FANS ARE NOW RATING THE SHOWS AS WELL

1-5

5 BEING THE BEST

Rated "3.5" by Mike R.

This was to be a "magical" Stevie weekend for me. And the last half certainly was. I scored decent tickets in Detroit after I had purchased tickets for Chicago. As things happen, I ended up being completely late..with a 4 1/2 hour drive from Chicago! My car is still smoking! I made it about halfway through Don's set, and really enjoyed what I heard of it...Don's voice is really great, and he does have a lot of charm, albeit in a reserved way. The only thing that made missing some of his part OK was that I knew I'd be ON TIME at the Chicago show.

Anyway...Basically to add to the previously listed comments: The "energy" at this show was OFF. I was actually highly annoyed by the crowd. My section was about 20 rows back..decent seats..yet people were not as into the show as I had expected. I had a woman to the left of me who was blitzed, a couple behind me blitzed, and so goes the story. After the drunko woman on my left asked me 3 times if Tom Petty was the one who sang Leather and Lace with Stevie..I was about to just scrap the night. The topper was when Stevie nearly did get pulled off the stage when she graciously shook a few hands before beginning her set. I think that just sealed the evening. From my view, it looked like she was waaayy pissed..and actually knelt back down and said a few choice words to the responsible party; rightfully so.

I ended up feeling as if her "moves" were a little routine, yes, she did the Stand Back spins, she did some hand animation, but really stood more at the mic than I expected; it just didn't seem to be the same crisp, "into it" Stevie that I've been reading about recently. Add to that a crowd, at least from where I was at, that was undeserving of her finest, and it's understandable to me why Don and Stevie left the night without even doing the last encore, "So you wanna be a Rock Star". So there..I said my piece. I apologize to the real Detroit fans...this is not about you, but the people who really screwed this show up for me.

There were highlights: SDMHA, WOW..I did get a glimpse of the "new-old" Stevie. It was awesome to see her do that w/ Don. EO17, I thought, was really good. BATB..I think was wonderful, except the drunks on everyside of me ruining it. Leather and Lace...beautiful!!! And Stevie braved the front row again to take small gifts and flowers, and shake hands..that impressed me after "the incident".

As I left the venue, agian, I really was suprised at the attendees. People climbing over fences, falling...just being really uncool in general. So, I was a little disappointed, I guess. Then there was Tinley Park...

by Michele Jackson aka "mjackson866"

Just got back from the DTE Energy center. You guys have been hoodwinking me. Don talked up a storm! I'm not kidding. He talked and joked way more than Stevie.

I wasn't enthused about the warm up act, Julianna Ray, but then I smiled thinking of the indifferent audiences who were warmed up by Fritz or Buckingham Nicks oh so long ago. You never know when you're watching history being created.

Julianna said that she was a personal assistant for a woman, when they got to attend a function where Don would be in attendance. She was so excited about getting to meet Don, but when she approached him he told her that the honor was HIS. He said that he had her CD and listened to it every day in his car. From there, she got her current gig. She said it's such a pleasure to be opening for Stevie Nicks who is such an icon. Somewhat ironic that Don got her the job, but STEVIE is the one she considers the "icon."

I see Cory take her place in the wings. She wrote in one of the old tour reports that Stevie threatened to disown her when she stopped being a blond, but she still hasn't reverted back. Her hair is somewhat an auburn shade these days.

Don's band comes on stage while the lights are still up. The audience doesn't even notice them, until they start waving to the crowd. Then people wave back. Lights are still up when John emerges without any fanfare. He practically runs to his mic, almost as if he doesn't want to be noticed or acknowledged. Thus, the show begins almost before people are aware it has happened.

After Witchy Woman he gestures to a stagehand. He asks the audience to excuse him while he puts on a coat. Now, the guy was already wearing black pants and a black shirt with a denim jacket over the shirt. He adds a light winter coat on top of that ensemble. It is about 63 degrees outside. And he is under hot lights and moving around. I'm surprised that he needs so many clothes. Perhaps, he is anemic. Actually, both he and Stevie act as if they are playing the North Pole.

He thanks the audience for coming and says he realizes that they had a choice. He says that he will try to help them out by giving them scores and highlights from the game all evening. The crowd murmurs confused. There IS no game tonight. Later Don says that he mistakenly thought it was Sunday. He says that he still thinks he's in Australia. He wonders if anyone saw that television show on tv (I assume that he is talking about the Eagles special that aired a week or so ago Was that filmed in Australia?). He asks if the show was any good. He said he didn't watch it himself. "Why would I?"

He says that he started his set with an obscure album cut and from now on that is going to be his policy, singing obscure songs. Then, he goes into "I Put a Spell On You."

