Soon the Europe tour starts and...

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

Was the tour as scripted in 2004? The same comments every night? I know the set list was probably pretty much the same but I'm curious as to whether or not the band was quite this redundant in all other ways.

Their tours have pretty much always been scripted. I know the Mirage Tour was. And most of Stevie's tours were.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

Interesting...



Those who saw Mac on SYW:

Was the tour as scripted in 2004? The same comments every night? I know the set list was probably pretty much the same but I'm curious as to whether or not the band was quite this redundant in all other ways.

Maybe they are just letting the "greatest hits" tour mentality get to them. Ugh.

Yes, SYW was scripted. The Dance was scripted. I didn't get to see more than 2 Tusk and Mirages, so I don't know how set the patterns were in those shows, as I don't have a lot of comparisons to make.

One cute thing though is that with Angel, between the 2 shows I saw and the rehearsal and documentary footage we have, I think Lindsey did try to do something different to Stevie every night, in picking which area of her body he would touch. So, there was a little variety there . . .

Sometimes what they say evolves and they add on to an introduction or something. Actually you begin to look forward to the equipment failures and mistakes, because that's when the spontaneity kicks in and they start having to react to each other naturally. It's very exciting and beautiful to watch. And we're funny, because we hang on every little thing. I think all of us were quoting the Dance dvd for years. Isn't that weird?

Michele

[Lori40]

Originally Posted by fleetwoodtrick

Scripted or not, just seeing Fleetwood Mac was amazing enough. It might be hard, but I think we need to just get over the fact that a lot of the things have been the same on this tour. FM can do whatever they want. They're their own band. And I myself will love them no matter what. Not to offend anyone, but I sometimes think that some people on this board need to just get past talking about how 'redundant' FM has been on this tour. (You yourselves are begining to sound redundant!) Many people who attend their concerts aren't nearly as obsessed as we are and have no idea what to expect out of the Mac. Everyone I know in real life that I've talked to who went to the Milwaukee concert was blown away. Perhaps the only reason this tour seems scripted to us is that we watch too many Youtube videos and compare too many performances to each other? That's great and all, as I do it too, but sometimes it might just get taken too far.

Just saying.

I totally agree with you, fleetwoodtrick. I really think that most people who attend an FM concert only go to one concert on any given tour, and most likely don't check out their performances on youtube. They go expecting to hear the more popular FM songs and have no idea what the setlist will be nor what Stevie and Lindsey have to say about their songs. I was fortunate enough to be right in front of Lindsey for the Milwaukee concert and I don't know what more people expect from him. The guy pours everything he has into his performance, as does Mick. If some "obsessed" fans have memorized their show and are afraid of being bored, then stay home. As for me, I'm going to see them every chance I get.

[michelej1]

I will say that I feel sad when people who haven't gone assess the show via youtube. I don't care how good the clip is, what you see on youtube and what you hear there does not compare to what you get live. I mean, sometimes even something as basic as tempo sounds different in person than it did on youtube, not to mention visual perspective and context. I just don't think it's a good way to make a decision or comparison.

My friend went to see a Letterman taping last week and then when he watched at home he said it was funnier on tv than it was when he was in the studio. Well, for music I think it invariably works the other way around.

For me, once I know the script, then I start to evaluate even the slightest deviations and wonder why they're there. So, the sameness actually provides more meaning to every detour. I know with the Say You Will tour, the way Lindsey introduced Say Goodbye every night, when he switched up at the end and started talking to Stevie, teasing her about whether she liked his intro or not and then said, "it's been too many years, maybe it hasn't been enough," I just felt swept away and it was precisely because I knew what he'd been saying every night that I was struck so hard when he did not say it.

Michele

[FMlex]

Originally Posted by vivfox

Their tours have pretty much always been scripted. I know the Mirage Tour was. And most of Stevie's tours were.

Really? That kind of shocks me.
I figured back in the early '80s they were struggling remembering the lyrics to the songs, let alone a "script" for the audience.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by FMlex

Really? That kind of shocks me.
I figured back in the early '80s they were struggling remembering the lyrics to the songs, let alone a "script" for the audience.

I don't think they really remember a script. They just happen to say the same things every night in the same way. I don't think they are relying on memory so much as the comfort arising from habit. Michele

[DavidMn]

I'm VERY excited because I'm going to the 2 London shows the 30th and 31st of October at Wembley arena. I leave Minneapolis on the 28th and return November 1. This will be the first time I've traveled overseas to see them. This is a really big deal to me! Plus I got a great rate at an Ibis hotel like 5 min walk from Wembley arena for 135 British pounds for 3 nights!

[SorcererJP]

Originally Posted by vivfox

Their tours have pretty much always been scripted. I know the Mirage Tour was. And most of Stevie's tours were.

Come on people, every tour is scripted. It's the artist's job to perform every day. Speeches, songs, moves, dances etc. are just daily routine an 'part of the show'. You just cannot addept every night to new audiences, atmospheres etc. You just run on auto-pilot an do your thing...does that not happen to you every now and then in your daily job?

I once saw 5 shows of Belgian girlfolkies Lais on 5 days in a row and they were very very similair, but still fun!

So scripted or not, I'm going to see two great (similar) shows in a row.

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I'm VERY excited because I'm going to the 2 London shows the 30th and 31st of October at Wembley arena. I leave Minneapolis on the 28th and return November 1. This will be the first time I've traveled overseas to see them. This is a really big deal to me! Plus I got a great rate at an Ibis hotel like 5 min walk from Wembley arena for 135 British pounds for 3 nights!

