Washington DC, 4/9

[michelej1]

Washington Free Beacon BY: CJ Ciaramella April 11, 2013

http://freebeacon.com/return-of-the-mac/

Return of the Mac
Review: Fleetwood Mac debuts new song, rocks Verizon Center

Ten thousand drunk women agree: They still love Stevie Nicks.

That was the news from my seat Tuesday night in the 400-level of the Verizon Center, where Fleetwood Mac returned to the stage for the first time in three years.

The calls rained down from the crowd: “I love you, Steeeeeevie!”

Like any number of other aging rock acts, Fleetwood could have just slapped together a tour and slogged through their old hits. According to the Internet, which is always correct, the Eagles are hitting the road this summer in support of a “career-spanning documentary” of the band released in February.

Warner Bros. recently released a 35th anniversary “super deluxe” edition of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 mega-hit “Rumours,” which is as good an excuse as any for a tour. Instead, Fleetwood debuted new material amidst a solid mix of deep cuts and hits from across its catalogue.

“One of the things we thought would be a great thing to do this time before we hit the road was go into the studio and cut some new material,” guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said.

An EP of the new material is expected to drop sometime in the imminent future, and the band played one of the new cuts, “Sad Angel,” Tuesday night.

Mawkish title aside, the song sounded like vintage Fleetwood—driving mid-tempo drums, nice harmonies between Nicks and Buckingham, and catchy guitar lines.

The band also played a couple cuts from the new-wave tinged “Tusk,” as well as a forgotten demo from its early days.

From my high perch overlooking stage left, I could make out the general form of Nicks as she shambled about the stage in her gypsy woman outfit, tambourine in hand.

Nicks can’t hit the high notes anymore, something most noticeable on songs like “Dreams” and “Rhiannon.”

Buckingham’s voice has also been grizzled by age. Without the tempering alto of Christine McVie, who left the band in 1998 (and also the only one who didn’t sing about having one’s heart shoved in a garbage disposal), the whole outfit sounds leaner and angrier.

A stripped-down yet 8-minute-long “Gold Dust Woman,” propelled by Mick Fleetwood’s drums and a fierce performance from Nicks, was one of the highlights of the night.

Buckingham remains a seriously underrated guitar player, as evidenced by his scorching solo on “I’m So Afraid.”

And it wouldn’t be Fleetwood Mac without some excess. Cue two encores and a drum solo. (Can we stop here for a moment and acknowledge that drum solos are to concerts as impromptu, drunken toasts are to weddings? Sometimes done well, but most often politely endured?)

But the real show, as always, was Buckingham, Nicks, and their tortured relationship. Even after all these years, they still hold some strange spell over each other and audiences.

It was fitting, then, that Buckingham didn’t end the show with a hit, say “Second Hand News” or “Go Your Own Way,” but rather obscure downer: “Say Goodbye,” a 2003 song he said was about closure with Nicks. “Once you said goodbye to me, yeah / Now I say goodbye to you,” the chorus goes.

“I just feel like they’re soul mates, y’know?” a tipsy woman behind me said to her friend as I was leaving the Verizon Center. “Like, maybe you don’t have to end up with someone to be soul mates with them.”

The existence and nature soul mates aside, what’s clear is that Fleetwood Mac can still hold audiences rapt with their emotional baggage, of which they will never lack. News broke recently that Mick Fleetwood has filed for separation from his wife.

This entry was posted in Media and tagged Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks. Bookmark the permalink.

[denny23220]

Some videos from the DC show:

https://www.youtube.com/user/denny23...view=0&sort=dd

[Ali]

Originally Posted by denny23220

Some videos from the DC show:

https://www.youtube.com/user/denny23...view=0&sort=dd

And Philly too! Thanks!

[elle]

Originally Posted by denny23220

Some videos from the DC show:

https://www.youtube.com/user/denny23...view=0&sort=dd

thanks so much!!


another review - http://wtop.com/551/3282682/Fleetwoo...s-new-material

Fleetwood Mac reunites at Verizon Center, previews new EP

Friday - 4/12/2013, 6:51am ET

Fleetwood Mac's performance at the Verizon Center included past hits and previews of new material. (WTOP/Tim Bracken)

Crowd worked into a frenzy at Fleetwood Mac's Verizon Center concert

WTOP's Tim Bracken reports from Verizon Center

Tim Bracken, wtop.com
After a three year break from performing, Fleetwood Mac is back on stage with a nationwide arena tour.

