What to know if you’re heading to see Stevie Nicks in St. Paul

As has become common whenever the latest classic rocker of a certain age visits town, it’s tempting to ponder whether this will be the final time we’ll see them play the metro.

In the case of Stevie Nicks, who headlines St. Paul’s Grand Casino Arena Wednesday night, there’s a second question. Will we ever see Fleetwood Mac here again?

The answer to both queries is probably not.

Nicks, 77, fractured her shoulder this summer, forcing her to postpone her tour — including the Aug. 19 stop in St. Paul — while she recuperated.

“I’m healing my shoulder as I speak,” Nicks told a crowd in Detroit last month, according to an MLive Media Group review. “Every single day when I get up, something about it is better … I have fought through it and I’m really glad I have somewhere to go besides my living room. I thought I’d turn you into my bigger, better living room.”

Indeed, in recent years, Nicks seems as invested in her solo career as she’s ever been. Wednesday’s concert will be her sixth in the metro in two decades. Prior to that, she only played the Twin Cities twice, in 1983 and 1989. Plus, she’s working on a new album she’s dubbed “The Ghost Record.” Surely she’ll hit the road again once it’s released. (It includes a song inspired by Prince, who once rebuffed her gift of a gold necklace, telling her “You always bring me a gift; you never bring me you.”)

Nicks does have a soft spot for Minnesota, too. Her only marriage was to Kim Anderson, the widower of her best friend Robin Anderson, who died in 1983. The pair married, but split after just three months, realizing they had bonded over mutual grief, not romantic love. Still, she gives a shout out to Kim Anderson when she plays locally, as he lives in the area.

As for Fleetwood Mac, Nicks has said numerous times that the band was over following the 2022 death of Christine McVie. The famously frosty relations between Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham have thawed some following the September re-release of “Buckingham Nicks,” their joint 1973 album that had been out of print for decades. That led a Rolling Stone writer to hope for a 2027 Fleetwood Mac tour for the 50th anniversary of “Rumours,” but that’s likely just wishful thinking.

If you’re already planning to see Nicks, or if you’re still on the fence about buying tickets, here’s what you need to know:

Tickets

As of Tuesday afternoon, only a smattering of seats were still up for sale via Ticketmaster, with several rows open on the floor near the mixing board and some limited-view seats available on either side of the stage. Ticket prices start around $200, while resale sites had nosebleed seats starting at $175.

The strong sales suggest, if nothing else, the worry this would be Stevie’s last dance in the Twin Cities fueled sales.

Getting there

Grand Casino Arena has two parking areas, RiverCentre Parking Ramp and Kellogg Parking Ramp, both of which are directly connected to the venue. The RiverCentre ramp recently adopted license plate reader technology that’s meant to get vehicles in and out more efficiently. Concertgoers pay by scanning a posted QR code or via the InUGo app. (Make sure you know your license plate number, as you’ll need it when you pay.)

The City of St. Paul runs an online interactive map with other parking options at stpaul.gov/parking-saint-paul.

Grand Casino Arena has five bike racks for non-motorized bikes. The arena is served by both Uber and Lyft, with surge pricing all but guaranteed. Metro Transit also serves the arena via bus and nearby light rail stops. See metrotransit.org or call 612-373-3333 for further details.

Getting inside

As should be expected for any large venue, Grand Casino Arena has a long list of prohibited items, most obvious (weapons, outside food and beverage, laptops), some not so much (wrapped gifts, knitting and crochet equipment).

Bags must not exceed 12” x 12” x 6” and are allowed at designated x-ray entry points. Wristlet, clutch or wallets 4” x 6” x 1.5” or smaller are allowed at all entrances. Guards can and do check sizes, so if you’re in doubt, leave it at home.

If you plan to get something to eat or drink, Grand Casino Arena is a cashless venue. That means only a credit or debit card or a contactless option like Apple Pay or Google Pay will be accepted.

The on-site Michelob Golden Light Taphouse is hosting a pre-party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., offering concertgoers the chance to make their own flower crown and grab a drink and/or bite before the show. The Taphouse is located at section 120 and guests entering before 6 must enter through gate 4.

What to expect from Stevie

Nicks kicked off her current tour on Oct. 1 in Portland, Ore., and it resumes Wednesday in St. Paul after a two-week break. Based on reports from the first run of shows, she’s been taking the stage after 8:15 p.m. and performing for about 100 minutes. (Singer/songwriter and Minnesota native Anna Graves opens.)

A third of the songs she’s been playing are Fleetwood Mac classics, with the rest coming from her solo career along with a few cover versions. Expect to hear “The Lighthouse,” her 2024 single she co-produced with Sheryl Crow and performed on “Saturday Night Live” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

So far, critics have praised Nicks’ performances. The Charlotte Observer said the show was packed with a crowd that was about 70 percent female, “a surprising number of them under age 30” and that “you can’t really take your eyes off of her.”

The Detroit News called her “one of music’s most distinctive and inimitable personalities” and noted that while there were plenty of reminders of rock star mortality, “Nicks barreled through them with confidence, grace and the power of rock and roll behind her, and she ultimately gave the audience a message of perseverance through difficult times.”