Behind The Mask Tour Stories
 

Just Do It!

Time for the BTM tour stories! If you went to see the Mac during this tour, tell us your story here. The second time this line up went out on the road. What did you think? If you went to see Tango, or TOSOTM, what did you think when you saw this tour?

I wish we had more boots from early on in this tour. What BTM songs were played? I can think of: Save Me, In The Back of My Mind, Stand On A Rock, Love Is Dangerous and When The Sun Goes Down. Any others? The setlist seems to have been played with a lot, in terms of what BTM album songs were played. Some much more often then others.

Anyway, if you went to see this tour please post here with your story.

I saw some of these shows in person, Nail, but I don't really have any stories.

But I'll ask a question that may have been a story: There was talk for a long time that Billy Burnette, at one of the stops on the tour on the East Coast, sang Rhiannon.

This is actually the tour I'd be most interested in hearing all about. Behind The Mask isn't my favourite Fleetwood Mac album by any means but this was just such a transitional period for the band. It seems like by the end of the tour the 2 guitarists had decided to leave...what on earth happened?! Like the original poster syas, there's also not much out there for us to listen to. I have a few live tracks but not many.

Billy Burnette sang Rhiannon?! WTF?! Surely not? I just find that sooo weird...

Well - at least what did you think of the show(s), David? I know you've seen previous tours and it would be interesting to hear what you thought of the direction the band seemed to be going in at that time..

Speaking of direction, I don't know much about Billy and Rick at the end of the tour? Did they call it quits at that time? Correct me if I am wrong, but it's my understanding that Stevie and Chris said they would be quitting once the tour was over. I'm not sure when exactly they announced this though. Did Chris want to retire from all aspects of the Mac, or just touring?

No weirder than Bob Welch covering Rhiannon!

The sound of the band was a nearly exact repeat of the sound on the 1987 tour, I thought. You could have played me a CHAIN or a SAY YOU LOVE ME from 1990 & a CHAIN or a SAY YOU LOVE ME from 1987 & I wouldn't have been able to tell you which was which. I perceived no different direction in 1990 from what I noticed in 1987: production design, performances, orchestration, emotional atmosphere, even clothes -- the only thing that separated the 1987 touring from the 1990 touring was a period of time lasting about 15 months.

Generally, I was unhappy only with two elements:

1. Top-heavy use of hardware to create the sound of the band.
2. Stevie Nicks's drug dependence & lethargy.

The rest of the show was pleasant: Christine McVie, Rick & Billy's eager-to-please casualness & charm, a set covering many great songs.

Billy & Rick said nothing about quitting the band on the tour. Chris & Stevie told the press that they'd no longer tour with the band after 1990, but would continue to record with them (even though recording plans were nonexistent at that time).

Well this was my first Mac concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills, MI....I forget the date but I think it was a reschedule from earlier in the year cause of Christines fathers death. I think it was in November but it was to have been in July. It was fun. I enjoyed it but I'd wished it had been Lindsey on tour though. I'd just started collecting Stevie /Mac stuff in like '88 so other than the old videos etc....although I'd say Mask isn't my favorite time either ...but heck I don't like Tango either ugh....I don't recall alot about the songs sung anymore I mean its been 20 + yrs ago now. I don't think theres a boot of this concert at the Palace either at least I've not ever heard of one. I probably liked Rick better than Billy.....anyway.....thats all that comes to mind about this tour.....it was fun though....:shrug:

I saw two shows on this tour - one on the east coast and in the northwest.
Both shows were good on their own terms. Stevie was okay -- not a lot of movement or energy; just going through the motions. No surprise there!

The show opened with an overly long intro to In The Back of My Mind. I like the song, but I thought it was terrible opener; ominous tone, low tempo and ponderous. Though Love Is Dangerous and When The Sun Goes Down were performed at some shows, they weren't in the set.

Billy and Rick brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the shows. It was definitely a MOR affair, but it was professional and entertaining, and the crowds seem to accept and welcome the new line up. Rick did a great version of Stop Messing Around, and Billy sang Tear It Up, an old song written by his father. If I remember correctly, Stevie sang "Has Anyone Ever Written...", a song choice and performance I wasn't too thrilled about, especially because she didn't sing any of her new songs from the album. Freedom and Affairs of the Heart would have been good choices.

