4/26 Pittsburgh, PA CONSUL Energy Center

[SadAngel86]

Just to get this thread rolling.....

Fleetwood Mac connects with fans through ‘Dreams’ and more

http://triblive.com/aande/music/3888...#axzz2RR2d4Z5f

By Alan Sculley

Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2013, 9:00 p.m.
Updated 40 minutes ago

Fleetwood Mac fans won't have to worry about the band phoning things in on its 2013 tour.

The band became arguably the biggest act in rock in the late 1970s after guitarist-singer Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks joined three holdovers from earlier editions of Fleetwood Mac — drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie and keyboardist-singer Christine McVie (the bassist's former wife) in 1975 and released three straight blockbuster albums, “Fleetwood Mac” (1975), “Rumours” (1977) and “Tusk” (1979).

But in talking to Fleetwood, it's obvious that today's four core members (Christine McVie retired from the band in 1998) are very much invested in the band and not complacent about its live show. In fact, the band spent six full weeks rehearsing for this year's tour, trying to be as ready as possible to be in peak form from opening night forward. They perform April 26 at Consol Energy Center, Uptown.

“We know the nuts and bolts are all in place (for the show) and we have confidence in that,” Mick Fleetwood says. “But we also have like a garage band-like mentality. ... And (that nervousness) doesn't really go away, which is a nice thing. We're not all jaded and so showbizzed-out that we're all super-slick and go ‘Ah, piece of cake.' We're not like that at all.”

Fleetwood says the tour will, of course, feature the band's signature hits.

“We know that we have sort of a body of songs that, in truth, if we didn't do them, we'd probably be all lined up and shot,” he says. “If we walked on the stage and didn't play ‘Dreams,' I think people would be shocked. So we don't go there. So what we do is we take the prime songs, ‘Go Your Own Way,' ‘Dreams,' songs like that, and then build a new show around the fact that we, of course, are going to be doing those songs.”

This will be Fleetwood Mac's first tour since its 2009 outing, dubbed the “Unleashed” tour. The band doesn't regroup that often, in part because Buckingham and Nicks both want time for their ongoing solo careers. Following the “Unleashed” tour, Buckingham released the studio album “Seeds We Sow,” while Nicks released her CD, “In Your Dreams.” Both artists toured extensively to support the albums.

The personal history and inter-band dynamics within Fleetwood Mac also create challenges — and, according to Fleetwood, are another indication of why the four band members are all in when they reunite.

“When we do do it, we work really hard at it and we're committed to it,” he says. “We fundamentally have to be happy to be doing this, because we're all ex-lovers and all the stuff that is well-worn news out there.”

As has been well-documented, Buckingham and Nicks were a couple (and were recording as Buckingham-Nicks) when they joined Fleetwood Mac. The McVies were married at that time. But the relationships soon frayed, and the “Rumours” album was written in the midst of those breakups.

Fleetwood and Nicks later became a couple for a time, while Buckingham married and started a family. Nicks is now the godmother of Fleetwood's children. But the personal history makes every Fleetwood Mac reunion a significant undertaking.

“(This is) a bunch of people who aren't just connected by the music, but connected by spending huge amounts of time (together),” Fleetwood says.

This year's reunion could turn out to be even more eventful than the one in 2009, because it could include a new Fleetwood Mac album.

A batch of new songs was recorded last year when Buckingham, Fleetwood and McVie got together for a writing and rehearsal session. Nicks has since added her vocals to several of the songs, a few of which, Fleetwood said, are being released on iTunes to coincide with the tour.

“I truly hope by the end of the year or the beginning of next year that these tracks that are coming out now will fold over into a completed piece of work, which will be a new Fleetwood Mac album, which would be fantastic,” Fleetwood said.

Alan Sculley is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.

Read more: http://triblive.com/aande/music/3888...#ixzz2RRH3kDS0
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

[Macfanforever]

Who ever is going tonight.Have fun and be safe and enjoy the show.

[kak125]

thanks i cannot wait! post concert depression will be setting in hard tomorrow -blah!

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by kak125

thanks i cannot wait! post concert depression will be setting in hard tomorrow -blah!

Yes I understand about post concert depression.

I got two more show in June.

[The Catdancer]

Have fun tonight!!!

[SpyNote]

"Silver Springs" out again.

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

"Silver Springs" out again.

I heard it was back in?

[KenshiMaster16]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

"Silver Springs" out again.

Bummer....maybe it's out for good??

[SpyNote]

SS isn't mentioned in the critic's review or set list. No one was tweeting about it either, so I figured it was out again. Maybe someone who went can confirm that later.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...rities-685186/

By Scott Mervis / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Fleetwood Mac obviously has some issues playing nice with each other in a studio, as its last release was a decade ago and there have been a combined four solo albums from its dynamic duo up front since then.
On stage, though, FM still has the golden touch.

The band, which started as a British blues outfit in 1967 but practically defined mid-'70s pop-rock, turned up at Consol Energy Center tonight three weeks into its first tour since 2009. Once again, it's a foursome with a few sidemen and backup singers, as Christine McVie, out of the picture since 1998, has chosen to steer clear, taking with her the earthy harmonies and such hits as "Over My Head," "Say You Love Me" and "You Make Loving Fun."