The Mac's April 9 concert at Verizon Center included Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. The quartet belted out faithful renditions of hits and playfully explored several deep cuts.

Buckingham dominated the stage for most of the night and guided the band with confidence. His guitar chops were as sharp as ever, especially during his trademark solo on "Gypsy" and a solo acoustic version of "Big Love."

Nicks delivered a solid performance and made the most of her slightly decreased vocal range. Her voice was strong with only a hint of the warble that most associate with her singing style.

Fleetwood and McVie elevated the nearly three hour set with masterful rhythm section work. Fleetwood's drumming was as powerful as ever. Toward the end of the show, he worked the crowd into a frenzy with a mind-blowing drum solo.

The band previewed a new song, "Sad Angel," which featured Buckingham on lead vocals. The up-tempo song runs like a checklist of the band's strengths. It involves Buckingham's manic crooning, lush harmonies and an infectious hook.

According to Buckingham, "Sad Angel" will be released on an upcoming Fleetwood Mac EP.

"It's the best stuff we've done in a long time," Buckingham said from the stage. "We are going to be releasing an EP any day now."

One high point of the night included back-to-back renditions of "Not That Funny" and "Tusk."

Buckingham acknowledged that the "Tusk" album was not well-liked by Warner Bros. Records. He says by all accounts, it was essentially a failure, but has since become one of the most well-loved Fleetwood Mac albums by devoted fans.

The band even celebrated the early days of Fleetwood Mac's most well-known lineup by performing an unreleased Buckingham-Nicks song, "Without You."

Nicks explained she had forgotten about the song, but brought it to recent Fleetwood Mac rehearsals after learning that the song was circulating on YouTube.

Nicks cited the song as having influenced Fleetwood's decision to bring Buckingham and Nicks into the band during the ‘70s.

"This is what he heard," Nicks said. "This really is why he asked us to join his marvelous, simply marvelous band."

Before the set was over, the audience got to its feet for several songs, including "Rhiannon," "Go Your Own Way" and the Nicks' song, "Stand Back."

The obligatory, yet satisfying, encore included the hits "Don't Stop" and "Silver Spring."

The promise of new studio material is sure to send Fleetwood Mac on a future tour. It also has the potential to introduce the band to a new generation of music fans.

Listen to "Without You" below.

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by elle

The band even celebrated the early days of Fleetwood Mac's most well-known lineup by performing an unreleased Buckingham-Nicks song, "Without You."

Nicks explained she had forgotten about the song, but brought it to recent Fleetwood Mac rehearsals after learning that the song was circulating on YouTube.

Nicks cited the song as having influenced Fleetwood's decision to bring Buckingham and Nicks into the band during the ‘70s.

"This is what he heard," Nicks said. "This really is why he asked us to join his marvelous, simply marvelous band."

I was always under the impression that "Frozen Love" was the song that caught Mick's attention. I must have misunderstood something along the way.

[elle]

Originally Posted by MikeVielhaber

I was always under the impression that "Frozen Love" was the song that caught Mick's attention. I must have misunderstood something along the way.

yeah i'm tired of that bs. it was Frozen Love. we need to yell that at the show when she says it again, just like people did about SOTM last performance in the 70s.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by elle

yeah i'm tired of that bs. it was Frozen Love. we need to yell that at the show when she says it again, just like people did about SOTM last performance in the 70s.

She's not claiming it was Without You that Mick heard, she's saying that was the "music" he heard. It's just her way of pointing out that song is part of the Buckingham Nicks sound that caught Mick's attention, even though it's the acoustic sound instead of electric. She's just explaining it in her Stevie way. (I know, bugs me too but they also did SOTM in 1982... I'm gonna have to live with it! )

[vivfox]

Sister's of the Moon

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Without the tempering alto of Christine McVie, who left the band in 1998 (and also the only one who didn’t sing about having one’s heart shoved in a garbage disposal), the whole outfit sounds leaner and angrier.

speaks volumes about the balance Christine brought both personally and musically

[elle]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

speaks volumes about the balance Christine brought both personally and musically

it does.

of course, unless you like your music leaner and angrier.