I like Billy's voice and considering the way Stevie sounded/performed at that time, if Billy did sing (which I doubt) it would have been a huge improvement.

Again, this is probably the single biggest reason I was happy Bekka joined the band.

I could probably do a search on the post-Rumours forum, but to save time, I'll just ask here- Does anyone know if Bekka covered any of Stevie's FM tunes like 'Gold Dust Woman', 'Rhiannon' or 'Dreams' while touring, or were the Stevie songs pretty much neglected?
Also, in anyone's opinions, is Bekka, or her mother, Bonnie Bramlett, the better singer? I had a friend who insisted it was Bonnie Bramlett who had joined FM, and not her daughter. I wonder if Bekka, or Billy and Rick, for that matter, wish they'd never joined FM.

The only Stevie song Bekka sang regularly was a new arrangement of Gold Dust Woman. I've heard she did a few others, but not regularly. She mainly sang Christine's songs. Billy did Lindsey's songs. Dave Mason did Dave Mason or Traffic songs.

Bekka vs. Bonnie. While I love Bonnie's voice, I think Bekka got the best of both parents.

That's just wrong! I have to ask though, are there any mp3s of either of them singing it floating around out there? I'm curious to hear it...the same type of curiosity that made you pick the scabs off your knees as a child!

I used to have it, but lost it. He did put a very nice spin on it that really made it his own while still staying true to Stevies.

But to get back on topic, I take it not many ledgies saw this tour? More people posted a story in the Tango thread. Were their ledgies here that didn't like what they saw during Tango and because of that skipped out on BTM?

[I] did see this tour at The Garden, but i don't have an interesting story or tidbit to go with it.I just thought it was a cool show.

Thanks for the reply, very much. I totally had forgotten that Dave Mason had ever been in Fleetwood Mac- gosh, Dave Mason was such a 'name' for so long and I haven't thought about him or heard about him in many years. It would have been awesome to think of Stevie, Lindsey and Dave Mason all performing together, but wrong lineup. What a break for a young Bekka Bramlett to be surrounded by players like Mason, Fleetwood and McVie. I'd hoped someone would say Bekka was 'better' than Bonnie, who I can kind of appreciate (and actually love her wacky backup vocals on 'Never Ending Song Of Love')-- but basically, I think Bonnie Bramlett, for the most part, oversang, and often sounded unauthentic, as if impersonating a Sippie Wallace, or just trying too hard to sound 'soulful'-- it sort of ruined her voice's actual, real quality- for me.

I saw them in Essen, Germany, my first FM concert. Rick and Billy were okay, Stevie was beautiful, lethargic and had no idea where she was, John and Mick were, well, John and Mick.

Christine blew me away, as I did not expect her to be so elegant, pretty and poised onstage. She just photograps really bad, in person, she was stunning.

Tidbits: when Mick did his 15 minute solo, Chris and John stood on the side of the stage, commented on his moves and laughed hysterial, having a great time together.

A friend of mine threw a little stuffed bunny on stage and Christine, bless her heart, took it and gestured that she would give it to Stevie backstage. When my friend yelled "It's for you!", she was suprised and came over to thank my friend. She brought the bunny back onstage for the encore.

After the concert, my friend waited for the band to enter the tourbus with some 30 other people. Stevie greeted them, did a little shake hands, but was still totally besides herself. Chris did not greet the fans, but winked to my friend.

It was a great great evening.

Early on, Stevie had a pretty good minute or two with a high & energetic backup vocal on "Stand On The Rock."

But she botched the gutsy blues of "Tear It Up" during the vampy breakdown.

^ I vagley remember that she even botched the second verse of "Dreams" because she forgot the lyrics and "nanana'd" through it.

I don't know about a "few others", I only heard Bekka do "Dreams" (in addition to "Gold Dust Woman") the one time I saw that lineup. (and, Bonnie came out to join Bekka on the background vocals for "Only You Know & I Know"...sounded like one person singing two parts!!)