They were missed, as usual, but even without that, Fleetwood Mac has no shortage of beloved classics. The hit parade started energetically with a galloping beat from the ageless Mick Fleetwood launching Lindsey Buckingham into "Second Hand News" (a sly, self-deprecating statement?), joined on the chorus by his former flame Stevie Nicks, still striking at 64.

Mr. Buckingham isn't often mentioned with rock's guitar heroes, clearly an oversight if you've seen him live. Those heroics started in earnest on the second song, "The Chain," with its tense riffage and piercing solo going over top John McVie's rumbling bass.

Ms. Nicks remains a vocal enigma, as there's no one way to describe her instrument, other than expressive. It's still nasal and husky ranging somehow to clear and girlish, as we heard on "Dreams" and a powerful "Rhiannon." As you'd expect, she runs around the occasional high note.

There's no new album to freshen the set -- or perhaps get in the way of a casual Mac fan's good time -- but there is a promised EP on the way.

They teased it with "Sad Angel," a vintage-sounding Buckingham-Nicks collab that was more up-tempo than the title suggests.

The band's other creative twist on this tour is its four-song mini-set from "Tusk," the 1979 curveball that Mr. Buckingham described as "a line in the sand" creatively for the band. It included the cacophonous title track (with the USC marching band on the screen) and the lovely "Sara," during which Mr. Fleetwood sounded more like competition. They also added Mr. Buckingham's quasi-punk freakout "Not That Funny" and Ms. Nicks' bewitching "Sisters of the Moon," which sounded a little chaotic, too.

They also revived the long-lost Buckingham Nicks song "Without You," which could have stayed lost, and offered a few old deep cuts: rumbling rocker "Eyes of the World" and "I'm So Afraid," with a killer guitar jam that explored the high end of the neck to the furthest extreme.

The stripped-down mid-section, one of the best parts if the night, brought Mr. Buckingham's frantic acoustic workout on "Big Love," a dramatic, finger-picked "Never Going Back Again" and a beautiful "Landslide" with the emphatic and always warmly received line, "I'm getting older, too."

Even more well received was Ms. Nicks' shawl dance at the end of a "Gold Dust Woman" that toed the line in the sand between plodding and mesmerizing.

For the closers, they tapped the Nicks solo catalog for a hard-driving "Stand Back," with the singer spinning in circles, followed by one of rock's best fist-pumping breakup anthems, "Go Your Own Way," ecstatically played.

The encores started with a pummeling "World Turning" and "Don't Stop," the one Christine McVie song they can't skip, and ended with a gentle "Say Goodbye" ??? that's only goodbye for now.

"You'd think there'd be nothing left to invent," Mr. Buckingham said at one point, "but there apparently are some new chapters to be written for Fleetwood Mac."

With a 50th anniversary on the way -- at least for the band name and esteemed, cranked-up rhythm section -- they can't very well stop now.

Set list

"Second Hand News"
"The Chain"
"Dreams"
"Sad Angel"
"Rhiannon"
"Not That Funny"
"Tusk"
"Sisters of the Moon"
"Sara"
"Big Love"
"Landslide"
"Never Going Back Again"
"Without You"
"Gypsy"
"Eyes of the World"
"Gold Dust Woman"
"I'm So Afraid"
"Stand Back"
"Go Your Own Way"
Encore:
"World Turning"
"Don't Stop"


Scott Mervis: smervis@post-gazette.com; 412-263-2576.
First Published April 26, 2013 10:59 pm

[Amlyn]

It was back according to my friend on facebook who was there!

[SpyNote]

Originally Posted by Amlyn

It was back according to my friend on facebook who was there!

Great to hear it's back!

[jmn3]

I can confirm as I was there...Silver Springs was definitely in the set tonight!

[jmn3]

Some random thoughts on the show...

-I love this band. The setlist has a lot of repeats from previous tours, the voices are those of people in their 60's, bla bla bla, I don't really care, when Mick started the intro to Second Hand News I was sucked in. These guys are absolutely great still. They all seem so genuinely thrilled to be on stage with each other this year.

-I hate a large part of their audience. I don't spend a ton on tickets and sit in the upper bowl...which was the absolute pits as far as having a disinterested, BORING, audience. These people wouldn't stand up at all. I am pretty sure I pissed off half the row behind me when I stood my 6'5" self up to give Lindsey some appreciation after a blistering solo on "I'm So Afraid." 3/4 of my section was gone after GYOW. Seriously, stay home.

What I remember song-by-song:

Second Hand News - I love this is an opener and I love the little burn intro to it. I hated how they just went into Monday Morning cold in 2009 without the intro it had in the old days. I think this works so much better than opening with The Chain.

The Chain - the crowd gives John so much love during his solo...it also seemed longer than in 2009, like John got another measure or something (I'm sure it is exactly the same and I am just insane/imagining things).

Dreams - So predictable and redundant, but seeing it live is something else.

