Lincoln cut short. Mick very sick

[Macfan4life]

Ok get ready to flame me I don't hold back

But some of the comments I heard on youtube and this thread are uneducated. I chose that word wisely without calling anyone stupid. But here are some facts:

The band is prepared to do set songs on a tour. They have rehearsed like crazy and don't venture from the setlist. Why cant they do Say Goodbye? They have not practiced that song in years. If they mess it up then they look foolish and stupid. Their reputation would also suffer. If you notice this tour they have the lyrics on monitors below on the stage. The prevents any mistakes. No band is going to venture into the unknown in front of 15000 fans and youtube.
Fleetwood Mac went well beyond what any band would normally do in such a situation. Some bands have just played and left the stage without any explanation. They explained exactly what was happening. They did an amazing thing with bringing the drum assistant to play on Go Your Own Way. He probably has played this many times testing the drums and sound checks, etc. Way to go! And then Chris has her final song that does not include drums.
I don't understand how anyone expects them to do shadow puppets, charades, solo acoustic songs to take up time as if pretending Mick is not sick. They would look so clumsy and unprofessional. If it was Stevie that was sick I expect the Mac to have done the same thing in respect to Stevie. They probably would have done Go Your Own Way to close the set and then songbird. To sum things up..... its like the old saying.... you get an inch and expect a mile. They gave 2 more songs that was quite amazing considering what was happening.

[teedeerocks]

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

It could of been worse.He could had the G.I. Sheets. "The runs".

Sorry to mention that.LOL................

LOL.He probably had that too but Stevie couldn't say "Mick is REALLY sick back there.He's throwing up and sh**ing his brains out".

[nicepace]

It's likely that Mick didn't feel too bad before the show, that he felt as if he could make it through the show, but the bug got worse during the show. I don't criticize the band for trying to perform the concert; they were just attempting to do their job.

This thread has discussed what they could have done to extend the show to the expected length. They could have continued with the entirely competent Steve on drums, or thrown in a couple of acoustic numbers that didn't need drums (or both).

But that would have required them to act spontaneously, and to diverge from their rigidly scripted show. Somehow this band is stuck on the idea that what they present to the audience has to be perfection (thus all the backing singers and the pre-recorded tracks that they use). Spontaneity and perfection, in the minds of the members of Fleetwood Mac, cannot co-exist. Thus, it was really impossible for them to act with the spontaneity that continuing the show would have required.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Ok get ready to flame me I don't hold back

But some of the comments I heard on youtube and this thread are uneducated. I chose that word wisely without calling anyone stupid. But here are some facts:

The band is prepared to do set songs on a tour. They have rehearsed like crazy and don't venture from the setlist. Why cant they do Say Goodbye? They have not practiced that song in years. If they mess it up then they look foolish and stupid. Their reputation would also suffer. If you notice this tour they have the lyrics on monitors below on the stage. The prevents any mistakes. No band is going to venture into the unknown in front of 15000 fans and youtube.
Fleetwood Mac went well beyond what any band would normally do in such a situation. Some bands have just played and left the stage without any explanation. They explained exactly what was happening. They did an amazing thing with bringing the drum assistant to play on Go Your Own Way. He probably has played this many times testing the drums and sound checks, etc. Way to go! And then Chris has her final song that does not include drums.
I don't understand how anyone expects them to do shadow puppets, charades, solo acoustic songs to take up time as if pretending Mick is not sick. They would look so clumsy and unprofessional. If it was Stevie that was sick I expect the Mac to have done the same thing in respect to Stevie. They probably would have done Go Your Own Way to close the set and then songbird. To sum things up..... its like the old saying.... you get an inch and expect a mile. They gave 2 more songs that was quite amazing considering what was happening.

Yep. People are uneducated. It's not like bands had to wing it before.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

If they mess it up then they look foolish and stupid. Their reputation would also suffer.

No it wouldn't. Many people are NOT stupid. They'd realize it was an unexpected turn of events and that the band was winging it and they'd judge accordingly. Everyone in the audience would know that they were not getting the "regular" show and their reputations would in no way suffer, because they improvised and the result was less than polished.

In fact, the audience would likely rally around them and feel that they were part of the impromptu jamming and feel special to have witnesses such a unique event. The blunders would make it all more endearing.

Of course, I'm not surprised that the band didn't go that route. I don't fault them for not doing so, but they would have had nothing to lose if they'd tried.

Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Gotta wonder what was going on with poor Mick when they started "Go Your Own Way" and he could hear the drums. . . .

"mmmmMMMUUGGGHHH what are they DOING out there!? Who the hell is THAT?"

Well, you could see that Marty was heavily involved. He probably talked to sick Mick before he talked to the others. Steve too. Steve not only plays but he gives Mick water and towels and he probably was the first to know when Mick couldn't go on. We saw the 4 on stage, but Mick, Marty and Steve may have consulted backstage too, allowing Mick to be as involved in the decision as anyone.