And, Dave Mason did a Bob Dylan cover. ("All Along The Watchtower"...I know, I know, Dave had his own minor hit with it in the late 70s...but it's STILL a Dylan song)

Bonnie's "wildness" had mellowed after the split with Delaney...if you listen to the Allman Bros Band's "Crazy Love" (from 1979's Enlightened Rogues album, the one album that Bonnie was a "member" of the ABB), she sounded more like how Bekka's voice is these days.


Ok, back to the Behind The Mask tour show...

It was the final show...THE final show of the tour. I was about 20 rows back on the floor DIRECTLY in front of the soundboard (so I was guaranteed great sound). I remember everything sounding just great (except "Save Me" suffered the same live "emptiness" that "Hold Me" suffered from in '82)...but, Stevie just didn't fully seem "there". After a killer version of "I Loved Another Woman" by Rick, John & Mick...Stevie stumbled out, babbled something incoherently into the mic, then Lindsey came walking out with an acoustic guitar, sat down on the drum riser, & started into "Landslide"; after which, Lindsey immediately stood up, waved to the crowd & walked off. Stevie turned around & watched him leave, then babbled more incoherent crap into microphone while sniffling & crying, as the rest of the band returned to the stage and launched into "World Turning". This tour, the Mick-sturbation solo seemed much more tedious than the one the previous tour. Great versions of "Little Lies" & "Stand Back" followed (Stevie seemed to have pulled herself together...and actually gave a near "angry"/volatile performance)...then "You Make Loving Fun"...Lindsey came back out with the Turner M1 and they launched into an incindiary version of "Go Your Own Way" to end the set. Took 'em about 10 minutes to leave the stage afterwards. Then they all came back (Lindsey included) for kick-butt versions of "Tear It Up" & "Don't Stop". Little speeches by both Mick (coherent) & Stevie (not-so-much) announcing the end of the tour and thanking the road crew, sound & light companies, etc. After few minutes Christine came back for "Songbird", this time accompanied by John on acoustic bass & Lindsey on acoustic guitar. House lights up very quickly afterwards....and since the LA TIMES had already announced Christine's & Stevie's departures, it was an end of an era.

I saw this tour in Cleveland. I thought they were much tighter than the Tango Tour...

I loved the way they opened with "In the Back of My Mind"... the intro was intense and grew more intense as the song went on... I think they had a mask lift up as the show started.

I have to say Christine stole the show, which surprised me because I was not used to her being so vocal and interacting with the audience as much as she did that night... She was pretty flawless that evening.

The tunes were done really well and I thought Vito covered the pre Buckingham Nicks tunes with a much thicker guitar sound than LB.. I really enjoyed this show... from what I understand as the tour went on they ran out of energy... but I did not see it on the night I saw them... Great show!

That's very sweet. I'm glad your friend did that and sad that Christine didn't assume it was for her. I've seen people hand things to Christine and never thought anything of it. I had no idea that some of them might have handed them to her with the request that she pass them to Stevie. Give me a break! It's one thing for people to give Lindsey flowers and other nonsense to hand to Stevie, but for them to use Christine as their messenger boy is absurd. I'd want to sic security on them if I ever saw that happen.

Michele

I had a clip of Bekka singing Gold Dust Woman, but it's long lost now. Here's Bob's Rhiannon: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?5tmqymmdooq

My main memories...

...driving to Milwaukee last-minute with two college friends. We had no tickets (and even had to borrow another friend’s jeep to get there). I got a decent seat from a scalper for only ten dollars just minutes before the show started – meant I had to sit away from my friends, who graciously let me get the better seat. It was some kind of a summer festival thing, with several stages and audiences set up throughout the grounds. I remember walking past one of them while The Fabulous Thunderbirds were performing. If I remember, Squeeze was FM’s opening act, correct?

...getting goosebumps when the wall/curtain with the masks on it finally went up during the opening number, “ITBOMM”. I’ve never been a fan of the song, but IMO it worked well because both of the women had solo spots. When the spotlight focused on Chris, and then on Stevie (for her big “Remembeeer” line lol), the crowd went nuts. Chris was spot-on throughout the night.

...trying to find a safe place to stash the rather large tourbook (not a lot of pages, but big pages) during the songs. I think I finally settled for under my seat, and somehow it never got stolen, even with strangers on all sides of me. (Sadly, I did the same thing during the Chicago "Street Angel" show, and somebody behind me spilled beer, which quickly crawled down and damaged that tourbook.)

