Stevie Nicks, with Ingrid Andress
More than a few attendees at Stevie Nicks’ Wednesday concert at SDSU’s Viejas Arena should quickly recognize the long-haired guitarist to her right on stage, and for multiple good reasons.
Waddy Wachtel was already a first-call music veteran when he performed on Nicks’ 1981 solo debut album, “Bella Donna.” He’s since been featured on at least a dozen other releases by the veteran solo star and former Fleetwood Mac singer, including this year’s 10-CD “Complete Studio Albums & Rarities” box set. His first collaboration with her was on the 1973 album, “Buckingham Nicks,” which featured her and Lindsey Buckingham in their pre-Fleetwood Mac days.
Wachtel rose to prominence in the 1970s on standout recordings by Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Randy Newman and Warren Zevon, whose “Werewolves of London” was co-written by Wachtel. In the 1980s, the bespectacled guitarist became a member of X-Pensive Winos, the band led by fellow guitarist Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. In 1997, Wachtel played on the Stones’ “Bridges to Babylon” album.
The New York native was in Nicks’ band for her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction performance in 2019, when she had the distinction of being the first woman to become a two-time hall honoree. (Nicks was first inducted with Fleetwood Mac in 1998).
Wachtel, now 76, is a key member of the 75-year-old Nicks’ current touring band. Their typical set lists on this tour have included 10 selections from Nicks’ solo career, six Fleetwood Mac favorites, cover versions of two Tom Petty gems and the 1966 Buffalo Springfield classic, “For What It’s Worth.” Her Viejas Arena concert Wednesday will be at the same SDSU venue where the now-defunct Fleetwood Mac gave its final San Diego performance in 2018.
7 p.m. Wednesday. Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, SDSU. $149.50-$269.50, plus service charges. ticketmaster.com
San Diego’s Mrs. Henry is returning to the Belly Up for its annual salute to all-star 1976 farewell concert by pioneering Americana-music group The Band.
(Joseph Cultice)
“The Last Waltz,” featuring Mrs. Henry, Jerry Raney, Kimmi Bitter, Marc Ford, Anthony Cullins, Justin John Rodriguez, Bryan Barbarin, Hippy Goods, Marc Ford, Murf McRee, Mike Stax, Joe Marson & Anna Zinova
The members of the award-winning San Diego band Mrs. Henry were all born more than a decade after the pioneering Americana music group The Band performed its all-star “The Last Waltz” concert in San Francisco on Nov. 25, 1976.
“This music is timeless. It was great (then), and it’s great now,” Mrs. Henry guitarist and singer Daniel Cervantes told me in a 2019 Union-Tribune interview.
In late 2017, the band took the stage at the Belly Up in Solana Beach and recorded “Mrs. Henry presents The Last Waltz” as a two-CD set and triple vinyl album package.
Two years later, that same concert was released, under the same name, as a full-length concert documentary.
On Sunday, Mrs. Henry and a bevy of guest stars — including former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford — will perform “The Last Waltz” anew.
7 p.m. Sunday. Belly Up, 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. $35 (general admission), $62 (reserved loft seating); must be 21 or older to attend. (858) 481-8140; bellyup.com
Laura Pergolizzi, whose stage name is LP, is San Diego-bound to perform a concert at the all-ages Soma Live.
(Courtesy photo by Ryan Jay
)
LP, with Vérité
A self-described gender-neutral cis lesbian, singer-songwriter LP (short for Laura Pergolizzi) rose to prominence behind the scenes. Their songwriting credits include Rihanna’s “Cheers (Drink To That),” Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful People,” Cher’s “Pride” and Rita Ora’s “Shine Ya Light.”
LP’s 2017 break-up song, “Lost On You,” put them on the map, topping the charts in 17 countries and garnering more than a billion streams. That LP is an expert whistler whose main instrument is a ukulele is intriguing.
So is the fact that this big-voiced, pop-savvy tunesmith was mentored by David Lowery of the band Cracker and former 4 Non Blondes mainstay Linda Perry, two artists whose music has almost nothing in common.
The question now — well, one of them — is: How clearly will LP’s ukulele playing be heard during their Saturday performance at Soma Live? The answer will have everything to do with how skilled their audio engineer is at achieving a well-balanced sound mix.
8 p.m. Saturday. Soma Live, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway District. $35-$110, plus service charges. somasandiego.com
