Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks pour 'Heart & Soul' into BOK Center show
BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks poured out their “Heart & Soul” tour at the BOK Center on Wednesday night.
Most of the tunes are ones both performers have played with mastery for hundreds of thousands of fans. To put the stars together may feel like an “Odd Couple” pairing — the rebellious blues-rocker blond power woman with the master of the pop-disco-hybrid American songbook.
Boy, it worked. Gloriously.
The night launched with a rollicking welcome and Nicks’ hammering version of the Led Zeppelin classic “Rock and Roll,” backed by a seven-piece band. A stream of photos flashed behind them all, spanning half a century of the genre.
In her trademark way, Nicks adorned the sultry warble of each song with her retro-’70s-era glittered shawls and dark lace, tambourines and baubles, and punctuated the high points with high kicks in black suede platform boots.
Both sets were wedged firmly in the past, but each has more than half a century to pull from. Fans got what they came for: bombastic classics.
Nicks powered through her own hits, including “Stand Back,” “Leather and Lace” and “Enchanted,” the newbie “Secret Love,” the poignant and potent love letter to troops “Soldier’s Angel,” and a chugging and hauntingly theatrical “Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove).”
“It never doesn’t make us happy that you drive to here to see us and enjoy us,” Nicks said. “Thank you.” Her distinctive voice was strong and confident, buoyant and bright.
Nicks’ blazing backing band helped her through Fleetwood Mac classics, including a standing ovation-earning rendition of “Dreams” and epic fantasy hit “Rhiannon,” gypsy siren-call of “Gold Dust Woman” and the emotive, acoustic set ender, “Landslide.”
Her set sounded suspiciously like a possible preamble to a Fleetwood Mac comeback tour. It could happen. She hasn’t denied it, and Nicks certainly has the chops for it.
Stewart’s set beat Nicks’ by more than 20 minutes and seven more backing band members, a rainbow of bright dresses and dancers and suits, and more hits. Between the two, there was no pop, rock or blues crevice left unexposed to their distinctive and unique vocal talents.
One talent stood out — fiddler J’Anna Jacoby Harrold. Svelte in magenta sequin dress and fiddle poised under her chin, the beauty is a protege of Oklahoma fiddle queen Jana Jae. She performed in song after song — a highlight was the Irish flair she added to “Rhythm of My Heart.”
Stewart grinned ear-to-ear as he shuffled and sang, fans screaming and waving to him as he criss-crossed the stage. He kept most everyone on their feet, dancing and reminiscing and making new memories with friends old and new.
Stewart covered The Persuaders (“Some Guys Have All the Luck”), Cat Stevens (“The First Cut is the Deepest”), Tom Waits (“Downtown Train”), Van Morrison (“Have I Told You”), the O’Jays (“Love Train”) and more, including his own trademark tunes “Young Turks,” “You Wear it Well,” “Hot Legs,” “Maggie May” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”
What? You didn’t know so many of those weren’t Stewart originals? The audience didn’t seem to know and didn’t care. His versions are the standards. His revamped version of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” is really the only version anyone remembers.
That says a lot. It’s Stewart’s now — it always will be — and he plays it like he owns it.
That’s how he performed everything Wednesday night — with pomp and wiggle and mastery that left his audience swooning and singing with every lyric and swaying to the beat.
Associated Images:
Rod Stewart performs Wednesday night at Tulsa's BOK Center. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
Stevie Nicks performs Wednesday night at Tulsa's BOK Center. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
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