...the sounds of a very, very obese and intoxicated man, seated about ten people over in my row, heckling Stevie about her weight all through “Landslide”: “Boy, those big girls sure can sing!” I wouldn’t be surprised if she could hear him. Jerk.

...I loved “Tear It Up”, which brought even the Klonopinicks to life, but I think this tour had the worst version of “Stand Back” ever. It wasn’t just her voice – the whole arrangement was bad, IMO. I find bootlegs of the song from other shows on the tour just as un-listenable. Also, I did not really enjoy Billy’s version of “Oh Well” or “Go Your Own Way”. The guy can sing, but I thought he overdid it a little – I was more impressed by his playing. Rick’s vocals were more restrained and better suited my tastes throughout most of the show. (“Tear It Up” worked well with Billy’s vocal precisely because it calls for something over-the-top - not to mention, that song must be in his blood.) “Gold Dust Woman” was okay – fortunately it’s one song that can bring its drama from the arrangement, even when the lead singer is asleep at the wheel. (Or the tambourine.)

...Stevie telling the crowd that John McVie is a man of few words, so we should listen to him when he says to support Greenpeace


- Jake

I saw them in the summer of 1990 in Mountain View at the Shoreline Amphitheater. Big difference to when I saw them again later in the year. Stevie seemed a little more together at this show than she did later, but again, her performance was not up to what we could reasonably expect. This time, Mick's bass drum was so loud and deep that when he launched into "The Chain" I thought he was going to crack my ribs!!!!! I was up at almost the back of the actual seats before the lawn area and it still felt like I was getting kicked in the chest every time he struck that drum. I think the mix was better on that show too as compared to the second time I saw them later in the year. Billy came out with Stevie and played "Landslide" and there was no appearance by Lindsey. Stevie dedicated that performance of "Landslide" to Bill Graham. Mick pointed out the fact that John is "a man of few words" therefore we should listen when he pointed out the Greenpeace booths around the amphitheater. I really enjoyed the show and recall the crowd being very positive and having great reaction to Rick and Billy.

I saw them again in Oakland in late 1990. They were the best seats to a concert I'd ever had at a big concert, being on the main floor in about row 20, almost center stage.

Seriously liked the opening of "In The Back Of My Mind" and how they melded it into "The Chain". Being that close, I basically couldn't hear most of the next day. It seemed to me they had the mix a little too slanted toward the "high's" and Mick's snare seemed louder than it should have been, perhaps the mike was up too high or something.

Overall though, I really enjoyed the show. It was my second FM concert ever, the first being when this version of FM played SF in 1987. I clearly remember Lindsey coming out and doing "Landslide", "Tear It Up" and "Go Your Own Way",and the crowd going totally berserk at each time he took the stage with the rest of the band. I also recall Mick talking about how John rarely speaks but when we do we should listen, John's cause being Greenpeace and I also recall John actually approaching the mike and asking the crowd to please take a look at the Greenpeace booths that were scattered around the arena. Stevie didn't seem to be totally into it. She was there but seemed to be going through the motions. Christine, Rick and Billy were giving it all they had and the crowd responded to them very positively. The arena was sold out, I remember that as well, so here wasn't an empty seat in the house.

I have always been a fan of this "incarnation" of FM. Loved what Rick and Billy brought to the band, particularly the "revival" of Mac classics such as "I Loved Another Woman", "Stop Messin' Round" and their version of "Oh Well". I liked Billy's version of "Tear It Up". It fit well and the crowd seemed to like it.

Thanks for posting this thread. Really like reading other people's impressions of shows they saw on this tour.

