Source: The Mouth
STEVIE NICKS – IN YOUR DREAMS TOUR, W/ Dave Stewart – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, 23 November 2011
It’s only in your wildest dreams that you think youd get an opportunity to witness two musical icons hit the stage on the same night, but this is the fortunate scenario for Australian fans of Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart as they make their way around the country on Stevie’s In Your Dreams Australian Tour.
Opening proceedings on the night was former boy band member, turned successful solo artist, Brian McFadden, who performed a brief and eclectic acoustic set consisting of mainly covers and some of his own tracks thrown in for good measure. Adele’s Someone Like You and Brian’s Like Only a Woman Can were standouts of a set that saw McFadden outside his usual comfort zone of 10,000+ screaming teenagers, delivering a impressive set to an initially reserved, but eventually well received audience.
Following the release of his impressive Blackbird Diaries album, I was personally excited to finally witness revered musician, producer and non-stop workaholic, Dave Stewart and his touring band of musicians hit the stage. Looking every bit the showman in top hat and album artwork inspired custom fitted suit, the audience were sent into a spin as Dave introduced tracks from his country blues inspired album including Beast Called Fame, Gypsy Girl and Me and One Way Ticket to the Moon.
Then in an instant, the audience were treated to hugely successful Eurythmics classics, Here Comes The Rain Again, and Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), which saw the crowd brim with delight as Dave reveled in the opportunity to share his music with the hugely appreciative audience.
Dave’s rendition of Tom Petty’s Dont Come Around Here No More was a highlight, a song which was actually co-written by Petty and himself, a revelation which reaffirmed we were in the esteemed presence of a truly talented artist.
Adding an Australian element to Stewart’s performance were the almost unrecognisable Aussie outfit, The Panics, who executed their roles with precision amongst Dave’s immensely talented back-up singers and son, Django, who joined him on stage for what was a memorable performance.
Opening her set with the high energy Stand Back, Stevie Nicks strolled onto the stage to the delight of fans, who had waited along time to see her play in this city. She declared early that this would not be a greatest hits show, but a showcase of tracks from her recent album In Your Dreams, before unleashing Fleetwood Mac classic, Dreams.
Taking the time to discuss the meaning and inspiration behind each song, this allowed the audience to have a greater appreciation for Nicks’ more recently released material such as Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream), Soldier’s Angel and For What It’s Worth, all sequenced to superb backdrop video projections, complimenting each performance.
Fleetwood Mac hit Rhiannon drew the greatest crowd reaction, but it was the emotively reflective Landslide that proved the highlight of her set, and was performed as a tribute to Nicks’ father, as she shared family home video footage and images of cherished time spent with her family.
Taking the time to shake hands with almost every fan lucky enough to be positioned in the first two rows, Nicks and her band rocked the house to Edge of Seventeen, before returning to the stage to perform parting ballad, Love Is, proving to fans that she still has what it takes vocally to captivate and entertain a 6,000 strong audience for two hours.
Reviewed by Chris De Musso