As Hotel California begins, it's hard for me to know whether people are excited about the song or because they have already heard that Stevie will duet on it. She comes out to much applause. I finally get to see those rhinestoned stretch pants that everyone has been talking about. Actually, they fit more like tights than anything else and she has a short skirt over them. So, the effect is like she is wearing a mini. She looks great -- and sexy. Her hair seems to have a sheen. Smooth around her hair, but then falling into waves as it dips below her shoulders.

As the audience cheers when Hotel California ends, Don says, "Stevie Nicks, ladies and gentlemen." So, he's learned her name in the last week or so.

Stevie is wearing a furry mantle which she pulls around her neck during "New York Minute" to help illustrate the lyrics about pulling her collar around her shoulder. After the song is over, Don looks at her wrap and asks of the fur, "Is that real." Stevie answers, "That is NOT a good question."

During "Last Worthless Evening" she reaches her hand out, but she is basically putting it in his face, rather than extending it to him. He reaches up and holds her fingers, but I am not sure whether it is to caress her or to stop her from poking his eyes out. Maybe THAT is why he keeps his eyes closed most of the time and Stevie probably appreciates it. I'm sure she wished Lindsey would close his eyes during "Say Goodbye" once in awhile, instead of staring straight at her for 6 minutes. When Don grasps her fingers, Stevie laughs and holds his hand in both of hers. At one point when she is shaking her tambo and he is pounding the maracas, it is almost as if they are moving in synch. If they toured much longer together, there would be choreography!

When Last Worthless Evening ends and Stevie leaves, Don says, "She'll be back." Well, she better be, or else he would owe me a partial refund!

His last songs are the strongest. What a repertoire this man has. All those songs, he can still hit the high notes. He glides across the stage strumming the guitar and I have to remind myself that he hasn't even touched the drums, all evening. He's like a quadruple threat. The audience didn't really get off their feet until Stevie came on with Hotel California, but after that, they don't need Stevie to keep the party going. "Dirty Laundry," "Boys of Summer," "Life in the Fast Lane," and "All She Wants to Do is Dance" are all received as if the whole venue was a club dance floor.

After "Boys of Summer" Don notes that it's a fitting song for this kind of weather. He says that he isn't surprised by it though. He has a friend who lives in Michigan who describes summer time as "three months of bad sledding."

Don says that this would usually be the point where he left the stage and we'd clap and want him to come back, but he says, "let's skip all of that. Why don't I just do two more songs for you?" So, he gets right into the encore. "End of Innocence" is soft and beautiful. I'm not a fan of "Desperado," but the crowd sings along and sways back and forth. It's as much of anthem as "Landslide."

Everyone has already talked about her setlist and except for GDW, I think the songs went off remarkably well vocally, just as in Vegas, so I don't have much to add about Stevie's music.

After a brief intermission, I see a crew member lighting Stevie's way onto the stage during Bootylicious. So, she's standing back there, during the end of that song and all of the Dreams Remix. Her set opens with her smiling, but then when she goes to the edge of the stage to shake hands with a fan, she is pulled and almost loses her footing. This leads to a ruckus among the fans and, anxious that someone is going to get hurt, Stevie begins staring down with displeasure. I wonder if this is going to put her off her game. But after the first few verses and a bit more glancing and gesturing at the audience to ensure that everything is all right, she gets back to business as usual.

She does a little hoola dance before "Dreams" begins. Then, when it's over she thanks the "Detroit City" audience for coming. Don referred to us as Michigan. She's wearing gloves and is generally bundled up. The decolletage sported in Vegas is but a memory. I don't even see a glimpse of her neck all night. But she is just about to embark on a solo tour and she can't risk a sore throat or illness. So, I understand her caution.

The video behind Rhiannon has changed. She no longer uses live action unicorns in it. Although there are drawings of a few unicorn in silhouette. Mostly, there are female faces, statues, pictures, some of them reminiscent of Stevie, some Madonna-esque, some mysterious.

GDW, a stand out during SYW and in Vegas, is pretty awful. I wonder if Don asked Stevie to sing on this song and out of politeness she couldn't refuse. It's ill-fitted for a duet. As a result, the song slows down in the strangest places and I don't even think it's part of the deliberate arrangement. Stevie even misses her cue to sing "Heartless challenge' at the beginning and the music starts over. Then, after the most dramatic point where they're saying, (in FM they YELL this part at each other) "did she make you cry, make you break down, shatter your illusions . . ." there's a rather aimless pause in the last place you'd expect to find one.

Stevie lets Don sing the last lines. She adds, "Baby, baby, baby, you don't see me now. Baby, baby, baby, you should see me now."

After their slow dance, Don twirls Stevie softly several times and then they bow. I should say that the dance was well-received. People respond to it just as they did the Tusk dance.

Don has changed into a black western shirt and a black jacket. He opens his jacket up and lets the audience see his new duds, as if to show us that he cleans up good.

Stevie introduces "Circle Dance" by saying they're not sure, but they think that it is a song Bonnie Raitt wrote for her father about 10 years ago. So, they're just GUESSING that?

