I bought tickets for Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel’s Two Icons One Night tour over a year ago, and I finally got to attend. Let’s talk about it!
Last weekend I threw on my flare jeans and bell sleeves, met up with my classic-rock-fanatic dad, and made my way to AT&T Stadium in Arlington to see Stevie and Billy. The concert had been rescheduled over a year ago, due to Stevie contracting Covid-19 last spring. Needless to say, the year-long buildup had me extraordinarily excited.
Stevie Nicks took the stage around 7:20 pm, kicking off the show with “Outside the Rain” and moving straight into “Dreams.” First impressions were wonderful โ her presence was magnetic, her outfit was classic, and her voice sounded absolutely incredible considering her age (she’s 75!) After a warm and grateful welcome, she dove into the rest of her set. Highlights included her duet with Billy Joel for “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” where the two playfully sang the verses to each other and shared a heartwarming hug. Her cover of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield was shockingly fabulous with an absolutely goose-bump-inducing bridge moment.
The song that stole the show has to be “Gold Dust Woman.” The band rocked out and Stevie milked every single moment of it with the elegance and drama that the song calls for โ definitely worth a Google if you get the chance. Throughout the show, Nicks swapped out various vintage shawls, cloaks, and capes from her early days of performing, seamlessly establishing the tone of each new song with these subtle costume changes. Finally, Stevie closing the encore with “Landslide” couldn’t have been more perfect. She sang it acoustically with all the wisdom and heart I could’ve ever wanted. After finishing, she spoke briefly about her grief for Christine McVie after her passing. Then she concluded by thanking the fans for their support and promising that even as she got older, she would never stop loving performing.
Yes, I sobbed. Yes, I consider Stevie my second mother. Yes, I felt like she sang the lyrics “but time makes you bolder / even children get older / and I’m getting older too” directly to me. It was perfect. My only disappointment was a lack of “Silver Springs” on the setlist, but I guess you can’t win them all.
Billy Joel was on just a few short minutes later in a Dallas Cowboys baseball cap and all the sass you can imagine. He began with “My Life” and “Movin’ Out”, before addressing the crowd, cracking jokes left and right and messing with the stadium acoustics. Then he launched into a rather up-tempo rendition of “Vienna,” which left me a little bit disappointed as I was hoping for a slower and more emotional take to compliment the total destruction of “Landslide.” However, all became clear as Joel played hit, after hit, after hit for the remainder of the concert; there simply wasn’t time. The highlights: “An Innocent Man,” where he showed off his vocal range from top to bottom, a cover of “Start Me Up” where he danced mimicking Mick Jagger, and “New York State of Mind,” a loving ode to Joel’s hometown.
Out of nowhere, Joel’s guitarist Mike DelGuidice broke into “Nessun Dorma,” an Italian aria, as a prelude to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Unexpected, but nonetheless entertaining. Joel has so many hits that it’s difficult to pinpoint favorites. Joel’s encore was a whopping five songs, concluding with the peppy track, “You May Be Right.” Though the energy of his setlist kept things moving, there was a bit of a lull in the middle of his set which thankfully picked back up toward the end. For whatever reason, I did feel that Joel’s set lacked a bit of emotional depth, sticking to the energetic hits. I wouldn’t have minded hearing “She’s Always a Woman” or “And So It Goes” (originally included on the 2023 setlist as a duet with Stevie โ WE WERE ROBBED.) But I suppose something must be sacrificed when you have such a decorated career.
Overall, I was completely blown away by the stamina, showmanship, and passion expressed by these two living music legends. It truly was a night for the ages and one I’ll definitely be telling my children and grandchildren about. It was so heartwarming to see generations coming together, from couples who grew up with the icons themselves to dad-and-daughter duos united by a love for music. That incredible unifying quality is something ONLY Stevie and Billy could bring to the table.