Tour Diary: Phoenix, AZ - Stevie Nicks and Friends

December 6, 2001

I was at Terminal 1 at LAX airport in plenty of time. I had driven by Terminal 1 a number of times over the last few months and shuddered at the sight of the literal 1/4 mile long lines to get through security. United, American, Delta always seemed to be not so bad, but at Terminal 1, where the . . . er . . . more independent airlines such as America West and Southwest live, there always seemed to be chronic congestion. However they may have the last laugh- America West that is, (whose second name is often changed to something not unlike a German sausage), are reportedly making money. (United are losing squillions per day and may be thing of the past in '02.) In light of AW's, economizing through the sacrifice of customer comfort, I got there real early. I even had the car pick up Sheryl from her house a little extra early just in case we were faced with lines.

But surely Sheryl wouldn't wait in those lines? Well I can tell you she does and in fact once, recently, when she was only dropping people off, she waited in line with a disorientated old man just to keep him company. But that is another story altogether.

Do other celebrities get past all these ridiculous lines? Well, some nowadays take flashy corporate jets and never even see a Terminal never mind go in one. The personalities on a more limited budget and a similar short ration of patience will call for a wheelchair in order to get up to the front of the line. Well, the celebs themselves don't actually take the ride, but they have their tour managers get in. No, not for me, although I would do it if I really, really had to, but somehow, as they say, it don't seem right. Once in Paris, in danger of missing our connection and in a very long line, we spotted a dozen unaccompanied minors being led to the front. Instinctively and looking as small as possible, we tagged along at the end of the line as they passed us. We got through. Now I regard that as more a sporting chance rather than a twisted deception.

Back in the USA, and in the post 9/11 era, Sheryl and myself are still in touch with reality and are not scared to undo our belts and take off our shoes with everyone else. According to our airline insiders both Jewel and Alanis Morrisette had just passed through just before us in plenty of time, which only goes to show that everyone is getting there a little bit earlier these days. At least the girls are.



Click on images below to expand


Setlist for the show


Sheryl and Stevie Nicks


Of course when I strolled into the Terminal this morning I was greeted with the sight of emptiness. Not a line, not even one person standing behind another, and a forest of lonely looking poles connected by drooping fabric strips. Hardly what we expected. These are unpredictable times.

"Jewish holiday" our airline rep said with raised eyebrows the size of rats. "Must be a Jewish holiday" I failed to see the connection.

We were heading to Phoenix of course. Sheryl had asked Stevie Nicks to perform with her and her friends at her (almost) annual fundraiser show for the Arizona Heart Institute. To find more out about the Institute go to http://www.azheart.com/index.htm. Check out the Risk Factor Analysis Test. It's quite cool, at least if you're healthy!) The Friends were (and still are- it was a great show) Don Henley, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and Natalie Maines.

Sheryl arrived thankfully not too early and after we scored a Starbucks and watched a little CNN it was time to board.

At the other end we went to the hotel for a few hours and then over to the America West Arena for an extended soundcheck/rehearsal which went like clockwork.

After much visiting with Stevie, Sheryl and myself were hanging out in the dressing room talking to Waddy Watchel when Mick Fleetwood came in to chat. And let me take this opportunity to dispel another rumor. It is the rumor that Sheryl is to join Fleetwood Mac when they tour their new record in '02. The idea is that Sheryl would sing and play the parts left vacant by Christine McVie who would not be re-joining the band. The idea, is intriguing, yet fanciful as neither Sheryl nor Fleetwood Mac ever had or will have such intentions.

Mick Fleetwood however is a little more laid back. He's the archetypal English gentleman with a big heart and an aura that is comforting to be around. Sheryl and Mick talked about the passing on of George Harrison and it made fascinating listening. The late Beatle apparently was very keen to realize his final wishes and on his demise, let his spirit rise free and unencumbered from the Earth. There is an understanding amongst certain religions that if the death of a person is mourned too greatly then their spirit will be held back, weighed heavy by others sorrow. Looking back at the circumstances I understood why over the last few months there was a lot of denial even from George Harrison himself about his ill health. He wanted to pass on in peace, without having the weight of the world holding him down. I, for one would like to think that he made it to where he wanted to go. Godspeed, George Harrison.

Mick went off to rehearse "Love Minus Zero" with Lindsey and Sheryl went looking for Natalie and they hung out until the show.

Sheryl had a great time, right up to the end, where we were having our own suspenseful moment. What I haven't reminded you all so far is that Sheryl had agreed to appear and play at the New York stop of the tour supporting the cause for the Landmine Free World. (TSCLFW?).This took place the next day at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan. In order to make the soundcheck the next afternoon we really had to be on the overnight 11pm flight to New York. This meant of course, that, bearing in mind this was a 2 1/2 hour concert that started just after 8pm, Sheryl accepted that she would not be able to take part in the encore, but she really wanted to sing on "Fall From Grace." We reckoned this would hit around 9:45pm. With a deadline to leave of 10pm, this was still plenty of time to get to the airport and check in. Well, when Sheryl came off after "Winding Road" it was already 9:56pm and there was a song and Stevie's lengthy band member introductions before we finally got to Sheryl's final appearance.

I have to admit to being an old woman when it comes to worrying about making reasonably important flights, but Sheryl pooh-poohed me and with a Let's Do It attitude we hung on until the last minute. Sheryl would rather miss the flight than find herself sitting twiddling her thumbs waiting to board knowing that we could have stayed for one more song and still made it.

As the last notes of "Fall from Grace" died off, Sheryl descended the stage steps and we ran to the car. We were rolling by 10:10pm. We were so close to the airport and the car was so fast that she only just managed to finish changing as we pulled up to the curb. Thanks to the help of John of Arizona Limo and Simon from Continental Airlines we made it with time to spare. And that my friends is why you didn't see Sheryl in her usual spot accompanying Stevie on "I Need to Know." This will also explain why (as it was pointed out on the Forum) that Sheryl was missing from the bow at the end, but she was there in spirit.

There is nothing like comfort of a king bed at Waldorf hotel in New York, and seat 3C on Continental Flight CO434 is nothing like it either. As usual Sheryl slept straight through. I remember the uncomfortable 4-hour sleepless flight as being just that and so now I'm going to do the thing I was dreaming about every second of those 240 middle of the night minutes. I'm going to lie down. Flat.

Words & Pics by Chris Hudson