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Originally Posted by vivfox
I love everything you wrote. Fleetwood Mac changed dramatically after Lindsey left in 1987. Stevie took over the band and had a good chunk of her solo touring band onstage with FM. This is when everything began to sound just like the records. Oh how I miss the live sound created by just 4 people(Mick, John, Lindsey & Christine) and of course SN's vocals. But just FOUR people created an incredible live sound that made those shows from the White Album to Tusk so memorable for me. A lot of you guys became fans after the release of The Dance. For me at that time (1997) there was nothing in their live performance that could duplicate the magic of the 1970's except Silver Springs. That SS was filled with raw emotion.
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I think there was still some fire for The Dance. Silver Springs is something to behold and it just came off right. I also think they took SOME risks with the arrangements. Silver Springs for one, Landslide with just Lindsey and Stevie (no keyboard solo), Say You Love Me, the piano intro for Rhiannon (a first in the band setting and it didn’t drone on like some of her solo performances of it prior to 1997), and Farmers Daughter pulled out to close each show. I think the problem is for the most part, they created a formula that they never changed from during the Dance. Some subtle setlist changes and some minimal arrangement choices. The sound has more or less been steady since then. The only real difference is less playing by Lindsey and Chris, lowered keys, and worse voices from all of them.
Oh - and my biggest gripe with 1987+ Fleetwood Mac, those damned background singers. I know the sound needs to be filled out but I’ve always thought Stevie’s “girls” have overtaken her solo and band performances.