STEVIE NICKS - BST HYDE PARK FRIDAY 12TH JULY 2024

And everything was so expensive - from the tickets, to the food and drink, to the merchandise. And though I expected that, the huge queues to use the toilet or fill up my bottle of water on a sweltering hot day led me to conclude that it just wasn’t worth the cost. But then Stevie Nicks, reigning queen of rock and roll announced a show and threw me into a complete quandary. Of course, I had to go. After moaning about the extortionate price of an (absolutely necessary!) Diamond VIP ticket and assuring friends that I just couldn’t part with that amount of money, I got one anyway and felt an immediate sense of happiness, knowing I’d made the right choice. 

For me, and the thousands of other pouring into Hyde Park in their shawls and hats, boots and hippy dresses, Nicks is the ultimate icon, and we know chances to catch her in the UK are rare. The postponement of dates in Glasgow and Manchester earlier in the week had been a worry, so there’s a palpable sense of relief as Nicks takes to the stage, an unmistakeable figure in black, albeit a little smaller than I remember, comfortable black trainers in place of her once trademark tall boots. But thankfully, that’s all that has changed; Nicks’ distinctive voice remains a thing of unique beauty, as evidenced from opener ‘Outside the Rain’. 

From there, it’s on to ‘Dreams’, sung so loudly by the crowd, that there is a real risk of Nicks being drowned out. It’s a song so ingrained in our consciousness that it’s hard to imagine a time before it existed; the lyrics continue to resonate, undimmed by the near 50 years that have passed since its release. I’m surprised to find myself part of an audience that seems predominantly youthful, proof that Nicks’ appeals transcends generations. Perhaps not a witch as has often been claimed, there is undoubtedly something enchanting in her enigmatic presence. 

‘If Anyone Falls’ transports us back to the 80s (not that I’m old enough to remember!), with swathes of synths and a big, powerful chorus that sees backing singers Sharon Celani and Marilyn Martin shine. There’s more where that came from, a commanding ‘Stand Back’ and unforgettable ‘Edge of Seventeen’ reminders of high points from Nicks’ solo career. It’s pleasing to see that shawls have been reintroduced to the live performance, apparently by popular demand - the sight of Nicks twirling met with shrieks of appreciation. ‘Wild Heart’ segues into ‘Bella Donna’, both delivered with more power than a woman of 76 should really be capable of.

But of course, it’s the Fleetwood Mac songs that are met with the greatest rapture. ‘Gypsy’, the sparkling tale of a nomadic life, and ‘Rhiannon’ both instantly recognisable. But it’s ‘Gold Dust Woman’ that proves to be the towering centrepiece; the cautionary tale of addiction transformed into something truly spectacular, the combination of Nicks' incredible band married with stunning backdrops and Stevie's showstopping voice. 

There’s a couple of covers thrown in around the halfway mark, the first, Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’, a song that Nicks says she always liked, despite not understanding the meaning for many years. The second, ‘Free Fallin’’ is tinged with sadness, Nicks reflecting on the last time she played Hyde Park in support of friend and collaborator Tom Petty; their final encounter before his untimely death in 2017. It’s a lovely tribute, but personally I would prefer to have seen these songs dropped in favour of some deeper cuts from Nicks’ extensive back catalogue.    

Deeper cuts like ‘Leather and Lace’, a song that Stevie says she has seldom played live. It is a privilege to hear it today, Nicks joined by her vocal coach Steve Real, who, perhaps unsurprisingly, has quite a lovely voice. This duet later becomes somewhat overshadowed, high pitched screams alerting me that something big has happened and I become aware that I’m looking at Harry Styles. Admittedly, the hysteria is a bit lost on me, but he is unquestionably a modern superstar and performs admirably, duetting with Stevie on ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ and an emotional ‘Landslide’. The beautiful pictures of Nicks with best friend and band mate Christine McVie that serve as a backdrop leave no doubt that this in intended as a tribute; a very moving one on what would have been McVie’s 81st birthday. As Stevie tells us, she has been “running to the stage” since the loss, the love she receives from her audiences helping her to get through it. It’s an evening that feels very special to have been a part of - surely worth £300 of anyone's money?