Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde, performed to a capacity crowd on Thursday night at the Viejas Arena at the Aztec Bowl in San Diego. While the Pretenders were the opening act they are also a “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame Inductee”. The songs from both bands tonight have a very timeless sound which connected the crowd to the music in a very personal way. Miss Hynde led her Pretenders through a 15-song set featuring tunes from the band’s latest album “Alone,” along with a radio friendly mix of her more iconic hits. She apparently tailored the milder set to the multitude of Stevie Nick’s fans, most of which were probably unaware of her more punkish roots. We got to stroll through her charting years with “Message of Love,” “Back on the Chain Gang,” “I’ll Stand by You,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” “Talk of the Town,” “Middle of the Road” and “Brass in Pocket” leading the way. One thing is certain, Chrissie came to Rock the Arena, and that she did in a big way. The crowd was dancing, singing along and could not sit still. Miss Hynde was no ordinary opening act. She was beyond brilliant in her musical delivery, her familiar sultry vibrato vocals and her stage presence. She was so good that at one moment I almost forgot that this was the opening band. I got more excited thinking, “this is only the beginning”. The entire Arena was in awe and now waiting for Stevie.
Stevie started off telling us early on in the concert that she would be playing what she called “New, old songs” from her “Gothic trunk of lost songs”. She said she’d be explaining how the songs came to be, a little history of why she released them when she did, and why she chose them for tonight’s show. It was a good idea to tell the audience up front her plan for the night and that they would be hearing songs they probably didn’t know. I think it put the audience in the right frame of mind.
Stevie told many stories that personalized the evening for the crowd. I found most of the stories very entertaining and it was nice to get the back story to the songs. One of the highlights was when she talked about her solo career she was offered a song by Tom Petty. They ended up recording “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, and it became one of her biggest solo hits. The band started playing and the crowd went crazy especially when Chrissie Hynde walked back on stage to perform Tom Petty’s part of the song. Between the story telling and the music and the stage lighting, the night was turning out to be very magical. Every song after that just cemented in your memory why Stevie has been on top of the charts all these years. She sang many of her hits and after she finished singing “Rhiannon.” She closed the show with the beautiful song “Landslide”.
Stevie Nicks is an artist that has truly perfected her craft. It was amazing how she could make you feel like you were sitting in a small coffee house just listening to a songwriter talk about the history behind how and why she wrote a song, and then you we’re back in an arena rocking out. I saw families with their children and groups of women reliving some of their youth with these songs. Stevie’s music truly transcends the generation gap. This was a night I did not want to end. I truly loved the voyage through the “Gothic Trunk of Lost Songs.”
The Pretenders Setlist:
Alone
Gotta Wait
Message of Love
Private Life
Down the Wrong Way
Hymn to Her
Back on the Chain Gang
I’ll Stand by You
Don’t Get me Wrong
Stop your Sobbing
My City was Gone
Talk of the Town
Mystery Achievement
Middle of the Road
Brass in Pocket
Stevie Nicks Setlist
- Gold and Braid
2. If Anyone Falls
3. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
4. Belle Fleur
5. Gypsy
6. Wild Heart
7. Bella Donna
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
15. Gold Dust Woman
16. Edge of Seventeen
Encore:
17. Rhiannon
18. Landslide
Reviewed: Storm@backstage360.com