Photos and a review of Stevie Nicks in Toronto

[Melody Maloney was there for us. Photos by Tom Pandi. – AC]

On November 15, Saturday night, Stevie Nicks performed a sold-out show at the Scotiabank Arena . This show was a
rescheduled show from an August date of her 2025 North American Tour.

Opening up for the musical icon with a multigenerational fanbase, was Abby Anderson, a youthful artist from Texas. Abby Anderson gave us
love, spunk, and some serious vocals. Even taking to her grand piano to showcase her raw vocals and passion for her music.Next was Stevie Nicks and her band.

Rescheduling from a shoulder injury, Nicks was back at it. Back and better than ever.

Including this evening, I have seen Stevie Nicks’ solo tour four times. From my decades of concert-going: the first time that I see an artist who I really love, it is often the best time I’ll ever see them. All other performances thereafter are often wonderful but can’t seem to compare to that ‘first contact’ moment at a show. That first type of live connection with such a person, or musical group, that make you feel all those emotions seems to be unmatched almost every time. But not this time.

This show was the best performance from Stevie Nicks that I have seen, to date. My first show of hers will always have a place in my heart, and now, so will this 2025 Toronto show.

Setting the tone for the evening, Tom Petty’s ‘Running Down a Dream’ could be heard over the house PA once the lights went low and the show was about to start. A touching tribute to her own journey in music and her friendship with The Head Heartbreaker who is no longer with us. The tune faded out, and signaled the beginning of the set. This is when we met the band.

The band, wow, they sounded incredible and so put together. Stevie’s voice alone is enough to bring someone to the show but the band really showed us what they had to offer. Their talents were showcased through a played up intro, building up anticipation and excitement until Stevie took to the stage.Stevie Nicks is a woman who has the ability to connect with everyone in a room, no matter how large that room is.

Starting off with a cover from Buddy Holly’s The Crickets Band, fittingly titled ‘Not Fade Away’, Nicks and her band seemed to take this literally; not once showing any signs of fading away. Jumping right into fan favourites ‘If Anyone Falls’, ‘Outside the Rain’, and of course ‘Dreams’.

The run of the show was like a fine oiled machine while still retaining such a natural flow. A curated selection of songs from her vast career. A mix of solo songs, her most recent single, and Fleetwood Mac songs filled the set list page. Extended jams of many songs and medleys of cult classics like ‘Wild Heart’ turning into ‘Bella Donna’. ‘Stand Back’ was a magical jam session, with all members of the band grooving.

Another tribute to Tom was shared when Nicks covered Petty’s ‘Free Falling’. Seeing the cover live before, I was surprised to see new additions to the already stunning visuals. There were photos of Stevie and Tom like before, but now there were photos of Tom with his bandmates both from the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch. Realizing the last time I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers before he passed, was in that very same venue.

Stevie enjoyed sharing many stories with the audience. From the energy in the air, it was clear the crowd enjoyed these moments too. Throughout the night, stories were woven in between songs. As if we all were all hanging out at some small speakeasy draped in scarves and shimmering shawls talking about little moments that have been brought to life again. Stories about Tom, about Lindsey, about herself, about her shawls, and about the making of ‘Lighthouse’ with Harry Styles. Even stories about her road to recovery with her shoulder, including the motivation to heal came from completing this rescheduled leg of the tour, were
shared.

At one point, Nicks reminisced on a time where she (like many folks have experienced) had struggled to remember her true self (especially in those days with Lindsey, she added in). For her, the key to getting back to herself seemed to mean going back to who she was. Telling us she is “still Stevie” then breaking out into an incredible rendition of ‘Gypsy’. ‘Gypsy’ was a jam and a half.

The band didn’t stop there. Next was an audio and visual masterpiece version of ‘Gold Dust Woman’. The very last song of the main set could make a good argument for saving the best for last.

Stevie seemed to disappear from the stage and there was a solid minute and a half of pure jamming from the band. It was true fun. The final song of the set extended into a full blown jam session. A version of ‘Edge of Seventeen’ that I keep replaying in my head over and over again. It was really fun.That fun was felt on stage and in the stands.

Ending the main set did not mean anyone was going anywhere. An encore came shortly after the crowd’s joyous cheers. Just as we experienced a touching tribute to Tom Petty in the beginning (and throughout the whole show) we also got to experience a moving tribute to her best friend and Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie at the end of the show. Images of her and Stevie lighting up the large screens during the very last song of the encore and of the night.

I am not exaggerating when I say you could hear a pin drop in this sold out venue. The quiet came the moment Stevie started singing the words to ‘Landslide’. The silence to hear Nicks’ pure and raw voice sing those tear jerking lyrics was unlike anything I have experienced before. That silence did quickly turn into a choir of 19,000 people singing along with her. Which I was not expecting either. Being in a crowd of thousands upon thousands of people, all singing one song in unison, is a feeling I can never quite get over.

This evening was a full experience. With stunning and very Stevie-like visuals, incredible sounds, intimate stories, and emotional tributes, Nicks and her band gave us a summary of everything she is. Stevie came on with her trademark star power, commanding the stage while at the same time sharing It with everyone in that venue.

To put it simply, it was a really fun show that felt magical. Ending the evening by telling us she is 77.5 and plays every show like it could be her last. In
classic Stevie fashion, she told all 19 thousand people she will see us next time and left us with these words, “Take a piece of my heart with you, always.“