Stevie Nicks (With Sheryl Crow) – July 20, 2001 at Jones Beach

The stage was set like a patio at a California Vineyard. Complete with roses winding their way along two Romanesque columns. It was a beautiful night for a show and the house was packed. All of the enchanted beings that have followed Stevie’s career through all of its twists and turns were there. Some in flowing gowns, simple frocks or jeans and beaded t-shirts.

The Sheryl Crow faction was well represented also. While Sheryl fans are not easily recognizable by a clothing style – see this artist enough in concert and you begin to recognize faces.

I bring this up because Nicks and Crow have similar musical styles, and the crossover is natural. To paraphrase what I overheard a member of the Sheryl Crow fan forum say to a member of the Stevie Nicks fan club, “…it’s like the stars and the moon coming together to form the night sky…”

Just as I was thinking of what songs would fill the night sky – the house speakers exploded with the opening riff to “Edge of Seventeen”; only there was a strange backbeat and no one was on stage. Stevie was warming up the crowd by playing the R&B group Destiny’s Child’s song “Bootilicious”, which samples “…Seventeen.”

As the band came out – Stevie Nicks recited the chorus to “Trouble In Shangri-La”. Then the band lit into “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Stevie came dancing on stage and the crowd rose to its feet. Nicks, dressed in a simple black beaded dress, waved to the audience and smiled with delight as they waved back.

“New York City, “ she said, “Just like I pictured it.”

With that Nicks welcomed everyone and thanked them for sharing the night with her. “Enchanted” and “Dreams” followed.

Stevie paused and told us that Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham had rented a house in California and were starting work on the next Fleetwood Mac album.

Stevie ran back to throw on a dusty rose colored shawl and started “Gold Dust Woman”. Just as the first chorus was starting, out sauntered Sheryl Crow, sharing the song as they sang in perfect harmony. On stage it was like watching two sisters dancing in a mirrored tandem.

As the song finished, Stevie said “Well this is a special little moment… this is a dream come true for Sheryl and I…”

The duo did “Sorcerer” and then Stevie took a little break, as Crow thanked “the best fans” for letting her play to them and did “My Favorite Mistake.”

Nicks came back and played favorites like, “Everyday”, “Rhiannon”, “Stand Back” (complete with the return of the high kick!) and “Planets of the Universe” which she explained was an apology of sorts to Lindsey Buckingham for some of the songs she wrote for Rumors.

Sheryl Crow came back out and they “sisters” performed “Everyday Is A Winding Road”. In the middle of which, Crow acknowledged, “Stevie Nicks has a very nasty band.”

Stevie and Sheryl then sang some great songs from the new album, including, “Too Far From Texas”, “Fall From Grace” and “Bombay Sapphires.”

The band took a little break leaving the incredible percussion section to play for a bit. Nick’s lead guitarist and musical director, Waddy Wachtel, played an incredible solo that evolved into “Edge of Seventeen”. The band played this song harder than I have ever seen it performed, proving that through it all – Stevie Nicks really rocks!

The set ended with Crow hopping on stage laughing and playing percussion, while Nicks greeted everyone in the front row. Most Stevie fans are well behaved (only one woman charged the stage and was carted off), offering gifts; Nicks accepted a garland of flowers and wore it in her hair for the remainder of the song, held up a huge teddy bear to the audience and danced with a stuffed gopher.

As Stevie finished “...Seventeen” she was laughing, twirling and seemed to be in her own musical heaven.

“Thank you for your appreciation of my music and for being alive and well.” Nicks then asked her fans to, “ Please be good to yourself… so you can come back again and we can sing songs together…”

Nick’s encore was Tom Petty’s “I Need To Know” with Sheryl Crow singing along side. The show finished with just Stevie singing “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You.”

The whole band came for one more bow, waved and walked off. The lights came up and the night was finished.

Overall, this was a great show – nothing earth shattering- but then a rock concert isn’t always supposed to move mountains. In today’s pop world of theatrics and over processed teenie boppers, it’s refreshing to see a real artist display her craft.

- Q104.3's Dan "Beav" Mathers - Weekends