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Without the tempering alto of Christine McVie, who left the band in 1998 (and also the only one who didn’t sing about having one’s heart shoved in a garbage disposal), the whole outfit sounds leaner and angrier.

Since when?

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

Since when?

I know, but we wouldn't expect them to know something like Heart of Stone or Why.

Still even the popular Say You Love Me has garbage disposal heart munching elements.

Michele

[michelej1]

Baltimore Sun

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertai...,4842455.story

By Lexie Mountain Midnight Sun contributor
10:48 a.m. EDT, April 10, 2013

I have to admit that even though "Second Hand News" is a great way to kick off a night of what was clearly going to be hit after hit of A+, No. 1, solid-gold Fleetwood Mac tunes, hearing Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks sing the first few measures put a little stone in my throat. Lindsey sounded ragged and rough: Did he give too much to Madison Square Garden the night before? Perhaps over-carousing? Does Lindsey deign to carouse? And Stevie, oh Stevie, the top range of her uniquely fluid yet meaty voice clipped. It was almost too hoarse and monotonic.

Enthusiasm prevailed, however. Lindsey yelling, "GO GO GO" and stomping while John McVie, safe under his cap aside Mick Fleetwood’s golden kit complete with gigantic chime rack and head-framing gong, appeared to be doing his John McVie thing, which is not asking for any of the spotlight, only undergirding the whole band since time immemorial.

"The Chain" sent people into a frenzy, inasmuch as people trapped in seats can frenzy. Buckingham absolutely screamed. Chimes came into the picture in a major way. "The Chain" is something that Fleetwood Mac vowed never to break, and the song’s unbreakable burliness felt intact as it echoed throughout the room. Lindsey hollered "RUN RUN RUN RUN," somehow becoming less hoarse in the process.

By "Dreams," the batwing shirt-ed, fedora'd Stevies in the audience were out of their seat and twirling, with Nicks, on stage, clapping her hands against her wrists in an oddly muppety fashion. "OK," we said to ourselves, "it seems that she has lost some of her range, but who cares?" She’s got it where it counts and the backup singers are picking up the slack.

Waves of misty, lightshow light caressed the audience; waves of hulking classic rock slowjams rumbled through everyone’s personal memory bank. "Dreams" provided an in-the-zone moment: The point being that Mick Fleetwood is an animal behind the kit, to extend that metaphorical muppetiness a bit further, and he is mugging and slinging and sounds gigantic, which is what you want from the human epicenter of persistent mutation that is Fleetwood Mac.

Buckingham introduced the gentle rocker “Sad Angel” by noting, almost apologetically, that it was “the best stuff we've done in a long time " and then put the entire audience to the test by actually playing it. When Lindsey Buckingham says “a long time”, how long is he talking about? Can someone please fact-check the last time Fleetwood Mac wrote a song? Buckingham’s been spraying the world with solo tunes for ever, and apparently "Sad Angel" was written over a year ago but will be released “any day now” he promised, as part of an EP. EP! (Dear Fleetwood Mac, we want outtakes. We will listen to anything. Why restrict it to an EP?)

Here’s the rub: "Sad Angel" was not that bad, actually. It provided a good beer break for many audience members and brought some undue attention to the LED wingding display modules at the corner of the stage. The background images appeared to be an Ed Hardy shirt eating itself whole; in the words of my companion, the stage design looked “like a JC Penney commercial.” The song itself struck a note somewhere between the more exciting elements of "Mirage" and Buckingham’s solo jam “Red Rover”: A little treacly but with enough choral kick to give it the necessary oomph.

Out of nowhere, the stagecraft went from incongruous to blinding. A blast of white light, a visual approximation of "Rhiannon" probably cribbed from deviantart.com, and the band launched into “Rhiannon.” Nicks hoisted sparkling beads in her sparkle-draped, fingerless-gloved hands and changed the vocal melody so that she wouldn’t have to hit the high notes. The work of the backup singers was most evident here, especially during one point in which it appeared that Madam Nicks was simply mouthing the word "Rhiannon." I don’t want to say the experience was disappointing because “Rhiannon” is, at this point, a song you hear while shopping for aspirin and thus drilled into your head as having to exist a certain way. The essential components of the song were present and generally satisfactory. B+, would hear while price-comparing Band-aids again.

