North Little Rock, Arkansas March 11

[michelej1]

Arkansas Online, March 10, 2015

It's Fleetwood Mac, totally

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2...=entertainment

By JACK W. HILL Special to the Democrat-Gazette


Fleetwood Mac is obviously following its own advice, as promulgated in its song "Don't Stop," the band's well-known hit (especially in Arkansas). The band didn't stop when singer-keyboardist Christine McVie left the band, and now she is back.

During McVie's absence, the only song of hers that the band performed was "Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)," the anthem that powered Arkansas' Bill Clinton on his successful quest for the presidency in 1992.

Fleetwood Mac has had an up-and-down existence, with extensive, sometimes rapid personnel changes. The only member who has endured the entire ride has been drummer Mick Fleetwood, since August 1967, although bassist John McVie has been around almost as long, joining Fleetwood a month later.

The band's only previous Arkansas performance was in May 2013, when the band included Fleetwood, John McVie, singer Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Though the band had no new album to promote then (or now), its rationale for touring two years ago was the 35th anniversary of the release of its album Rumours and a subsequent release of an enhanced version.

The difference in the band between 2013 and now is the return of Christine McVie after a 16-year absence (she first joined the band in 1970). Nicks and Buckingham, a couple of American musicians, joined what had originally been a British blues rock band in 1975.

Massive success arrived with that lineup of three men and two women, culminating with its self-titled 1975 album, powered by the band's first radio hit, Christine McVie's "Over My Head," her composition "Say You Love Me" and Nicks' "Rhiannon" and "Landslide." Two years later, the band reached the commercial and critical stratosphere with Rumours, which featured Christine McVie's songs "Don't Stop," "You Make Lovin' Fun" and "Songbird," as well as Nicks' "Dreams," "Gold Dust Woman" and "Chains" and Buckingham's "Second Hand News."

While Rumours has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide, it contained only one No. 1 single, "Dreams." A new album is reportedly in the works, although without input from Nicks. From all reports, the current tour is a "greatest hits" scenario, without any new material or songs prior to the Buckingham and Nicks era. The band has released no new material since Say You Will in 2003.

The group originally announced a 40-date North American "On With the Show" tour that began Sept. 30 in Minneapolis, but on Oct. 9, it was announced that there would be an additional 28 dates between Jan. 16 and March 31. And then more shows were added in Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The tour is scheduled through June 14, when the band will perform at the Isle of Wight Festival in the United Kingdom.

Style on 03/10/2015

[nicole21290]

https://www.facebook.com/verizonaren...53050932825831

The March 11th, Fleetwood Mac "On With the Show" tour date at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, AR has been postponed to a later date, due to an illness. Details of a new date will be announced soon.

[wondergirl9847]

I have tickets (for a Mick M&G/show) in Oklahoma City and now I'm more worried than I already was!

Who is sick and what is going on!?!? Anyone have details on this!?!

FREAKING OUT.

[michelej1]

Ultimate Classic Rock

Fleetwood Mac Illness Forces Concert Postponement

by Jeff Giles March 11, 2015 9:35 AM


Read More: Fleetwood Mac Illness Forces Concert Postponement | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/fleet...ckback=tsmclip

All is not well with Fleetwood Mac‘s 2015 tour.

The band has been forced to postpone its show in Little Rock, Ark., tonight due to an unspecified illness, according to a Facebook post from the venue that’s been shared by the official Fleetwood Mac page. The specifics regarding who’s sick and how severely remain private, but the announcement promises that “details of a new date will be announced soon.”

The Little Rock postponement is the second time a date on the tour has been disrupted by someone feeling under the weather. As previously reported, the band’s Jan. 17 stop in Lincoln, Neb., had to be cut short after drummer Mick Fleetwood succumbed to a case of the stomach flu partway through the set, forcing his drum tech to step in for a couple of numbers during an abbreviated show.

Here’s hoping whatever forced the group to miss its date tonight is something as minor as a passing stomach bug; as fans no doubt recall, Fleetwood Mac had to deal with something much more serious when bassist John McVie suffered a cancer scare in 2013, causing the cancellation of a spate of tour dates while he underwent treatment on his way to recovery.

