Tacoma

[CelticGypsy]

Deleted by CelticGypsy

[michelej1]

The News Tribune http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ej/2009/05/17/

Tacoma Rock City

Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Fleetwood Mac delivers 2 1/2 hours of hits at the Tacoma Dome
Posted by Ernest Jasmin @ 11:42:42 am

Two things have been in abundant supply for Fleetwood Mac during the band’s first four decades: Smash hits and behind the scenes drama.

The legendary rock outfit packed plenty of the former into a monster, 22-song greatest hits set Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome. And early on, singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham got a laugh, alluding to the drama with a dry, understatement about his band’s “fairly complex and convoluted emotional history.”

That history, of course, includes his past romantic entanglements with smoky-voiced band mate, Stephanie “Stevie” Nicks and bassist John McVie’s ill-fated marriage to departed keyboard player, Christine McVie. Those rocky relationships tested the band’s stability over the years while adding creative tension to cuts like “Second Hand News” and “Storms,” a song that Nicks introduced as being about “stormy people in dark, dark, stormy relationships” Saturday night.

But against all odds, Fleetwood Mac has endured through all that “Behind the Music” turmoil, not to mention roughly a gazillion lineup changes. And Buckingham declared, “Every time we come together there’s a sense of forward motion.”

Granted, that statement that seemed a tad ironic in one sense, since the Unleashed tour is all about revisiting the band's '70s/'80s heyday. Fleetwood Mac doesn't have a new album for 2009 (“yet,” as Buckingham emphasized.) Not that all those cheering Baby Boomers at the T-Dome seemed to care.

But Fleetwood Mac is a legendary band seemingly back in peak form after seeing its share of troubles. And at times Saturday’s set did seem like a triumph, as if the veteran group had moved on to a happier, more stable place.

The quartet - also big, wild-eyed drummer Mick Fleetwood - was backed by a great supporting cast: Neale Heywood on guitar and backing vocals; Brett Tuggle on keyboards; and Sharon Celani, Jana Anderson and Lori Nicks (Stevie’s sister-in-law) on backing vocals.

And while Fleetwood and John McVie may be the band’s namesakes, with Christine McVie long gone, Fleetwood Mac has essentially become the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks show, with Buckingham’s manic intensity contrasting and often overshadowing Nicks’ icy detachment.

Buckingham’s buoyant, finger-picked melodies elevated early set numbers “Monday Morning,” “The Chain” and “Dreams.” Later, the guitarist held little back, whooping and stomping like a revival tent preacher after nailing cathartic passages in “Never Going Back” and an intense, solo, acoustic delivery of “Big Love.” An especially invigorating moment saw Buckingham swatting at his fret board, as if he were banging a set of bongos, during an epic solo that turned “I’m So Afraid” into a late set highlight.

And the comparatively aloof Nicks did her share of thrilling, too, most notably on “Gypsy” (about she and Buckingham’s early days in the San Francisco outfit Buckingham Nicks); “Landslide” (one of the most elegant ballads of the mid-1970s, which she dedicated to her friend, Valerie); and “Gold Dust Woman” (during which Nicks belatedly seemed to hit her stride, delivering a few twirls as psychedelic haze wafted across projection screens behind her.)

The show started half an hour late, and usual set closer “Silver Springs” got the axe as 11 o' clock curfew approached. But bubbly “Rumours” era smash “Don’t Stop” seemed a more fitting finale for the new show's feel-good vibe, anyway.

[the_chain]

I'm sorry to see Silver Springs dropped, although if it was due to time/union constraints then perhaps it will be included when they hit Sacramento tomorrow.

Counting the hours to the show in Oakland!!

"Chain keep us together"

[shebop]

I was there last night - don't think it was dropped due to time issues.
Stevie was about as low energy as I can remember, and I go back over 30
years......

