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Review: Stevie Nicks releases masterful ’24 Karat Gold’ concert film (Includes first-hand account)

She dedicated this concert film to the late but great record producer Keith Olsen.

As soon as Nicks took the stage, she was greeted with a standing ovation. She began her elaborate set with “Gold and Braid,” where she was able to lure the audience in from the first note, as she was accompanied by a gifted band. “Welcome, everyone,” she said, and she received a raucous response from the fans, who were aware that they are in the presence of a living music legend.

“I am so happy that you are here tonight,” she said. “This is our second night filming this show and we thought that your city is the one to do it in,” she added, about the cameras being around the audience.

She shared her decision to film the “24 Karat Gold Tour” because it is extremely special to her. “This show is different. It’s not the same Stevie Nicks show you’ve seen a million times because I am not the same Stevie Nicks that you’ve seen a million times. I wanted it to be different,” she reiterated.

Nicks went through “the dark Gothic trunk of lost songs” and added several rarities to this set-list. “It’s a trip, it’s a journey, come with me. Let’s go,” she exclaimed and immediately broke into the expressive “If Anyone Falls.”

“Thank you,” she said and told the story of how she was offered “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Tom Petty to sing as a duet with him.

“That song kicked ‘Bella Donna’ into the stratosphere,” she said, referring to the album’s commercial success. “Thank you, Tom [Petty],” she added. She delivered a noteworthy rendition with her musical director Waddy Wachtel singing Petty’s vocals parts and harmonies.

“Thank you. That was fun,” she admitted. She described “Belle Fleur” as the “picture she painted, the wrote she wrote,” and rightfully so. A neat video played on the giant video-board during this rocking, resonant performance.

She continued with a soaring rendition of “Gypsy,” where her band is able to make magic on backing vocals, where it feels like two songs in one. It was followed by the liberating yet melodically stunning “Wild Heart” and equally gorgeous was “Bella Donna,” which was a masterclass on harmonies.

With The Wild Heart album, she was able to prove to the world that not only Bella Donna wasn’t a fluke, her solo career wasn’t a fluke either, and that statement was well-received by the audience.

She picked up the pace with the uplifting “Enchanted.” She shared that “New Orleans” was written in 2005 while she was drawing. “It was not a happy poem or a pretty poem, it was a terrible poem,” she said, and she performed a stirring, acoustic version of “New Orleans,” which was filled with raw emotions.

Nicks revealed that “Starshine” was written in Tom Petty’s basement/studio in a matter of 20 minutes, and it just flowed. “It was done, I put a really good vocal on it, Tom put a little harmony on it, and it went back into the Gothic trunk of lost songs, and there it stayed,” she said, and belted out a rocking version of Tom’s basement song “Starshine.” “Thank you,” she said, graciously.

It was followed by the piano-driven “Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream),” which was visually striking thanks to the clips displayed on the video-board. “This is for Prince,” she said and delivered a controlled, powerhouse rendition. It is safe to say that Prince would be smiling from heaven for this moving performance in his honor. “That song has many stories,” she acknowledged.

She continued with this journalist’s all-time favorite Stevie Nicks tune, “Stand Back,” which was sheer bliss. She threw a Buckingham Nicks song in the mix called “Crying in the Night.” “Thank you. That is an old song,” she said and rounded “Crying in the Night” to a 44-year-old song. “This is the first time that it has ever been done on stage,” she admitted. “We just let it go and we moved on.”

A two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Nicks encouraged her fans to hold on to their dreams and she went on to wish everybody “goodness,” which was deeply appreciated by her audience.

She continued with the acoustic “If You Were My Love,” which she dubbed as her “favorite song to sing with the girls,” and their smooth harmonies were simply glorious.

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks
Randee St. Nicholas

After an outfit change, she returned for an exquisite, harking performance of “Gold Dust Woman.” She really got into this song and towards the end, she truly embodied its powerful lyrics. This song, in particular, earned her and the band a lengthy standing ovation. “This song changes itself,” she said, as a footnote.

“Thank you for getting into the world of her craziness,” she said, prior to breaking into the spitfire “Edge of Seventeen.” “Thank you, everybody, for being an awesome audience in the first place, and thank you for letting me sing songs that you’ve probably never heard before and for listening to these stories that you’ve never heard before and allowing me to do something that is really new and really fun for me. Dreams come true, even for me, at 68 years old,” she elaborated.

For her encore, she returned to perform her classic hit “Rhiannon” and signature ballad “Landslide,” featuring her ethereal vocals, where she left her dedicated fans yearning for more music and storytelling.

The Verdict

Overall, Stevie Nicks was spectacular at the 24 “Karat Gold Concert” film, where she was able to take her loyal listeners on a journey through music. Her distinct, pristine voice transports listeners to different realms. She proved that she is one true song stylist with one of the most timeless, distinct voices of our time.

Most importantly, this concert film was a moving homage to record producer Keith Olsen, as well as to Prince. The audience was well aware that they were in the presence of a rock and roll goddess. This concert film gave fans a front-row seat to one unforgettable musical experience, and it earned five out of five stars. Well done.

To learn more about the “24 Karat Gold” concert film, check out its official website.

Stevie Nicks  24 Karat Gold  live album

Stevie Nicks ’24 Karat Gold’ live album
Stevie Nicks ’24 Karat Gold’ live album cover art

For more information on Stevie Nicks and her music, visit her Facebook page, Instagram page, and her official homepage.

Read More: Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos chatted with Stevie Nicks, the reigning “Empress of Rock and Roll.”

Stevie Nicks performing live

Stevie Nicks performing live
Justin Wysong

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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