that ended the show on a high note. The fantastic playing of pianist Darrell Smith, who was on all night, made for a perfect accompaniment to the vocals of Nicks especially during the encore of “Love Is”. As the band took their bows, one could only hope Stevie comes back again soon as I don’t think anyone can stand to wait another thirty years.
Rock and Roll(Led Zeppelin cover)
Enchanted
Secret Love
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac)
Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)
Gold Dust Woman(Fleetwood Mac)
Soldier’s Angel
Stand Back
For What It’s Worth
Rhiannon(Fleetwood Mac)
Leather & Lace
Annabel Lee
Landslide(Fleetwood Mac)
Ghosts Are Gone
Band Intros/Drum Solo/Guitar Solo
Edge Of Seventeen
Encore
Love Is
Stevie Nicks Band Members
Stevie Nicks – Vocals
Waddy Wachtel – Lead Guitar, Musical Director
Darrell Smith – Piano
Brett Tuggle – Keyboards, Guitar
Carlos Rios – Guitar
Al Ortiz – Bass
Jimmy Paxson – Drums
Lori Nicks – Background Vocals
Sharon Celani – Background Vocals
Steve Real – Harmony Vocals on Leather and Lace
A very Special Thanks to Tony Astran for allowing us to review this show
