Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde
(Michael Chow/AZ Central)
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RECAP: 24 Karat Gold Tour – Opening Night

October 25, 2016
9 min read

Stevie Nicks kicked off the highly-anticipated 24 Karat Gold Tour Tuesday tonight at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in downtown Phoenix. Promising an eclectic show packed with music “in your heart,” Stevie delivered a surprisingly diverse set list that focused heavily on her solo work, performing just three songs from her Fleetwood Mac catalog (see full set list below). This was clearly the rock icon’s plan, as she made the bold move to open the set with “Gold and Braid” — an obscure track from the Bella Donna sessions that was never completed (the 1981 live version appears on 1998’s retrospective Enchanted.)

Among other set list surprises were a fantastic “Wild Heart/Bella Donna” medley; a moving stripped-down version of “Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)”; and the elusive “Crying in the Night” from Stevie’s out-of-print 1973 recording Buckingham Nicks (with Fleetwood Mac band member Lindsey Buckingham). Stevie noted that her longtime friend, musical director, and guitarist Waddy Wachtel played an instrumental role during the recording of Buckingham Nicks.

Fellow-Rock-and-Roll-Hall-of-Famer Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders hit the stage first at around 7:20 pm, igniting the crowd with a bevy of hits, which included “Back on the Chain Gang,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” and “Brass in Pocket.” Sporting ripped blue jeans, black Elvis Presley t-shirt, and white sneakers, Chrissie commanded the stage with authority, as she and the band knocked out a catalog of songs spanning nearly 40 years. (The Pretenders set list also appears below.)

The Pretenders performed for about an hour before Stevie took to the stage at 8:45 pm. Chrissie returned to the stage to join Stevie and Waddy for the hit duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” filling in nicely for Tom Petty and providing a unique point of view at the same time. During the song, the two rock veterans high-fived in cool female solidarity (Stevie and Chrissie’s positive influence on female rock and roll is undeniable).

Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde
(Melissa Fossum / Phoenix New Times)

Stevie revealed that she was a little nervous about singing a full set of songs on her own again (20 in all), but she was delighted and inspired to be starting the tour in her hometown of Phoenix.

“I’m a little freaked out,” Stevie said. “But I’m in my hometown where I wrote a lot of these songs.” After performing the “Wild Heart” and “Bella Donna” medley, Stevie told the audience she had been wearing the same blue cape she wore during the Bella Donna sessions in 1981.

The middle part of the set was strong, with Stevie showcasing a number of songs from 2011’s In Your Dreams and 2014’s 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault. The uptempo “Annabel Lee” (Edgar Allan Poe’s poem set to rock music) and “Starshine” played especially well onstage, with the singers in full vocal range. This momentum led into the pulsating “Stand Back,” complete with full spins during the guitar solo. The signature spectacle never fails to impress.

Stevie shared the stories behind some of the songs she performed, such as “Crying in the Night” and “If You Were My Love,” two lesser-known songs in her repertoire. Stevie revealed that both songs had languished in her back catalog for years, namely the reflective “If You Were My Love,” which had been rehearsed numerous times and withdrawn from both Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks solo projects.

Stevie Nicks
(Melissa Fossum / Phoenix New Times)

Stevie closed out the show with her trademark anthems “Gold Dust Woman,” “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Rhiannon” (first encore). During “Edge of Seventeen,” Stevie paid her respects to “Stand Back”-collaborator Prince, showing a photo montage of the legendary musician on the large projection screen at the back of the stage. The tribute produced a loud crowd ovation from the Phoenix crowd.

Stevie skipped her famous “Edge of Seventeen” walk, during which she has traditionally shaken hands with fans in the front row. A Stevie Nicks concert without this ritual seemed like an unthinkable occurrence, but this decision allowed time for additional songs and truly underscored an evening of experimentation for Stevie, who has not often strayed from familiar set lists. But the risk paid off, as she had the crowd pumped and on their feet by the end of the show.

The final encore “Leather and Lace,” performed with just “the girls” (background singers Sharon Celani and Marilyn Martin), as it had been arranged for the White Winged Dove Tour back in 1981, was a fitting homage to Stevie’s 35-year solo career coming full circle. “What a journey it has been!” she remarked at the end of the show.

The 24 Karat Gold Tour coincides with the November 4th re-release of Stevie Nicks’ first two solo albums Bella Donna (1981) and The Wild Heart (1983), which combined have sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S. alone.

All slideshow photos courtesy of Michael Chow / AZ Central

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Concert Reviews

Stevie Nicks Set List

Thank you to Jamie Maletic and her friends for providing the full set list before the show!