When Stevie introduces the band, she says that Jimmy has the best hair of them all. Sharon is the teacher/goddess and they would be no where without her. Carlos helped her stand up at a time when she nearly couldn't. Waddy is the leader of the pack, head of the class. He makes it all possible.

Stevie seems less animated during Stand Back than usual. She doesn't move as much and I almost wonder if she has a back ache or something, but no. She spins as usual and she comes to the mic and gives a high kick at the end. Then she walks off the stage as Carlos brings the song to a close. The back up singers shout, "Stand Back" to end.

Beauty and the Beast . . . honestly, I think I could take the video, if Stevie was dressed normally. OR I could take the getup, if it wasn't backed by that footage. But together, the double whammy is nearly intolerable. If she ever tried to pull a stunt like that on an FM tour, I would start a referendum to bring back the Time line up.

Boy, Taku's return was never more welcome than at the beginning of Edge. First the drummers are dueling, but then they play in unison. Jimmy with sticks and Taku mirroring him with his hands. It's very steamy. Then, Waddy comes out to add to the mix, just the thing to further fuel the already-frenzied audience. The best part is after Stevie works her way across the front of the audience and then returns to the mic. It's like a fire dies down to its embers, only to be reignited with renewed passion. "I know what it sounds like. I know what it sounds like." When Stevie takes her bow, she stands a long time, arms outstretched with her back to the audience, knowing she's brought the house down.

Don returns for "Leather and Lace." Maybe they have to end it there because of noise restrictions that force them out by 11 p.m., but not having heard "Rock and Roll", I think the night SHOULD close with "Leather and Lace." Indeed, that could have been the name of their tour. Only Stevie plays both roles: she's lace AND leather.

I still hear the call of a nightbird.

Rated "5" by Shawn Rocca aka "Mirago"

Just got in, I ended up spending the night in Detroit last night after the show. I was waaa-y too wound up after the show to sit in a car for another 4 hours.

As restless as it was holding out for tickets and being completely at Ticketmaster’s mercy through this ….I ended up scoring 7th row centre right seats yesterday AM. If your nerves can take the anticipation, this really is a great way to go (thank-you leggie advisors) – days before the seats were all still way scattered all over the far behind left and right seats of the place. Mind you, as the show started, that crazy excitement I remembered just took over. When the lights went down however, I would have been just as happy to have had my ass parked on the cold wet lawn. And it was also very cold last night. Don wore a coat, and Stevie was just a trooper.

Mr. Don Henley was actually more animated than I expected. His performance was great, and their rapport together felt very genuine and true to me, after all. I admit, I gave the guy a bum wrap, but still, he was not the show-stopper by any means. His 3 song prelude to Hotel California pretty much set the stage for Stevie’s first appearance. Stevie was just on fire…absolutely gorgeous, breath taking, and god-like. The crowd went absolutely wild for her, it was awesome. HC was awesome too. The intermission to Stevie didn’t feel long at all…but that’s also when the show really took off.

Her new vocals for the Dreams remix are so truly beautiful, a lot of new little gorgeous nuances, especially the “you will know” over and over. I pray it’s a summer hit, it sounds perfect and the timing is right to me.

During the real Dreams though, a couple of tree people came to stand in front of us. It ended up being a good thing though; I had never been to a show with such inter-changeable seating going on. We were able to move in front of the tree people and the the show only got better from there on.

Rhiannon and Enchanted sounded stronger than ever. I know we’ve been speaking of her energy level lately, she was excitably more energetic on stage than I ever remember. She seemed much less active on stage during the TISL tour, that’s for sure. Circle Dance was another of the many song treats last night. What’s there to say about Stand Back, live? This song can just do no wrong, live or whatever. She’s twirling more now than on SYW too. It was definitely the peak moment for the whole night I think. I didn’t do the Edge rush, too shy I guess, but something happened at the beginning of Edge…I couldn’t see exactly, but it looked like someone almost pulled her into the crowd, she caught herself and did a double-step back. It was a little scary, but always classy, she kept on greeting and shaking. I guess it’s hard not to resist, when you’re being utterly adored. Stop Draggin’ rocked more than TISL too. My favourite moment though was surprisingly, Leather & Lace. This was totally unexpected too. Until now, that song had only been an enigma to me of wonder years past. I felt transported to that time with them. They were truly mesmerizing together. It was such a longing moment too, I was born too late in this life. It reminded me that I missed out on not seeing her in the 70s-80s tours…and couldn’t help but feel a little sad at all I have missed in her career, as well as just feeling lucky for right now.

Overall, I’m thrilled I experienced this again, if only for a fleeting evening. Hopefully, we will be hearing new music soon after all, there’s definitely still an urgent spark in her, vocals and all. I go to tons of concerts throughout the year, but no one can stir me like She does. She’s brilliant, she’s divine, she rules and she totally stole Detroit away last night. I’m going to sleep now….xoxo. Shawn

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