Michele

[elle]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Ok get ready to flame me I don't hold back

But some of the comments I heard on youtube and this thread are uneducated. I chose that word wisely without calling anyone stupid. But here are some facts:

The band is prepared to do set songs on a tour. They have rehearsed like crazy and don't venture from the setlist. Why cant they do Say Goodbye? They have not practiced that song in years. If they mess it up then they look foolish and stupid. Their reputation would also suffer. If you notice this tour they have the lyrics on monitors below on the stage. The prevents any mistakes. No band is going to venture into the unknown in front of 15000 fans and youtube.
Fleetwood Mac went well beyond what any band would normally do in such a situation. Some bands have just played and left the stage without any explanation. They explained exactly what was happening. They did an amazing thing with bringing the drum assistant to play on Go Your Own Way. He probably has played this many times testing the drums and sound checks, etc. Way to go! And then Chris has her final song that does not include drums.
I don't understand how anyone expects them to do shadow puppets, charades, solo acoustic songs to take up time as if pretending Mick is not sick. They would look so clumsy and unprofessional. If it was Stevie that was sick I expect the Mac to have done the same thing in respect to Stevie. They probably would have done Go Your Own Way to close the set and then songbird. To sum things up..... its like the old saying.... you get an inch and expect a mile. They gave 2 more songs that was quite amazing considering what was happening.

didn't some guy Jimmy who works for Stevie solo just have a rant on fb against fans/audience coming out of Lincoln show (someone reported it here http://dickdash.tumblr.com/)? hi Jimmy!

yes, the band can do no wrong and fans have no right to say anything or suggest things can be done better. we should all just bow down in front of their greatness.

[elle]

Originally Posted by nicepace

But that would have required them to act spontaneously, and to diverge from their rigidly scripted show. Somehow this band is stuck on the idea that what they present to the audience has to be perfection(thus all the backing singers and the pre-recorded tracks that they use). Spontaneity and perfection, in the minds of the members of Fleetwood Mac, cannot co-exist. Thus, it was really impossible for them to act with the spontaneity that continuing the show would have required.

i've asked Richard on his blog about that once, in the context of their rigidly scripted show and always sticking to the same setlists (it's been getting worse as they are getting older, too). he said something about mixture of wanting perfection and laziness to rehearse extra songs, if i recall correctly.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

If it was Stevie that was sick I expect the Mac to have done the same thing in respect to Stevie. They probably would have done Go Your Own Way to close the set and then songbird.

why? that makes no sense.

the only 3 Stevie's songs left at that point were Gypsy, GDW and Silver Springs. why not just skip those and do all other songs they had left? while Stevie provides visuals, musically she's not nearly as essential on non-SN songs as the drummer is. she provides harmonies on other members' songs, but so does Christine and they managed fine without her for 3 tours; plus Brett's been doing harmonies on Lindsey's songs during his solo shows, he could easily jump in if needed.

[AncientQueen]

Had they just played on without Mick, that would have been a big no-go for me. The five Fireflies are in it together for once and it would be respectless to just go on with a substitute musician. They did the right thing, imho. Sh!t happens and a sudden illness is none of their fault.

[BigBigLove]

Originally Posted by welcomechris

They could have done Say Goodbye. Or an Acoustic Version of Go Insane

For what it's worth, "Say Goodbye" is in an open Gb (and in 2013 down to open F) tuning that LB doesn't carry on any of his current tour guitars. The guitars are setup and optimized for the specific tuning that they're holding (given that many of LB's tunings are custom and have varying degrees of string tension that need to be accounted for).

I wouldn't want someone to retune one of my touring guitars on the fly, only for it to come out of tune mid performance. FM is simply not the kind of band that is ok with "winging it," and that perfectionistic vision is what allows the band to sound so incredible even into their late 60s and early 70s.

[AncientQueen]

Originally Posted by elle

while Stevie provides visuals, musically she's not nearly as essential on non-SN songs as the drummer is.

I really had to laugh about this. I find that a pretty ignorant statement. I don't think that anyone would want to see the band without her in it. Even if she only plays around with a tambourine and sings background voice, she is still a main attraction on stage. And it would be respectless toward her and the fans to just play on as if nothing important is missing.

[HelloMonster]

Originally Posted by AncientQueen

I really had to laugh about this. I find that a pretty ignorant statement. I don't think that anyone would want to see the band without her in it. Even if she only plays around with a tambourine and sings background voice, she is still a main attraction on stage. And it would be respectless toward her and the fans to just play on as if nothing important is missing.

That is not true. Speak for yourself.

[Danielle]

Originally Posted by HelloMonster

That is not true. Speak for yourself.

Based on social media only, it's true to most casual listeners/concert goers.

[redtulip]

Originally Posted by Danielle

Based on social media only, it's true to most casual listeners/concert goers.

But still not everyone. I'd love to see it myself, might finally get some of the songs I'd really love to hear live.