  1. Gold and Braid
  2. If Anyone Falls
  3. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (with Chrissie Hynde & Waddy Wachtel)
  4. Belle Fleur
  5. Outside the Rain/Dreams (medley)
  6. Wild Heart/Bella Donna (medley)
  7. Annabel Lee
  8. Enchanted
  9. New Orleans
  10. Starshine
  11. Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)
  12. Stand Back
  13. Crying in the Night
  14. If You Were My Love
    Band introductions
  15. Gold Dust Woman
  16. Edge of Seventeen
    Encores
  17. Rhiannon
  18. Leather and Lace

The Pretenders Set List

  1. Alone
  2. Gotta Wait
  3. Down the Wrong Way
  4. Private Life
  5. Hymn to Her
  6. Back on the Chain Gang
  7. Don’t Get Me Wrong
  8. I’ll Stand by You
  9. Tattooed Love Boys
  10. Mystery Achievement
  11. Stop Your Sobbing
  12. Brass in Pocket
  13. Holy Commotion
  14. Middle of the Road
  15. Room Full of Mirrors

Videos

Big thanks and much love to Haley Clark, UnderTheDesertMoon, and especially The American, who filmed the entire show!

Gold and Braid (Haley Clark)

Gold and Braid (The American)

“Phoenix, Arizona…just like I pictured it! Well, I’d like to say, Welcome home! This is our house tonight. Very proud to be here, very very proud to have Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders here with me. This is not exactly… And I know you all know this, but I’m just gonna tell you anyway ’cause you know that I just love to talk, so. This is a… This is a little different kind of set. We really have done what you have asked for all these years, and we have gone back and we have picked up some things that we think maybe in your hearts you always wanted to hear. It’s been a lot of fun for us to put this together. So everybody, thank you for coming! We’re very, very happy to be here! We love you and we’re home! Thank you!”

If Anyone Falls (The American)

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around – with Chrissie Hynde (The American)

Outside the Rain/Dreams (The American)

Wild Heart / Bella Donna (The American)

Annabel Lee (The American)

“Thank you, Edgar Allan Poe! Here’s here. He’s in the back. Just watch out. He’s standing behind you somewhere.”

New Orleans (The American)

Starshine (The American)

Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream) (The American)

Stand Back (The American)

Crying in the Night (The American)

Gold Dust Woman (The American)

Gold Dust Woman (UnderTheDesertMoon)

Edge of Seventeen (The American)

Rhiannon (The American)

Leather and Lace (The American)

“What a journey it has been! Thank you, everyone, so much. You know, uh, first of all, thank you for staying. That’s a big plus. That makes me really feel good because, you know, I mean if it was me, I’d probably be going like, ‘A lot of traffic out there.’ So thank you so much!

Secondly, you always surprise me, and uh, this was a very, you know it’s like, I’m not really supposed to like talk this much. Someday I’m going to do a show where I don’t even sing, I’m just gonna talk. And uh, but I want you to know this was a very different show. This is doing songs that we’ve never done, and it’s hard because you haven’t ever. You’re so familiar with your other songs. These songs, a lot of them you’re not familiar with, but you love them, and to be able to share them with everybody is wonderful. By the time we get a couple more shows, they’ll be a little more finessed. But I’m glad that I was able to share this first night of trying to get this all in my head with you.

You have been my great friends, sitting in my living room, listening to my new demos. And that, of course, is my favorite thing of all to do, is sit in my living room and play demos. So that’s what’s you’ve done for me tonight. And you’ve let me know that this is gonna work, and I’m gonna be OK, and I appreciate that.

So take care of yourself, stay strong, don’t watch the news  — it’s depressing. I love you all! We’ll be back! Take care! God bless you!”

Touring Band

  • Stevie Nicks – Lead Vocals
  • Waddy Wachtel – Guitars, Musical Director
  • Ricky Peterson – Hammond Piano
  • Scott Crago – Drums
  • Darrell Smith – Grand Piano
  • Al Ortiz – Bass
  • Carlos Rios – Guitars
  • Sharon Celani – Backup Vocals
  • Marilyn Martin – Backup Vocals

Live Streaming from Periscope

The Pretenders – “Don’t Get Me Wrong” (clip)

Tour Merchandise

Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold Tour t-shirt

Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold Tour mug

Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold Tour keychain

Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold Tour t-shirt

These images were shared by Nicks Fan and his friend — MUCH THANKS!

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Purchase 24 Karat Gold Tour merchandise here!

We are here!!! #24karatgoldtour #stevienicks @haleydclark

A photo posted by michelle matthews (@michellematthews12) on

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