[ShangriLaTroubl]

It's clearly obvious by her voice in Vancouver that Stevie is DEFINITELY the reason the 2 shows were cancelled. I just watched GDW from Vancouver on Youtube, and she didn't go for any of the high notes like she has been doing on this tour during GDW. And the "wail" was....interesting to say the least..she kinda talked her way through it, reminded me of the pitiful TISL Tour Gold Dust Woman "wail"...she kinda said "and go home...home..home..ahhh"

[shebop]

I didn't want to give too much detail but yeah, she was way off last night.
Lindsey appeared tired at the start but luckily he fed off the crowd and pulled off his usual energetic set!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by shebop

I was there last night - don't think it was dropped due to time issues.
Stevie was about as low energy as I can remember, and I go back over 30
years......

Yes, I didn't think they ran into a curfew both in Vancouver and Tacoma.

I was not one to think the tour should end because Stevie lacked energy or enthusiasm. I just didn't think that was the case from what I saw, despite the reviews.

However, her being sick is another matter. I hate to see her struggling when she's been ill.

Oh well, we just had a pretty bad earthquake and California may just fall into the ocean soon. So, then I guess what they do doesn't matter much either way as far as I'll be concerned.

Michele

[shebop]

Ha! I live in Los Angeles - came up to Seattle this weekend for the show!
Very happy to have missed that quake - I'll be back tomorrow for the aftershocks.......

[thatgirlwasme]

I just watching some of the Vancouver videos, and it does seem that Stevie was struggling a bit. I still thought her voice sounded pretty good considering we think she was the one who was sick. I had a really bad virus a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still not feeling 100%, and I can't imagine having to perform in front of people. I could hardly talk for almost a week!

Let's hope she gets some rest and Silver Springs comes back!

A

[CelticGypsy]

Sorry, they're not that great. I was able to get up to the stage for the last few songs but didn't get a chance to get too many photos at that point. Security was nice but too many people taller than me.

Debra

[justdreamin]

Tacoma was fun! Stevie broke out the boks (the leather leggins she wore were kind of cool this time, the bottom of them fitted over the top part of the tennis shoe) and half way through the show she had a slight limp walking off stage. Her voice sounded bad when she spoke but good enough when she sang. Her energy was very low though. Kind of made me sad. All in all a good show. I got 3rd row about 4 hours before the show and had to haul a** across the state to get there in time. They ended up starting a little after 8:30 and then left out SS cause it was almost 11.
If anyone was standing at the stage near Stevie's mic, I was the one with my 2 yr old grandson on my shoulder (with ear plugs of course, we got some crap about that for some reason) Security invited me to the stage, cause of the kid of course, haha. But we had a few people in front of us and it never seemed like a good time to "accidentally" let him get up there
He was rocking! Here are a few pics. Not so great but a little something.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by justdreamin

Here are a few pics. Not so great but a little something.

Nice visual effect on that last Lindsey one. Thanks for posting.

Michele

[CelticGypsy]

Originally Posted by justdreamin

Tacoma was fun! Stevie broke out the boks (the leather leggins she wore were kind of cool this time, the bottom of them fitted over the top part of the tennis shoe) and half way through the show she had a slight limp walking off stage. Her voice sounded bad when she spoke but good enough when she sang. Her energy was very low though. Kind of made me sad. All in all a good show. I got 3rd row about 4 hours before the show and had to haul a** across the state to get there in time. They ended up starting a little after 8:30 and then left out SS cause it was almost 11.
If anyone was standing at the stage near Stevie's mic, I was the one with my 2 yr old grandson on my shoulder (with ear plugs of course, we got some crap about that for some reason) Security invited me to the stage, cause of the kid of course, haha. But we had a few people in front of us and it never seemed like a good time to "accidentally" let him get up there
He was rocking! Here are a few pics. Not so great but a little something.

Those are great pics I do love the Lindsey photo!!! I got a couple of those that were wild too May I take the one of them all together??? Everytime, I tried to get a photo of all four of them at the end....... someone would either get their head or hands in front of my camera so I have bits and pieces of them I probably saw you since I was up there by Stevie too

[BTFLCHLD]

GDW


GYOW

[CelticGypsy]

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

GDW


GYOW

Thank you so much!!!! These are so wonderful