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Old 10-06-2011, 07:01 PM
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The complete Lindsey Buckingham concert experience: Jacksonville, FL, reviewed

Jeremy Roberts, Pop Culture Examiner
October 6, 2011 - Like this? Subscribe to get instant updates.

On Monday evening experienced rocker Lindsey Buckingham performed at Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre as part of his Seeds We Sow tour. As the longtime lead guitarist of Fleetwood Mac (currently on hiatus until a new tour next year), Buckingham has experienced a renaissance of sorts since 2006, releasing three well-received studio albums plus a live one.

A little back-story: Buckingham first ventured out as a solo artist during the time between Fleetwood’s Tusk and Mirage albums, respectively. His debut album, 1981’s Law and Order, yielded his sole Top Ten pop hit to date with “Trouble” (No. 9). Go Insane followed three years later, with the title cut becoming his last significant solo hit, stalling at No. 23.

Fans had to wait eight years before another solo album hit the marketplace. Although Out of the Cradle sported songs with excellent hooks, including “Wrong” and “Countdown,” it sold dismally.

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This lack of success apparently caused Buckingham to retreat from recording, as 14 years passed before he delivered his fourth solo album.

But it was worth the wait: 2006’s Under the Skin reintroduced Buckingham to a newer generation (especially fans of well-written pop songs featuring amazing acoustic finger-picking), and he has continued to tour in support of each successive album when Fleetwood isn’t on the road.

Buckingham last played in Jacksonville at the 15,000 seat Veterans Memorial Arena back on May 23, 2004, as part of Fleetwood Mac’s Say You Will tour.

The Florida Theatre gig was the 18th show of his current tour and a much more intimate experience, seating approximately 1,900 folks. In fact, the majestic theatre was built during the 1920s, and its Mediterranean Revival style architecture has placed it on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Seeds We Sow tour (named after his latest album, in case you didn’t know) has been going steady since September 9th. It will continue nonstop through mid-November; after a few weeks off, Buckingham will visit the UK for a handful of dates in December.

Monday evening found the talented guitarist in fine form and voice throughout the one hour and 45 minute near-capacity concert. He performed 19 songs in a setlist that has remained virtually unchanged since his debut show last month.

Wearing his customary black leather jacket, black T-shirt, and dark blue-jeans, Buckingham entered the stage alone to much applause. Perhaps taking him aback, the audience swiftly began singing “Happy Birthday” to the singer, as Monday (October 3rd) was his 62nd birthday. He didn’t say anything, instead placing his hands together in a thankful gesture.

Embracing his inner indie self, Buckingham courageously played six of the 11 songs off Seeds We Sow. For artists from his generation, that is virtually unheard of, unless you’re Bob Dylan. Although a few fans took bathroom breaks, the majority seemed to enjoy hearing these songs.

He also played one from 2008’s Gift of Screws, two from Under the Skin, two from Out of the Cradle, the title cut from Go Insane, and “Trouble” from his first solo record.

One song concert-goers may have missed hearing was Buckingham’s 1984 Christmas sing-along “Holiday Road,” but that will likely appear in the setlist by next month. And another is "Bwana," taken from his first solo album. This quirky, driving number, featuring intricate, often goofy backing vocals would certainly go over quite well if brought back to the setlist, which hasn't happened since 2006.

For Fleetwood fans, perhaps there was some disappointment, as Buckingham only chose to sing six songs from that band’s hit-making era. Of course, three came from Rumours, and the greatest applause of the evening always erupted after the Fleetwood material.

Buckingham performed five songs during the opening solo spot, all the while using a different guitar each time. He wisely placed his two biggest solo hits up top, delivering remarkably transformed, stripped versions of “Trouble” and “Go Insane.” The latter was especially revelatory, as it was originally steeped in ‘80s electronic drums, synthesizers, and massed background vocals.

After the second number of the evening (“Go Insane”), the guitarist spoke for the first time:

“I thought I would start tonight much in the way I started with just voice and guitar (lots of cheers). Before there was a band or any kind of success, there was a young boy, a child really, listening to his older brother’s records and teaching himself to play guitar.

I think one of the things I have come to value and recognize as time has gone by is that child still lives within me as it does in all of us, as it should.”

The fourth number was “Never Going Back,” taken from Fleetwood’s Rumours. Somehow it retained the singer’s sexy, fragile, but simultaneously determined vocals that were originally recorded nearly 35 years ago. A particular highlight of the evening, and the crowd agreed.

Immediately thereafter, Buckingham spoke again, discussing Fleetwood’s “Big Love:”

“This next song is significant to me for a few reasons. The most important reason – if you look at the lyric of the song, it pretty accurately described the person I was in 1987. One of the lines is “looking out for love,” but it’s not about looking for love. It’s about defending against love.

With the passage of time, that description has become just an echo. So where this song perhaps once was a contemplation on alienation, it has now become more meditational – the power and the importance of change.”

As if on a dime, his restrained vocal from “Never Going Back Again” was turned on its head for “Big Love,” taken from Fleetwood’s 1987 Tango In the Night. The singer’s guttural, anguished vocal on this number (especially during the climax) capped off the solo segment supremely.