Well I saw this show up in Toronto at the skydome..I remeber it was my mom's bday so it must have been Oct.30th...I remember only half the place was filled up they shut off the other half... I remember being really excited but was disappointed at the end when I ran up to the stage and saw Stevie up close cause her eyes were really hazy... this was before I knew about the Klonopin....I assumed she was totally drunk and spaced out...I knew she had gone to Betty Ford a few years before and was praying she wasn't all drugged up again...not knowing it was Klonopin...but hey, who knows ,she may have been drunk too..but her eyes were really glassy. I do remember Christine looked stunning and thought... wow..she really almost was more eye catching than Stevie...even though I was an obsessed Stevie fan. Christine had emerged from her 70's frumpiness to a sizzling hottie! As for the guys..well they were okay but this was the first time I ever saw Stevie with Mac and was disappointed that I hadn't been old enough in the past to ever catch Lindsey...and at the time no one really knew that Lindsey would eventually return so it was okay but would have much rather had Lindsey be there....I remember this was the first time seeing Mick do his padded vest solo and that was awesome! Nothing really else stood out... They did open with ITBOYM though...then the Chain...and L is D was cool too.

Utrecht, august 23 (?) 1990
 

I saw the BTM-tour in Utrecht in august 1990. A stadium that wasn't used very often for concerts. Of course it was general admission (no seats on the floor) and we ended up in the pit an got bracelets to enter and exit this special area in front of the stage to get food and drinks...I remember I was surprised when they opened with ITBOMM, expected The Chain or something. But it was pretty exiting those pumping bass and see this slowly opening lit over the stage.

The show was ok. Do not remember any particular highlights. Stevie looked great but absent, that what's I recall, I was disapointed after Don't Stop. They didn't play Songbird. I had written a review for the fanclub back then. Have to search for it and re-read it to relive some memories.

After the show we waited for Albatross to came over the PA and got sent away by the secutity. I was just 20 years ol an was what som younger friends. We decided to get a drink in a bar on route to the railway-station and missed the last train home :-)

Had to call one of the dad's to pick us up :-)

Picture it Albany Ny November 1990 - BTM was the first FM concert that I went to. I had seen Stevie twice. I wasn't expecting much from her and i wasn't that disappointed - the usual energy of the crowd was there - we screamed and cheered at everything that she did - even when see sat on one of the speakers to talk to the crowd and one of the crew had to come out to help her back up and point her back towards the stage
THEN
She came out and started talking to the crowd about doing a song that we they thought we may have missed - and she dedicated Landslide to all of us

The crowd went nuts we were on our feet screaming until our throats bled and then it happened - she actually sounded AMAZING and the crowd as if one - just fell silent, we sat back down and just listened - suddenly the world was right again - I still get chills today thinking about that moment.

Of course we gave her a standing ovation and the Knickerbocker Arena shook like it never had before. It was easlily one of THE best moments at any concert for me

:)

Hi,
I saw my first Fleetwood Mac show in Milano,Italy in Sept I don't remember the date right,and after so many patience for awaited to see the Mac in Italy(it was the first time they played in my country) the conecrt was TERRIBLE,not only for the bad performance of the Mac but also for the orrible acustic of the place where they toured,not more of 2000 fans(less in 1994 less the 1000 fans),only 1 hour of show no GOLD DUST WOMAN/WORLD TURNING/SONGBIRD.
Stevie totally missed,the things I remember it's a really good Rick Vito's perfomance,he put so many heart and the songs Go your own way-Don't stop and nothing other.

But from that evening I began to love Stevie&the Mac with more energy sincerely I don't say why.......

take care of your wild heart

paolo

i didn't get to see this tour, but was given a vhs of a show of the tour(i'll have to look up what city it's from), where stevie smacks john mcvie on his butt w/ her tambo~ the quality of the show isn't that good & i no longer have a vhs player at the moment, so i can't watch it again until i get another player, but it is hilarious!!!~

okay i checked & the venue & date are:

hartford civic center, 11-9-90~ anyone see this show live & remember stevie doing that?~

Sexual harassment. She probably made it clear to John that if he wanted to continue playing bass, he'd have to put up with that sort of stuff on a regular basis. So sad.

It's very strange, but this last tour I have been looking at the moments when John and Stevie and (less frequently) John and Lindsey make eye contact. It's a lot of fun to watch and it occurs to me I never used to wait for John and Chris to look at each other, which would be the natural thing to do. Duh! I might have noted their greeting to each other at the end of the shows, but I never watched to catch them looking at each other during a show and I wish I had now. As for John and Mick, they do play with each other a lot and I look, but it's not that special to me. Michele

she did steal the show but I've always thought that she did this intentionally to make up for the non presence of Stevie Nicks.