Stevie Nicks – BST Hyde Park, London, July 12

The last time Stevie Nicks performed at Hyde Park, there were some significant changes. It was back in 2017, when she was the opening act for her close friend Tom Petty. She even joined him on stage during his headline performance to sing "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", a popular song that the Heartbreakers had written for her in 1981.

Petty and Christine McVie are no longer a part of Fleetwood Mac. Nicks referred to McVie as her soulmate and someone who recently returned to the band after being away for a long time. Nicks expressed her gratitude to the audience, stating that performing on stage has always been a source of comfort in times of hardship and that the crowd has always been supportive.

Get the latest edition of UNCUT magazine now and receive a special John Lennon CD for free. Don't miss out on this exclusive offer - order your copy today!

For half a century, Nicks has been dominating the stage, and this Friday's packed show at British Summer Time is solely dedicated to her. The area of Hyde Park where she is performing is filled with fans sporting tasselled jackets, lace dresses, Stetsons, and cowboy boots. Seeing Nicks or Fleetwood Mac perform has become a must-do experience for millennials, and these opportunities are becoming more and more scarce.

Currently, Nicks appears to have a timeless and otherworldly presence, maintaining her iconic appearance and sound from the 1980s. Despite being 76 years old, her voice has aged slightly, and there was concern about whether or not she would perform after postponing previous shows due to leg surgery.

Nicks has been traveling constantly for the past two years, performing a consistent setlist of about 15 songs at each show. Despite this routine, her charm and the stories behind her songs make it seem like she is not just going through the motions. She shares anecdotes about her iconic shawls and talks fondly about the inspiration behind the song "For What It's Worth" by Stephen Stills, encouraging the audience to use their vote from a political perspective. It's worth noting that she may not have realized the UK election took place last week.

The experienced band, fronted by her long-time guitarist Waddy Wachtel and accompanied by Carlos Rios, are well-prepared and enthusiastic to give their all during an energetic performance of "Gold Dust Woman". They deliver passionate renditions of "Stand Back", "Edge Of Seventeen", and "Free Fallin'" as if they were just starting out in their music careers. Nicks' enchanting folk-pop sound is most effectively captured in Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" and "Gypsy", the latter a heartfelt tribute to her wandering spirit of the late 1960s. She has been striving to recapture that same feeling ever since, which is why the songs she chooses to perform come from that magical era between 1975 and 1983, a time when everything fell into place, and still resonates deeply with her devoted fans.

She invites her vocal coach, Steve Real, on stage to perform "Leather And Lace". He delivers Don Henley's part flawlessly on the Bella Donna song, with both of them exchanging meaningful glances. The sweetness in his voice complements her more raspy vocals perfectly.

At the end of the show, it's really exciting when Harry Styles comes on stage with a guitar to play rhythm and sing "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" with Nicks, and then "Landslide" - songs they've performed together before but that add something special to what would have been just an average concert. It's a moment that will be remembered for a long time.

Wearing a baggy dark suit and a light green shirt, Styles looked elegant with a vibrant songbird pin on his jacket. He appeared slightly nervous at first, but he assisted Nicks in presenting a touching performance of "Landslide" as images of Christine McVie played on the large screens. Nicks mentioned that it would have been McVie's 81st birthday that day. As she sang the lyrics "Time makes you bolder, even children get older - and I'm getting older, too," the audience felt the emotion in the room. Hopefully, Nicks will return for one final performance.

Playlist - Starting off with "Outside The Rain" - Followed by "Dreams" - Then we have "If Anyone Falls" - Moving on to "Gypsy" - Continuing with "For What It’s Worth" - "Free Fallin’" comes next - Followed by "Wild Heart" - Then we have "Bella Donna" - Moving on to "Stand Back" - Followed by "Leather And Lace" - "Gold Dust Woman" is up next - Then we have "Edge Of Seventeen" - For the encore, we have: - "Rhiannon" - Followed by "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around" - And ending with "Landslide"