The band entered the stage after “Big Love” concluded. Featuring Neale Heywood on rhythm guitar/background vocals, utility player Brett Tuggle on rhythm guitar/keyboards/bass/background vocals, and Walfredo Reyes, Jr. on drums/percussion, the group expertly handled their parts. There was no soloing or coming to the front of the stage, as it was Buckingham’s show all the way.

The guitarist then sang the Out of the Cradle kinda obscure album cut “All My Sorrow.” Although a fine song, hopefully Buckingham will decide to incorporate “Wrong” (remember the immortal line ‘Young Mr. Rockcock, where do you belong?’) and “Countdown” (both singles and undiscovered gems from Cradle), into his future concerts. Both songs, featuring memorable refrains, are highly catchy, up tempo, and stage-ready.

When “All My Sorrow” was over, the songwriter explained why he recorded his new album:

“I was not really planning on making an album last year. Fleetwood Mac was off the road, and surprisingly, time opened up. And I filled it. Because there was no plan, no agenda to do it, no preconception about what it could be. So it was a completely spontaneous thing.

There were no really full songs; there was nothing that didn’t happen all at the same time. Because of that, the work kinda led me in a specific direction. It turned out very well. I’m very proud of it. I think it could be the best thing I’ve done.”

One of the songs that got the crowd very enthusiastic was the title track from Fleetwood’s 1979 Tusk LP. While the applause died down, Buckingham prepared the audience for three new songs in a row by delivering his now-expected “big machine” vs. “small machine speech, which a recent Rolling Stone review of a New York gig also mentioned.

“I consider myself to be very fortunate in the sense I have been able to live and work in two distinctly different creative worlds. [Note: At this exact moment, someone shouts, “Because you’re a virtuoso!” This causes Buckingham to stop dead in his tracks, as he admits, “I lost my train of thought…let’s back up to the beginning”].

On the one hand, you have what you might call the “big machine.” That is Fleetwood Mac and all of the other entities that go along with that which step up to the plate making robust commerce [several audience members chuckle].

On the other hand, you have the “small machine,” which is the solo work [surprisingly, there were loud screams of approval from the crowd].

Now if you were to make the analogy to film, you might fairly say I’ve been involved with a few big films. But it is the small projects, the independent films if you will (and probably many directors would say this as well), that allow you to follow your heart and to take risks.

And allow you to continue to aspire to be an artist. I feel very fortunate to have had both these things. They compliment and inform each other. We are very pleased and excited to be up here doing new songs for you, songs from the ‘small machine.’”

Of his current songs, “In Our Own Time” had the most impressive fret work. The catchy chorus of “End of Time” wouldn’t be out of place on a Fleetwood record. “Stars Are Crazy” had three strong points: good lyrics, a strong vocal (his vocal range got very high and was commendable for a 62-year-old), and intricate finger-picking.

Two of the singer’s classic songs were saved for right before the encore: “I’m So Afraid” and “Go Your Own Way.” The former, the most-rock sounding number of the evening, was chock-full of an out of this world electric solo by Buckingham.

Folks around me were just looking open-mouthed at each other, it was that good. Interestingly, the band finally came into its own during this number. It was unfortunate that some of the newer numbers didn’t feature much improvisation from the band members, as the songs would have definitely benefitted. One the album, Buckingham played virtually all of the parts, deliberately going for a non-polished, indie sound.

As for “Go Your Own Way,” it was surprising this revered number wasn’t the final song of the evening. Everyone was dancing and singing along, totally into the song, but once the song concluded, the show wasn’t quite over.

With so many good vibrations built up, Buckingham returned to the stage and performed three additional numbers, two quite obscure. All were laidback songs, unfortunately draining much of the energy from the room. Perhaps that is the guitarist’s idiosyncrasy on full display, asserting that things will be his way or else.

The title track from Seeds We Sow closed the performance. It would seem more appropriate as an opening number, as it appears on the album. Before Buckingham sang the song, his humble character revealed itself:

“Only when I got to the end of the album, and I looked at all the lyrics together, did I realize there was in fact a kind of thread running through many of these songs. I think “Seeds We Sow” [the song] is about choices.

The notion that good or ill exists in something as vast as the world or something as small as a single relationship is all down to the accumulation of choices that we make.

The funny thing about choices is you can’t always tell in the moment whether those have been good or not if they are going to afford the result you would like. Sometimes it takes the perspective of time.

For me, I know many creative choices I made were not popular in the moment. But as I stand here tonight with all of you, I cannot think of anywhere else I’d rather be.”

When the song was over, the legendary guitarist summed up the night: “Jacksonville, you were an absolute pleasure to spend the evening with tonight. Thank you all for coming. We will see you next time!”

This reviewer echoes Buckingham’s sentiments. As my first Buckingham concert experience, the show proved that the singer isn’t content to sit on his laurels and revel in his glory years with Fleetwood. Lindsey Buckingham definitely still has something to say, and he proved it at Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre.

Twitter @jeremylr

**Author Jeremy Roberts also writes a column on "The King of Cool," Steve McQueen. Visit it here for further interviews and articles...

© Jeremy L. Roberts, 2011. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without first contacting the author.



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