The great thing about Fleetwood Mac is that for every "Rhiannon" there is a "Not That Funny." Buckingham introduced a tight block of "Tusk" hits by saying, “I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Warner Brothers first played that album in the boardroom because it was not what they expected and really not what they wanted.”

“Not That Funny” had him thrashing and howling, at his most punk of the evening yet. “Tusk” itself merited cackles of laughter from Buckingham and tons of chimes, the backdrop exploding in CGI mirror-jungle fury, the whole group chugging and lurching into that majestic marching-band crescendo. Oh yeah, there was no marching band.

(Of course, Fleetwood Mac is not going to bring an entire marching band on tour just for one section of one song. The sample that was used sounded fantastic enough that seeing images of a marching band was enough to allow the imagination to not be stressed out by the fact that, at a point when one could finally have seen a live marching band play one of the most unusual segments of one of the band's most unusual songs, the experience was fully subverted by the sheer pleasure of seeing the band at all. The fact is that “Tusk” sounded huge, and when Nicks returned to the stage for “Sisters of the Moon” she sounded huge again too.)

I don’t know what Nicks did when she stepped away from the spotlight after “Rhiannon," but “Sisters of the Moon” and “Sara” were both a giant middle-finger-in-fingerless-gloves to the haters. The sustain, the warble, the fullness of her unique method were all in evidence, and it seemed almost as if the first half of the set was just a warm-up. Stevie was back, haters. And then, just as suddenly as she came, she was gone again.

Probably at this point many Fleetwood Mac fans have experienced Buckingham’s acoustic version of “Big Love” and were thinking, “Oh, this again,” and to those people I say nothing because they likely do not exist. Hearing “Big Love” on an acoustic guitar is like being caught in a frantic bug-zapper of treble and pain. Even when Nicks came back out for a truly sweet rendition of “Landslide” that she tenderly dedicated to her “fairy god-daughters” while misty sparkles floated in the air, I found myself trying to go back in time several minutes and re-live the feeling of being electrocuted in my seat.

After a satisfyingly raw acoustic version of “Never Going Back Again," Mick joined Buckingham and Nicks for a song that Stevie herself only rediscovered on, in her words, “you guessed it — YouTube!” “Without You” found Mick on a confounding drum setup: Cocktail roto-toms? Mini stand-up kit? Whatever. Even Buckingham and Nicks can’t remember when they wrote “Without You," and it was a nice present for the heads. I was in the head when “Gypsy” went down, but my companion told me that there was quite a bit of twirling from Nicks, and what little I could make out through the cinderblock panopticon that is the Verizon Center sounded like it was probably good fun.

“Eyes of the World,” from the act's "Mirage" album, was brisk, frisky and accompanied by probably the most visually disturbing imagery of the evening. Every time the chorus of “Eyes!” punched in, an eyeball zoomed through the backdrop, green or brown, making it difficult to concentrate on what is an interesting late-career gem. Eyes! When the chime rack returned for “Gold Dust Woman” it was something of a relief. Nicks returned in a gold shawl to haunt Mick’s cowbell-playing wizard face, pointing fingers at all the ancient queens to her left and right. A few lighters went up in the crowd, a few smartphones for lighters-by-proxy.

What company did Fleetwood Mac commission to make it look like they were being toasted alive during “I’m So Afraid”? I would like to work for anyone who can cause Fleetwood Mac to be aggressively cooked under red-hot Maxi Pads(TM) as steamy, smoky tendrils creep through the background. Thankfully the heating devices receded and it was Jumbotron Lindseyvision for the evening's money-shot guitar solo, in which his completely bizarre fingerwork was on display for all to behold.

After a smoking-hot version of “Stand Back” from Nicks’ solo repertoire and “Go Your Own Way,” the band said goodnight. Or did they? They did not!

Encore No. 1: Mick Fleetwood emerged from the sidelines wearing jaunty knickers and trademark gold balls dangling from his belt for “World Turning,” giving an extensive drum solo in which he yelled, "Come on baby! Are you with me?" The good news is that everyone in the audience was with him. The weird news is that he split up with his wife three hours earlier. Buckingham sat on the side of the stage with his legs crossed at the ankles, as if he was on the lawn at the Hollywood Bowl, gazing up at his googly-eyed friend, the lynchpin of the idea of a band that is Fleetwood Mac.

