Last Night In London, 9/27

[michelej1]

[applebucked]

Thanks for all the great reports and photos! Wish Christine joined for the final bow and that this isn't the last we see of her.

[michelej1]

[michelej1]

[michelej1]

[applebucked]

Love those closeups you have of Stevie, Michele.

[SadAngel86]

Originally Posted by michelej1

AWESOME shot Michelle!

And as others have said, you did a GREAT job with Christine photos!

[SteveMacD]

Hey, hey, move along b*tch...That's MY man...

[michelej1]

Well, I don't know if the Macsters had been fighting about the same things we Ledgies have been fighting over the last 2 days, but things seemed to start off a little chilly onstage.

I wouldn't say Stevie and Lindsey avoided eye contact. But when one looked in the other's direction, the other was looking away. So, I didn't see them lock gazes until Sad Angel, when they turned to sing to one another.

I think there was a sound problem. I didn't notice it, but when it was time for John's Chain solo, he made a slashing sound across his instrument as if to say there was zero sound. There was a pause and then he started playing the solo and it sounded ok to me, but after the song was over he started pacing and I saw him mouth the word "F***."

Stevie's intro to Dreams was rather sedate and simple. She said the tour had been a great experience and got to the party starting in short order.

Around this time, the speaker next to me started blasting music. I hadn't missed it when it wasn't there, but when it began it was pounding. I don't know if this means the sound problems on stage were over, but I didn't see John gesture to the techs any more.

During Lindsey's Sad Angel speech John and Stevie usually talk or smile, but tonight they faced each other, but both studiously stared only into the space in front of them, Stevie sipping her tea. No interaction, but by the time we swung into GDW later in the night they were bowing to each other and tipping their hats and smiling again. During World Turning I saw their eyes gleaming at each other and I imagined it was because they were anticipating Christine's momentary appearance.

Wow, Rhiannon! Stevie really changed some of the words around on this song, catching me by surprise as I tried to keep up singing along. She was throwing in extra or repeat phrases and ended with still cries, still cries out for her, don't leave me.


At the end of Sisters of the Moon, I see Stevie's lips turn in a smile and I know she's about to say the year. Oh yes. This is a battle of wills between her and us. She says that the experts tell her that they haven't done that song since 1980.

During Sara, when Stevie sings "undoing the laces" she's smiling and almost seems to be listening to the audience sing like she does during Landslide. She seems to get pleasure out of hearing the arena say "aaaaah" in between the "Saras". When she crosses to Lindsey's mic, he lets his nose briefly touch the velvet of her shoulder.

She turns and embraces him and her face is first sad, but then there's a smile, maybe a mournful one. They rock together. She taps his leather jacket rhythmically with one finger, before pulling back and floating away.

For the Big Love intro Lindsey says he's certainly told this story before. Oh really?? Is he keeping track of every story that he repeats now? That's a Herculean task.

For Landslide Stevie says she wants to dedicate the song to Christine, on their third night in London. Christine has played so many different roles to her, mentor, best friend, big sister. She inspired Stevie and helped mold her. She doesn't think Chris knows how much Christine helped her to be what she is here today. She says that Christine is out there somewhere tonight [Well, she better be backstage preparing to come on soon, rather than just "out there somewhere"].

For the Without You story Stevie says she wrote this poem and didn't put it to music. She probably put it in her pocket and then on the bedroom nightstand. When she and Lindsey came to Los Angeles, they had 12 songs and this poem. They made it into a demo and their demos were really, really great she says. She insists that she's not being conceited, they just really were that good. She says how she told the story about Mick telling her that she and Lindsey sang in counterpoint to the music and created this pyramid and that's one of the things -- or maybe Mick even said THE thing that drew him to them.

She concedes that Mick always did have a good ear and good judgment. So, she told this story about what Mick said attracted to him and then three weeks in Lindsey said, that's not what attracted Mick. Mick was attracted to me. Mick was attracted to Lindsey and not some cleaning woman. The audience boos at Lindsey. Stevie clarifies that Lindsey didn't say the part about her being a cleaning woman. That's what she said to herself when she thought she was screwed. Anyway, this caused her to say "hmmm" and she corrected her story.

She tells Mick that he owes her for this. She says he owes her a lot of money. He should buy her a new coat. A Ralph Lauren coat.

She talks about finding the song on Youtube and she didn't know whether to be happy or not happy it was there. She makes an "ack" sound at the back of her throat when she describes Youtube.

She doesn't ask Lindsey to jump into the story, nor does he do so spontaneously. Instead, she just thanks Lindsey, Mick and "Johnny" and she also thanks Christine, because Christine could have said, no, not another girl in the band.

At the end of Gypsy she goes over to Mick's small drum kit and they are playful with one another, grinning, pointing, touching fingers.

Finally, we get to the end of the World Turning introductions. Both Wednesday and tonight a security guard comes and stands at the stage. He says he has to watch it closely for the encores. Clearly he is there for Christine's entrance and I'm glad she's being protected, but how come the guy just materializes for her. Wasn't he afraid of the other Macsters being kidnapped too? Of course, if you know them, I suppose you know that if kidnapped, their captors would bring them back in about a day, because they're that maddening!

Christine's out and it's over so fast. Tour program, 15 pounds. Concert ticket, 120 pounds. Hearing Christine sing the iconic tune she created with her bandmates one last time: priceless.

At the end when Stevie comes out for her Dreamcatcher speech. She describes what a dream catcher is, how it looks, how it catches dreams, at least it does for her. Then, she realized that the FANS were the dream catchers; she says that we've been giving the dreams back for 35 years and it doesn't matter if there are 5 members of the band, four members, three members, two members or just her, we always give back. [Well, hold on a minute. There have never been three members of the band yet. Is someone leaving? Do I get to vote who goes?].

Mick closes the show. What an odyssey and I can't believe it's over. Well, just for me. For you lucky ones in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the ride continues.

Michele

[applebucked]

Splendid review of the night, Michele. Must have been a very surreal, very memorable, certainly priceless ride of your life.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by SadAngel86

AWESOME shot Michelle!

And as others have said, you did a GREAT job with Christine photos!

Thank you. With the overhead stage lights, it's hard not to get a lot of blinding white in the photos. That makes it fun to get home, load them up and see what shots came out and which ones totally didn't.

Michele

[ejb1969]

Spot on, Michelle!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by ejb1969

Spot on, Michelle!

Have a safe, smooth flight and I can't wait to see your pictures.

Michele

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

She tells Mick that he owes her for this. She says he owes her a lot of money. He should buy her a new coat. A Ralph Lauren coat.

Hell, he gave her the trouser snake. Shouldn't they be even by now?

[Well, hold on a minute. There have never been three members of the band yet. Is someone leaving? Do I get to vote who goes?].

I'm sure there were a few songs before Jeremy came in that were done as a three piece. Okay, not exactly the same thing, but still...As for who to vote out, anybody but John. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, better mess with McVie!

[applebucked]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I'm sure there were a few songs before Jeremy came in that were done as a three piece. Okay, not exactly the same thing, but still...As for who to vote out, anybody but John. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, better mess with McVie!

It sure won't be Fleetwood Mac without the Mac.