Erica Dawn's review of Stevie's opening show in Pittsburgh, PA July 6th, 2001, and how she got Stevie to sign the tambourine I created for her!

Lets just say that anticipation was the theme of the drive down to Burgettstown, PA for Stevie first stop of her World Tour for Trouble in Shangri-la. It took about two hours, counting that it was about one lane for an hour! Why the road crew decides to work on the FIRST DAY of Stevie's shows is beyond me :o) Finally, we arrived at the Post Gazette Pavillion, people had been there all day, tailgating and blasting Stevie's music as far as you could hear! They opened that gates around 6:30 and we filed our way in. There was just magic in the air...Henna Tattoo stands were up everywhere, and belly dancers were up on different make-shift stages. Many ladies were dressed in the full Stevie attire, boots, hankerchief skirts and top hats!!!!! My mother, Grandma and I seemed very out of place.

Now, I don't know if anyone in the past has saw a Stevie tambourine, with her Bella Donna pose made by Johanna Pieterman on the Nicksfix. Well, that tambourine was mine....the first one of it's kind made actually! :o) I had longed plan to take it to her concert and have Stevie sign it....but I really had no idea how to, unless I got backstage. But, never the less, I took the tambourine with me, hoping for the best. A friend of mine, Lisa, and I waited out front of the VIP door to the VIP tents. My friend, being more outgoing then I, ran up to everyone walking through those doors, asking if somehow they could get Stevie to sign my tamb. We had no such luck until I looked to the door and Stevie's awesome percussionist, Lenny Castro, came walking out wearing a Enchanted Tour T-shirt! I said, " Oh My God, that's Lenny Castro!" Sure enough, Lisa runs over to him, talks to him a few moments and he comes over to us. I explain to him about the tambourine and how I would love Stevie to sign it. He said, " Stevie really doesn't like to be disturbed before the show." Seeing the disappointment in my eyes, he then says, " How about this, I'll take it back to her, she may sign it before or after the show. But either way, I will get it back to you signed!" I almost flipped out! I was shaking.... I said thank you so much and continued to chat with him. He asked me where I got the tambourine, and me not knowing what he was talking about said, Johanna.... he was like, " no, I mean, the TAMBOURINE, I'm a percussionist and this is a great tambourine!" LOL he was such a great guy...so, he took the tambourine and I went back to my seat. Oh yeah, I also saw Waddy stick he head out the VIP door!!!! Still looks the same!

About 15 mintues later, I see Lenny talking around, searching for me, with my tambourine! I go chasing after him, finally stop him and he hands me the tambourine, saying "Stevie was flipping out, she loved the tambourine!" I hugged him twice and shook his hand! He was genuinly pleased that I was so happy. She signed it, " To Erica...Love, Stevie Nicks"! Can you believe it. Now for the concert review.... :o)

Jeffery Gaines opened around 8-8:30 and was quite good. I knew I had heard him for somewhere and his song," In Your Eyes" was a show stopper! At 9:10p.m. the lights went out and Stevie started singing "I hear there's trouble in Shangri-la" For backstage she sang acapella, lines from Trouble...over and over again. The crowd was going wild!!!!!!! Then she walks onstage, looking the best I've seen her, all smiles and waving to everyone... The first song of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", Waddy taking over Tom's part! Stevie and Waddy sounded just as they had during the Bella Donna tour! Great song... She then said a few rods about how this night was very special, because it was the opening night of her tour and how Pittsburgh has become a very special place to her, saying she had been there 3 days! And loved it! Next she sang "Enchanted" then the crowd went crazy as Waddy played the lead into "Outside the Rain/Dreams" During "Dreams" the entire audience sang along, Stevie almost didn't have to sing! After "Dreams" Stevie ran off stage and the familar drum beat of "Gold Dust Woman" started. She came back on in a new beautiful Gold Dust shawl, with crystals all over it, not just in bursts! She looked radiant....and rocked the song, Sheryl Crow, joined her for this song too. Keeping the Gold Dust shawl on, Stevie and Sherly went into "Sorceror" everyone is the audience had calmed down, but not me. I sang every line to that song! Stevie then ran off the stage and Sherly stayed on to perform a rockin version of "Favorite Mistake". Stevie then came back on alone and sand "Everyday" which I must say sounded better then I had heard before. She quickly left the stage again and the keyboard player began the piano version of "Rhiannon", not the familar Dance version, or even Stevie's concert version. But still, it was beautiful. She was wearing a shawl type jacket that looked like an updated version of her Rumours outfit. The audience sang with Stevie again on this one! Stevie even sang the end , like on Fleetwood Mac Live. "Dreamer, silly dreamer, try hard, you can't leave her..." Once again, Stevie leaves and my new best friend, "Mr. Lenny Castro" took us into the beginning of Stand Back. Stevie comes twirling on in her Stand Back shawl, not the one with big gold circles, but little, tiny ones. The song rocks as ususal...and Stevie did her trademark high kick! What was missing though, were her platform boots, which had been replaced by black platform sneakers!

After Stand Back, Stevie stayed onstage, the shawl remained on and she went into "Planets of The Universe" really, a great song live. Stevie then left us to Sheryl again who performed "Everyday is a Winding Road"..what a performer. Then Stevie joined her back onstage to sing" Too Far From Texas. Stevie explained that she wished Natalie Maines could have been here, but that Sheryl would try to do her best. Sheryl even said she would try and put some twang into it! After, Sheryl and Stevie both walked offstage and Stevie came back on wearing a beautiful crystal encrusted beige shawl for "Bombay Sapphires! What a great song and Stevie sang it wonderfully! She kept on the shawl and Sherly came on and both performed " Fall From Grace" Stevie really got into this song.... especially when she sings " Well, I didn't come all the way here, just to WATCH YOU WALK OUT THAT DOOOOOOOORRRR" with the echo very reminscent of Edge! Awesome song!...Stevie sonce again left and once again Lenny Castro and Waddy took us back to 1980's when Stevie would perform "Edge of 17" Live....Waddy played and awesome guitar lick, teasing us with some of the familar chords then going off and wailing on his guitar. Stevie came out with her trademark, Edge shawl and kicked the a** out of the song! And as also, during the singing break, she greeted the lucky fans in the first few rows! After it was over she thanked everyone and left the stage. Now...any Stevie fan would know that the concert does not end there. The dark pavillion lit up with lighters and screamed for Stevie to come back on..... "I Need to Know" started playing and she rocked the house, banging on her tambourine and really singing into this song, Sheryl even joined in and traded lines with Stevie! Stevie thanked us again and left. But, oh no! She wasn't done yet. The place lit up again with the lighters and the piano started playing the haunting chords of" Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" That's when I lost it! Such a beautiful song that has so much meaning to all her fans... She was truly singing it for us!

Afterwards, the whole band came on stage and bowed and the show was over... Stevie still has it, and always will. Last night was very special to everyone there! With the stage decorated just like the "Trouble In Shangri-la" cd, Stevie really captured everyones hearts and made a loyal following of new fans! What a perfect way to kick off her tour....Perhaps it was that full moon...... ~And the lady's feeling just like the moon that she loves~