Stevie Nicks Brings A Little Magic On a Chilly Charlotte Evening
Iconic Singer Plays Sold-Out Show at PNC Music Pavilion
It isn’t every day that we get to witness a legend in action, but Charlotte-area music fans turned out in droves when the one and only Stevie Nicks came to town to close out the concert season in style at PNC Music Pavilion. Nicks is an extraordinary vocalist, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the storied rock band Fleetwood Mac as well as an exceptional solo career. With millions of albums sold, numerous industry awards and accolades, and countless sold-out tours around the world, Stevie is truly something “Dreams” are made of.
The evening started out with singer-songwriter and pianist Vanessa Carlton, an accomplished musician in her own right and close friend of Nicks. Her set was laid back as Vanessa told stories a bit between songs. It was clear that she was overjoyed to be up there on the stage and it showed in her performance. She even took a few minutes to express her gratitude for being able to do what she loves again after being a substitute teacher during the pandemic. Carlton sounded amazing and when she introduced her biggest hit, “A Thousand Miles,” the venue roared. It was a terrific start to what would be an amazing evening of music.
Of course, everyone was amped up and ready for the main event of the night to begin. Known over the years for her fashion sense and beautiful shawls, many fans did their best Nicks impersonations dressing up with quirky hats, gorgeous lacy black dresses, and unique shawls of their own. The weather was a bit chilly but there was a distinct bit of energy in the air.
A recording of Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down A Dream” began to play and everyone was on their feet. Nicks made her way onto the stage opening with “Outside The Rain” before diving right into a slowed-down version of “Dreams” from her Fleetwood Mac days. It’s hard to believe that Nicks is 74 years old because she still sounds amazing as her signature vocal stylings soared over the ampitheatre. After a few more of her solo hits, Nicks gave an absolutely breathtaking version of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” which is also her latest release. Stevie looked amazing as well showing off her shawl which was the original one she wore on the cover of her 1981 solo debut album Bella Donna before launching into the title track.
The most poignant moment of the show occurred during “Soldier’s Angel” which she dedicated to Julia, a Ukrainian artist that Nicks befriended, asking everyone to donate just a few dollars to help Ukraine. But the most iconic part of the performance was yet to come. As images of gold “dust” showed on the huge video screen at the rear of the stage, Nicks appeared, donning a gold shawl for “Gold Dust Woman,” the closing song off Fleetwood Mac’s best-selling Rumours album. That album is one of my personal favorites and was the very first record that I purchased with my own money after begging my mom to allow me to walk the few short blocks over to the local Kmart. It was here at this point in the show that Nicks truly shined as she twirled and spun in an over nine-minute-long journey that harkened back to the early days of her career.
Immediately following that, we were treated to a story of Stevie being stranded without any money in Colorado, staying at a mountain home of some new-found friends. The view, she said, was so beyond beautiful that she was inspired to write a song. After asking permission from the homeowner, Stevie settled in with her guitar and wrote what became “Landslide.” It was a great lead into what is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time and when she sang “But time makes you bolder, Even children get older, And I’m getting older too,” it somehow held much more meaning on this particular night, those lyrics hanging in the air provoking further contemplation.
The stage cleared and as visions of flying birds lit up behind the stage, guitarist Waddy Wachtel appeared, hammering out the well-known opening notes to “Edge of Seventeen.” He took his time, playing it over and over, as the intensity built before Stevie joined him. Somehow, we all went from feeling a little bit bolder and a whole lot older to feeling young and seventeen again.
For her encore, Nicks came out and did one for her friend, the late tom Petty with her own versions of “Free Fallin,” her finger pointing to the sky before wrapping up a stellar show, electrifying the crowd one last time with “Rhiannon” before waving her final goodbye.
It was an incredible night of music and memories from Nicks as she proved she is and always will be the legendary “Gold Dust Woman.” As we exited our seats, Tom Petty’s “Learning To Fly” was on the loudspeakers and it seemed apropos on this occasion because “coming down is the hardest thing.”
If you missed this tour, don’t worry. You’ll get another chance next year as Stevie has just announced a stadium tour with none other than Billy Joel for 2023. Here’s hoping there’s a date close to me! Until next time…
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