Encores Nos. 2-4 slid down a hill of strange melancholy. From “Don’t Stop” to “Silver Spring,” it felt as if the band was slowly letting go of the audience, getting them ready for the outside world again. With the utterly sad and beautiful “Say Goodbye” the crowd filtered out, stunned. Nicks told those who remained that they were “the dream-makers, the dream-catchers.” Mick’s last words for the audience, a giant hug from a giant man in a little red top hat, were “Take care of yourself. Be kind to one another. We love you so.”


Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertai...#ixzz2WyclrWv0

[michelej1]

Exponent Telegram
http://www.exponent-telegram.com/opi...a4bcf887a.html

Posted: Wednesday, August 7, 2013 9:50 pm

by Denise Sabolovich,

Turning 30 way back when bothered me. I think it does for most of us, if we truly admit it. Possibly because we’ve reached the point in life where we’re raising children wondering where most of our youthful years have gone.

Each decade has been easier to accept for me — along with birthdays come my children’s marriages and grandchildren. It gives me great joy to see them happy, along with being blessed with enough health and energy to keep up with the little ones. Some of them are not so little any longer — there’s much to be said about those milestones.

Dinner out for me is always on the kids. And, of course, there’s a present. Noticing a card on the table this time I was informed I could not open it until I was told. I seriously did not have a clue.

After dinner, Mandy and Shelby gave me the card, so I usually at this point take my time. I had just been released from a short hospital stay; therefore the poem inside was very sweet and thoughtful.




“We know you’ve been under the weather lately and want you back on track, so don’t let your heart skip too many beats when we go see ... FLEETWOOD MAC!” I screamed. It was a dream come true, or one of my bucket list wishes, so to speak.

The following Friday, we were on our way. Having an extra ticket, Shelby’s college friend Kristen came along. I told her how cute she looked dressed in solid black with knee-high boots. She replied that Shelby told her to wear black. Of course, she did. Stevie Nicks always wears black.

Although my granddaughter likes music from her own era, she has been raised on rock ‘n’ roll — plain and simple. And she’s loved Stevie from her first boots and feather scarf. Deciding to dress circa 1980 was fun also — flowing shirts, boots and, of course, jewelry. Shelby brought a boxful. No surprise there. She always has the jewelry.

Finding our seats, we were surprised to see so many empty ones, knowing the concert was sold out. As time passed, they all filed in, the geriatric generation making it at the last minute. Not us. We wanted to get the feel of it all, I mean — it was Fleetwood Mac! Three generations of us, and we wouldn’t miss a note.

From the moment the lights dimmed and the stage lit up, I for one was singing every song. There was no opening act for them — they were a band for the ages bringing their fantastic lyrics, voices and musical talents alive.

Seeing Lindsey Buckingham in person playing guitar only with his fingers and no guitar pick was a personal favorite, along with Stevie flaunting her signature black clothes, boots, scarves, hats and long blonde hair. At 63 years old, she’s still beautiful. Large-screen TVs enhanced the group in detail, and I could relate to Mick Fleetwood’s braces on his hands as the drumbeats resounded throughout the center.

Two hours and encores later, the band members bowed their last bow. How could it be over, I thought? Music has always been one of my most treasured loves and to hear a favorite group of my generation live was icing on my cake.

We reminisced all the way home, with Mandy saying she could now die a happy woman since she got to hear Lindsey sing.

“Big Love,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Landslide” were my personal favorites. Shelby wanted to hear “Gypsy.” Maybe next time.

Dropping the girls off at Summit Hall, they bounded up the steps, waving goodbye as we yelled to them to go study and head straight to bed, as finals were the following week. Right, that was going to happen on a Friday night in Morgantown.

Best birthday ever with loved ones. Next time we’ll have floor tickets and lighters — but I’ll be wearing sneakers.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by michelej1

We reminisced all the way home, with Mandy saying she could now die a happy woman since she got to hear Lindsey sing.
“Big Love,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Landslide” were my personal favorites. Shelby wanted to hear “Gypsy.” Maybe next time.

Shelby got to hear Gypsy. I wonder what Stevie song it really was that Shelby is gonna have to wait til next time to hear?