Thrown Down...live

[Sorcerer386]

Originally Posted by jmn3

I think any song can work live, including Thrown Down, RTTG, and my personal favorite of Stevie's from Say You Will, Everybody Finds Out. Fleetwood Mac has a long standing habit of this "some songs don't work well in a live setting" nonsense that is really too bad. I really don't understand that logic when you have the supporting band that a band like Fleetwood Mac had with them on the last tour...they could make any song work with the right amount of rehearsing.

There are songs that no matter what you do, they will never sound as good live as they do on the album. I think much of it revolves around studio excesses. Sometimes the music on stage, and often times the vocals, just can't match what was done on the album. Planets of the Universe is a great example (for those who like the song anyway). It's powerful on the cd, but on stage they couldn't recreate that sound. It's not just the case with Fleetwood Mac. I can remember a long, long time ago (I was just a little kid), I heard Genesis (or at least Phil Collins) doing Land of Confusion live, and compared to the studio version, it just sounded horrific. Some studio things just can't be recreated on stage, and I think Fleetwood Mac sense that. Running through the Garden was pretty good live, but it had no where near the same quality as on the cd.

Just to compare, it would be like trying to do an elaborate action scene from a movie on stage. It's a bit of an extreme comparison, albeit, but it gets the point across I hope.

[jmn3]

Sorcerer, I see what you are saying. Fleetwood Mac has a tendency to go to extremes in the studio. But there is no reason songs can't work in a live setting. They shouldn't have to sound exactly like the studio version either. Rearrange the song to work on the stage. Running Through the Garden isn't Planets of the Universe either - they should have been able to pull it off live.

Half the problem is that someone in the band (I'm guessing Stevie just based on her typical solo setlists and her reluctance to pull out much different material on FM tours - I like Stevie and am NOT trying to start an anti-Stevie argument here, so please nobody take what I am saying the wrong way), is hesitant to play out of their comfort zone. They only played RTTG one time. Bands have to get into a groove with any song, especially a new one.

I love the Mac...just wish sometimes they were a bit more adventurous.