Me too! I hope someone was able to record this! Sneak those suckers in if you are going tonight!!

Fleetwood Mac December 2, 2009
 

Rod Laver Arena, last night
Reviewer Patrick Donovan

DESPITE being mired in acrimony, Fleetwood Mac's finest album, Rumours, has sold more than 30 million copies around the world. And singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said it was worth suffering for their art.

''We've had a fairly complex, convoluted and emotional history - it's not always been easy - but in the long run, it's been worth it,'' he said.

With no new album to spruik, last night the band played a greatest-hits set for the fans at Rod Laver Arena, focusing on songs from Rumours, the 1975 self-titled album and 1979's more adventurous Tusk.

Monday Morning, The Chain, Dreams, Gypsy and Rhiannon set the scene before Mick Fleetwood emerged from the drum kit to lead the band in its tribal anthem, Tusk.

There was the odd solo track from Stevie Nicks and Buckingham, but the band has become so omnipresent that Fleetwood will return in February with his other group, the Fleetwood Mac Blues Band, to play the group's early blues material.

Draped in a black shawl and wearing leather gloves, twirling and clutching at the black scarves dangled over the microphone stand, Nicks' husky US west coast voice was as mesmerising as ever.

At the end of Sarah she approached Buckingham's microphone, lowered it and sang the last line before embracing her ex-lover.

On the first night of summer, it was a reminder to the ecstatic cross-generational crowd that music can heal the deepest rifts.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entert...429373323.html

Ok. Is "spruik" a word? I'm going to use it all over the place when I'm in Australia and you guys will never know I'm a tourist!

Michele

We were actually row 11, not row 12, on Stevie's side, right on the left aisle.

A few more things to report:

The friend I went with is an experienced concert-goer but this was his first mac concert. He was very impressed with the performance and had a great time, but commented on the sound - Stevie's mic is too low and Lindsey drowns her out on harmonies too often. I hadn't noticed this in the US because I was always at the stage, so not sure if this has occurred elsewhere.

Further to my comments on the audience, people tell me that Australian audiences are, in general, quiet and don't cheer that much when artists are talking, because the culture here is to listen until they are finished. It was a little surprise to see Stevie thrown off when she was used to getting the cheers all through her Gypsy preamble. Lindsey received less cheering too but I loved how they kept working the audience until everyone was rocking at the end. They would have been knocked out with the packed venue, because all the US ones I went to were not completely full.

For me, the experience was less rewarding that the US concerts, mainly because I wasn't up front and the different audience, but I think the crowd in general had a fantastic night and were very impressed.

The final leg of "Unleashed" will hopefully be seen as a great success!

Did you know Stevie has a husky US West Coast voice? What if she was from NYC? Would she then have a husky East Coast voice?

It's the fog and the salty air. It's why you can only get good sourdough bread in San Francisco.

It's super exciting just even thinking that FM are finally here in Australia! It's now less than 2 weeks until I see them, and I can't wait. It's great to hear those of you who went last night with some really positive things to say.

Gazz, I've only ever been to concerts here in Brisbane, but I'm generally appalled by the apparent lack of crowd enthusiasm. In saying that, people who look completely disinterested will still rave about the concert afterwards -- so I'm sure they're enjoying it on the inside ;) . I think it definitely varies with where you sit though, with the front and sometimes the whole floor a much rocking-er place than anywhere else. In short, everyone squeeze to the front where you can!

I never knew spruik wasn't a 'real' word!

I had to Google it to be told that, yep, it's essentially an Australian slang term. Thankfully the ABC tells me that I'm not the only one likely to have missed the fact that it is "one of Aussie English’s contributions to the world." I guess that's along with other cracking phrases like "she'll be apples", "we'll give it a burl", "stop carrying on like a pork chop" and, one of my personal favourites, "up the duff".

Second show was amazing! no Silver Springs, but the band played and sounded better, tonight i was on Stevie's side of the stage and she was better than the first night! My sister came with me tonight having never been to a Mac show and all she could say was "i see why you followed Lindsey around the US he is incredible" it's great justification for me lol :lol: she did feel that Stevie songs were somewhat more "boring" than linds! great moment to mention was during the band intro's Stevie was standing behind John and crept up on him and she scared the **** out of him, it was quite funny.

All in all a better show than the first night due to Stevie hitting some killer notes and Lindsey just kicking ass like normal!

well onto Sydney!

Rock and Roll

Ryan

Hi everyone, i just got home.... tired and got to go to bed for work tomorrow, BUT i will be uploading photo's tomorrow! and i recorded storms on my camera, so will upload it to share with you all.
Will quickly say, i thought stevie was better the first night, in the getting into the song way. However, she was more interactive with the audience tonight, waving at the end and going to the side of the stage to wave to the people on the very side sections, i took a few pics of this.
I hope to have time to get these pics up before i'm off to the hunter valley.... at which i intend on veideo'ing the enitre concert... thats if security lets me

Holy effin ****...this show was 50x betta than all the syw shows i went 2. Stevie is just the most gorgeous bitch eva. My earz r stil ringn. Proper review wen i can get 2 a comp...just WoAH" no SS tho :(

Just got home like the others and need to get to bed, but just a quick post to say that I went back tonight to "wind down" off my emotional rollacoaster of the mac tour this year. The six US shows were so awesome and if you've read my earlier posts, I was disappointed with the crowd here last night but not the band.

Tonight I had no ticket, but got one at 7.15pm up the back (for the first time) and that was great for tonight - no presssure to get to the stage and I just took it all in. The crowd was much better than last night and the performance was perhaps slightly less than last night from Stevie, but Lindsey still amazing. Sad there was no Silver Springs. Perhaps she is pacing herself.

So, that's my last Mac concert for this year and who knows if I'll ever see another, but all the very best to those seeing other Aussie shows this month. Have a ball and I hope security is kind to you!

cheers, Gazz

Ah ****... here we go again with the nightly nailbiter. Is she, or isn't she? :mad: I really don't understand Mama. Okay, it's not the easiest song to sing. So change the key. Sing a lower harmony. Alter the melody. Just do something to make it work, goshdarnit!

Ok, this makes it offcial for me. It's time for SS to be dropped from the set permanently if she cant do it on a nightly basis anymore. There are plenty of oher songs that could take its place.:nod:

Well, I a couple of hours ago - I walked into the great Rod Laver Arena, to be Unleashed! It was my first concert ever, and it is now a memory close to my heart. I was particullay surprised with the amount of work LB put into the show - SN kept walking off in the songs in which 'she wasn't needed'. Stevie was hilarious! she kept telling jokes and what not through out the night. Tonight the crowd went crazy, and Mick soaked it all up. You should of seen his encore for World Turning - in which he did a crazy 5 minute drum solo. John seemed quite, as he is - playing his nice little bass.

Even though I had stomach cramps, I loved this concert!

I am glad you enjoyed it! The first I've seen the Mac live was on the Behind The Mask tour. It was a four hour drive to Manchester and back, thankfully I wasn't the one doing the driving!