The band’s current tour, which was expanded into 2015, brings keyboardist and singer Christine McVie back into the fold after a prolonged absence — a highly anticipated reunion that’s sent ticket prices skyrocketing. The band is also at work on its first new album in more than a decade.


Read More: Fleetwood Mac Illness Forces Concert Postponement | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/fleet...ckback=tsmclip

[golddustwoman77]

It is rescheduled for Sunday, April 19th.

[michelej1]

THV 11 Laura Monteverdi 8:37 p.m. CDT March 11, 2015

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/2015...show/70178642/

LITTLE ROCK, ARK (KTHV) - It was a big disappointment for many Fleetwood Mac Fans. The band postponed its tour stop in North Little Rock Wednesday night.

Concert officials blame an illness.

Fans looking forward to seeing Fleetwood Mac perform at Verizon Arena had their dreams crushed when officials announced the show was postponed.

"It's ironic though, because the name of the tour is "the show must go on" and obviously, it's not going on," said Kelly Whiteside of Kansas City.

Kelly Whiteside along with her brother and friend drove over six hours from Kansas City to see their idols take the stage.

"We were actually driving on the highway, and we saw the sign outside the venue for Fleetwood Mac. We were like, "yay," and then we were like, wait, it says postponed," said Whiteside.

The three went to the arena box office the afternoon before the concert, hoping to get some answers.

"They just said that they would probably reschedule in like a month or so, but that doesn't help us because we're from out of town," said Whiteside.

It's not just fans feeling the loss. Local businesses are as well.

"When several thousand people aren't in the area, it's going to affect us," said General manager of Cregeen's Irish Pub, Bryan Dabous.

Any night before a concert or sporting event means big business for Cregeen's Irish Pub.

"When there's a concert, it's crazy in here, it's packed! Everybody wants to be fed, they want to get a drink," said Dabous.

However, no concert means less business.

"We really are sad because that's an opportunity lost to wow everybody with our food and service," said Dabous.

Fleetwood Mac's new scheduled performance date at Verizon Arena is April 19. All tickets for the show will be honored on the new date.

[hospiceworker]

I think that if one of the members is sick, it would be best to postpone for everybody. We saw them in Cleveland in February and wow, wow, wow. They were incredible. It was probably the best concert we have ever gone to in our life and we have been to a lot. If one of them had been sick, I am sure it would not have been as awesome as it was. They were all absolute perfection that night. I feel for all who have to wait, but you can tell they give it their all and I am sure they don't want to half do something and then not turn out as well.

[michelej1]

Fleetwood Mac fans flames of past in NLR


By JACK W. HILL SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE April 21, 2015

Sunday night proved better late than never for Fleetwood Mac fans, who had been waiting since March 11 to see the legendary band of men and women who have somehow managed to keep their long-running band afloat, despite what the group's guitarist, Lindsey Buckingham, described as their "well-documented ups and downs."

Before the 12,844 fans who came close to packing Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Fleetwood Mac showed over the course of a 2 1/2-hour show that its members can still rock with the best of anyone, past or present. Postponed on March 11, due to an undisclosed illness of an unidentified member, the "On With the Show Tour" -- arrived in Little Rock, finally, for the 81st and final show in the United States before a break followed by the European leg of the tour.

Though the band had played at Verizon in June 2013 and 15 of the 22 songs they performed Sunday night were also performed at that 2013 show, there was one major difference between the two shows: singer/keyboardist Christine McVie ended her 18 years of retirement and rejoined the band, giving them the lineup that had been responsible for hit after hit.

McVie soared on "You Make Loving Fun," "Say You Love Me," "Little Lies" and especially, "Over My Head" and even played accordion on "Tusk." Stevie Nicks, seeming to be in better condition or spirits than two years ago, served up fine versions of "Rhiannon," "Sisters of the Moon," "Landslide," "Gold Dust Woman," "Gypsy," "Go Your Own Way" and "Never Going Back Again."

McVie, Buckingham and Nicks, who were all wearing black outfits, provided vocals, and drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, though more colorfully attired, provided a firm foundation for the singers.

Buckingham's guitar skills were again on display as he prowled the stage like a feral cat. Indeed, Buckingham, who has a fine voice, could have almost been the show all by himself. Whether he was playing acoustic or electric guitar, Buckingham delivered perhaps the finest display of guitar prowess ever on display in Verizon Arena, and threw in some body language that could have originated in the worlds of athletics or dance.