Sad Angel - I like the new stuff, it's catchy and I noticed a lot of people enjoying it.

Rhiannon - the crowd goes wild when Lindsey plays the opening riffs. This one is like Dreams, when I SEE it in the setlist I grumble about it but when I'm there live, I thoroughly enjoy it and think how pissed I would be if it was left out!

Not That Funny - and let the boring crowd take over. Seemed half the place took off for the beer line/bathrooms when Lindsey jumped into this one. I even got a comment/text from someone there bitching about it. This one is loud, fast, and raucous. I told my friend to get over it! She would have really hated the 10-15 minute versions in 82 and 97!

Tusk/Sisters - I had my setlist off in my head and when they went into Tusk I thought, oh great, now she dropped SOTM. Thankfully I was wrong, and we got this wonderfully resurrected song after 30+ years. I was really (pleasantly) surprised at the amount of people I saw who knew the words to Sisters.

Sara - Okay, I like the song, but it is a total dud in the set. Tusk and Sisters create a lot of momentum and then *THUD* Sara just plods along and IMO drains a lot of energy out of the show.

Big Love - this one is so old hat by now, but I am still amazed at what that guy can do with one guitar and a mic.

Landslide/NGBA/Without You - this section seemed to be incredibly long and honestly, was a bit boring. NGBA craaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwllls along at a snails pace and whatever life Big Love and Landslide give back to the set after Sara, this one absolutely kills. Follow that up with an obscure/unknown tune, and you are treading into serious yawn territory (especially with the dull and borings in my section).

Gypsy/Eyes of the World - hm...okay, these work well in the set, but I feel like they are oddly placed and it's like someone had a setlist on paper and thought, "we need something from Mirage" and just inserted them anywhere.

Gold Dust Woman - this is good, but I reluctantly have to concur with the reviewer in the Post-Gazette...Stevie's dance at the end could be described as plodding.

I'm So Afraid - Lindsey, wow...I'm just in awe watching this guy play the guitar tonight. His solo was incredible and low and behold, the clowns in front of me couldn't even CLAP let alone give him the standing ovation he deserved.

Stand Back - you know what, this song is great, I like it in the set, and I'm not afraid to say it!! I know it's not a "Mac" song (despite being in every tour since 1987 other than 1994), but it's fun, energetic, and the band clearly enjoys it.

GYOW - Wow, we're at the end already! Great as always...I find myself wanting that solo to go on longer and before I know it, Lindsey is up on the risors banging Mick's cymbals and bringing the show to an "end."

World Turning - Mick cracks me up, he's such a goof, and I have no idea what he's saying 80% of the time, but it's great to see him having so much fun.

Don't Stop - I like the song, I like it's place in the set, but I really can't stand Stevie's lyrical adjustments!!!

Silver Springs - I was afraid we'd see this gone again, but it was back. The crowd had thinned by this time but those who stayed were treated to a wonderful performance.

Say Goodbye - This is a nice closing tune...and it's great to see every album since 1975 represented at least once in the set.

Overall, what a wonderful night and great show by a great band. If I were them, I would make some minor set movements though to help craft a smoother show:
SHN/The Chain/Dreams/Sad Angel/Rhiannon/EOTW/NTF/Sara/Tusk/Sisters/NGBA/Landslide/Big Love/Without You/Gypsy/GDW/So Afraid/Stand Back/GYOW/WT/DS/SS/SG

[michelej1]

^Great review. You had me cracking up talking about the people in your section and your being 6'5".

Michele

[kak125]

the show tonight was so amazing! i got 3rd row seats last week so i was excited and nervous and afraid everybody would sit for the show. so as soon as the show started everybody started running towards the front and i heard security say go for it so i went right up to the front on stevie's left. 1 minute into the show the older couple next to me went to security and started flipping out about how they spent thousands on their front row seats and they expected to sit during the show. security basically told them there was nothing they could do so they stood the entire time and they were to the right of me and nobody else came up. i had an entire 10 foot area to myself to dance and hang around and my awesome hubby stayed in his seat. i had so much fun during the show but i was annoyed that even though the crowd was into it nobody knew the words to half the songs! halfway through the show the drunk girls behind me started dancing and getting all crazy but they were so trashed that it was beyond ridiculous. i cant remember which song it was but i went back to stand with my hubby for a bit and stevie was just standing there in the dark staring at the floor. it was so odd i never seen her do that before she just stood there and was kind of bent over in the dark just staring and at some point my hubby was like wtf is she doing?! i had no idea and just shrugged it off but he kept asking me the longer it went on. at some point she had to sing and went back to her mic but that sure was odd. i loved the stevie/lindsey interaction and enjoyed hearing people ask if they were married -ha! one thing i missed was the crazy lindsey from the unleashed tour. he was amazing but more reserved tonight. they put on one hell of a show though and everybody went nuts for them. i went to a bar afterwards and so many young guys kept talking about how hot stevie was. she definitely still has it thats for sure. one thing i wish she would do is just acknowledge the audience so many people would yell out to her when she was right in front of then but she just ignored everybody which i thought was odd. oh well it was an amazing show and i cant wait to see them again!