You'll have a great time...and that's a really good deal on the hotel!

[kathy1]

have fun everyone and can't wait to see the reviews and the pictures from the shows.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I will say that I feel sad when people who haven't gone assess the show via youtube.

Amen to that!

To all the doomsday gloomers who say that FM is dead, well... that is your opinion. Sure, they are not prone to histrionics and big time drama anymore, but then again, they aren't snorting lines of blow and drinking bottles of cognac either. Ever heard of the term "liquid courage?" I suspect that if FM never touched booze or drugs in the 70's, they would have developed a reputation for rote, solid, sturdy performances that are still powerful, but not quite transcendent. What we have today are a bunch of perfectionists who are no longer able to hide behind the veil of chemicals in order to take bold risks on stage. Sure, I would love to see more variety and spontaneity in their sets, but look at it from their (platform) shoes- if I was a sixty-something veteran musician, would I want to put on a musically sloppy/under-rehearsed yet spontaneous performance, or would I want to showcase my musicianship and gravitas? It's a no-brainer as far as I am concerned.

Yes, there are artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan who are as sloppy, spontaneous and as raw as ever. But that's their schtick- sloppy and spontaneous. Fleetwood Mac just doesn't do sloppy. If Bob Dylan hits a bum note- that's just Bob being Bob. If Neil Young's guitar is out of tune- that just adds oomph to his "ragged glory." But if Stevie hits a bum note or Lindsey flubs a chord, then everyone will start to question whether they have lost "it," or if they are too old to rock n roll. The day Stevie, Lindsey and FM start doing sloppy is the day Stevie walks out in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail.

[Black_Moon]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Amen to that!

To all the doomsday gloomers who say that FM is dead, well... that is your opinion. Sure, they are not prone to histrionics and big time drama anymore, but then again, they aren't snorting lines of blow and drinking bottles of cognac either. Ever heard of the term "liquid courage?" I suspect that if FM never touched booze or drugs in the 70's, they would have developed a reputation for rote, solid, sturdy performances that are still powerful, but not quite transcendent. What we have today are a bunch of perfectionists who are no longer able to hide behind the veil of chemicals in order to take bold risks on stage. Sure, I would love to see more variety and spontaneity in their sets, but look at it from their (platform) shoes- if I was a sixty-something veteran musician, would I want to put on a musically sloppy/under-rehearsed yet spontaneous performance, or would I want to showcase my musicianship and gravitas? It's a no-brainer as far as I am concerned.

Yes, there are artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan who are as sloppy, spontaneous and as raw as ever. But that's their schtick- sloppy and spontaneous. Fleetwood Mac just doesn't do sloppy. If Bob Dylan hits a bum note- that's just Bob being Bob. If Neil Young's guitar is out of tune- that just adds oomph to his "ragged glory." But if Stevie hits a bum note or Lindsey flubs a chord, then everyone will start to question whether they have lost "it," or if they are too old to rock n roll. The day Stevie, Lindsey and FM start doing sloppy is the day Stevie walks out in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail.

Best post I've seen on here in ages. I agree with every last word.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Fleetwood Mac just doesn't do sloppy. If Bob Dylan hits a bum note- that's just Bob being Bob. If Neil Young's guitar is out of tune- that just adds oomph to his "ragged glory." But if Stevie hits a bum note or Lindsey flubs a chord, then everyone will start to question whether they have lost "it," or if they are too old to rock n roll. The day Stevie, Lindsey and FM start doing sloppy is the day Stevie walks out in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail.

That reminds me of the interview someone just posted where Stevie said that they thought about leaving their huge set at home because it costs so much to fly it to Europe and they looked at each other and said "no way." If the elaborate set stayed behind, then they would too. That's how they roll.

Michele

[wheart]

Originally Posted by fleetwoodtrick

Scripted or not, just seeing Fleetwood Mac was amazing enough. It might be hard, but I think we need to just get over the fact that a lot of the things have been the same on this tour. FM can do whatever they want. They're their own band. And I myself will love them no matter what. Not to offend anyone, but I sometimes think that some people on this board need to just get past talking about how 'redundant' FM has been on this tour. (You yourselves are begining to sound redundant!) Many people who attend their concerts aren't nearly as obsessed as we are and have no idea what to expect out of the Mac. Everyone I know in real life that I've talked to who went to the Milwaukee concert was blown away. Perhaps the only reason this tour seems scripted to us is that we watch too many Youtube videos and compare too many performances to each other? That's great and all, as I do it too, but sometimes it might just get taken too far.

Just saying.

Good point!! I have many SYW shows on DVD and they're almost identical, one exception being the Vegas show which was the last date in North America which Stevie and Lindsey veered quite far from the "script". I guess SYW for me just seemed fresher because they were doing new material but, as people have already commented, all their tours have been scripted, even during the "cocaine and brandy" days.

Great insight from everyone! Sometimes it takes a few fellow ledgies to change perspective on things!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by wheart

Good point!! I have many SYW shows on DVD and they're almost identical, one exception being the Vegas show which was the last date in North America which Stevie and Lindsey veered quite far from the "script". I guess SYW for me just seemed fresher because they were doing new material but, as people have already commented, all their tours have been scripted, even during the "cocaine and brandy" days.

Great insight from everyone! Sometimes it takes a few fellow ledgies to change perspective on things!

What happened at the Vegas show?

And where do people get these DVDs?