Fleetwood showed off his drumming skills throughout the show, especially on "World Turning," the first of three encore songs that also included "Don't Stop" and "Silver Springs." The concert was further enhanced by some of the best light show and camera work ever seen in a rock concert this side of Pink Floyd.

Savoring the moment, after the last note, Fleetwood promised that "The Mac is back," perhaps hinting that more new music would someday emerge from the talented songwriting triumvirate of Buckingham, Nicks and Christine McVie.

[michelej1]

Live Review: Fleetwood Mac returns to Verizon with classic lineup reunited

Posted By James Szenher on Thu, Apr 23, 2015 Arkansas Times

http://www.arktimes.com/RockCandy/ar...ineup-reunited

Fleetwood Mac is a band that embodies change and transformation. After a slew of different lineups, they hit their stride in the mid-‘70s, around the time that many of their fellow Boomers were settling down and starting families. Maybe that’s why their most beloved songs contrast a sort of jaded wisdom with hopeful confidence – the perfect soundtrack for growing up while still feeling young and looking forward to the future.

As someone who wasn’t alive when Fleetwood Mac released their iconic albums, I didn’t immerse myself in their music until my late twenties, but I’d been anxiously waiting to see the band on this tour with the ‘classic’ lineup back together for the first time in almost two decades. While I was pretty bummed last month when the band cancelled the original date of their Little Rock performance, I think it was a blessing in disguise. The show on April 19 at Verizon Arena was their 81st and last stop in the U.S. for the current tour, and it did not disappoint. The performance overflowed with emotion, with everyone in the band – most of them pushing 70, if not past it – giving their all.

I can’t imagine a more appropriate opener than “The Chain,” which kicks off the second side of "Rumors." It’s a brooding changeling of a song that morphs into a driving rocker, and it showcased the unmistakable harmonies of the band’s three vocalists – Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie – as well as the rock solid rhythm section of drummer Mick Fleetwood & bassist John McVie. With this one, the Mac demonstrated themselves to be in top form from the starting gun, and the crowd’s excitement showed that everyone knew they were in for a special performance.

Next, the band launched into another Rumours favorite, “You Make Loving Fun,” which features Christine McVie on vocals. McVie, who also plays keyboards, departed the band in 1998, and this tour marked the return of her uniquely recognizable voice.

“Dreams” and “Second Hand News” followed, giving Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham each a chance for the lead vocal spotlight. Neither of their voices seems to have aged much – Nicks’ range is maybe slightly more limited than it once was, but all the power is still there – and Buckingham’s signature fingerpicking guitar chops are still on point.

I was surprised and delighted to hear “I Know I’m Not Wrong,” a weirdly catchy number from the band’s somewhat experimental 1979 double album “Tusk,” and one of my personal favorites. The band’s joyful singing in unison with the song’s signature synth part at the end of the chorus was a lovely touch. The title track from that album was another highlight, the big screen behind the stage filled with disjointed visuals of marching bands that created the illusion of live horns and put the crowd in the middle of a second-line parade.

Showing their age a bit, several band members took turns taking breaks in the middle of the set, but this gave a chance for Buckingham and Nicks to showcase their solo skills with “Landslide” and “Never Going Back” before finishing strong with favorites like “Little Lies,” “Gold Dust Woman” and “Go Your Own Way.”

Of course, the crowd knew this wasn’t the end. The band came storming back for an encore with an extended version of the bluesy, upbeat “World Turning,” during which the spotlight turned to Mick Fleetwood for a lengthy, ecstatic drum solo filled with audience call and response. After announcing the band members and backup musicians, we were treated to the eternally optimistic “Don’t Stop” and a teary coda of “Silver Springs.”

The performance was everything I could have hoped for and more, and I’m grateful to the band for coming to Arkansas and to everyone at Verizon who helped make this happen. Cheesy as it sounds, getting to see a reunited Fleetwood Mac was nothing short of life-affirming. At times during the show, I felt a bittersweet recognition that this might well be the last time the band tours with all five of its most crucial members together, but at the very end of the performance, Mick Fleetwood returned to the stage, delivered an uplifting speech, and exchanged hats with an audience member before proclaiming loudly and defiantly, “THE MAC IS DEFINITELY BACK!”