Now that the first leg is over- Tour Comparisons

Hawkeye · #1 03-29-2009, 09:29 PM

Now that many of us have seen shows and others have been watching YouTube, I think we can start comparing The Unleashed Tour to recent Mac and Solo tours. I mean the specific songs. I think it makes sense to compare from The Dance onward, what I consider the "modern mac era" but you can mention before that, especiall for songs that haven't been played in 20 plus years. Just put your favorite tour for the specific song, you can add some comments after, but its not necassary. My overly descriptive self will but you dont all have to.

Monday Morning- It wasn't until I started doing this thread that I realized how long its been since this was played. To put it into perspective it's been 27 years since we got SOTM but 29 since Monday Morning. So maybe we just need to wait until 2011 for SOTM. But about MM, I think I like these Unleased versions better then the ones from the rumours or tusk tours. There are no huge differences but Lindseys new more energetic delivery on just about everything makes the difference here.

Also Im going to compare Storms to Beautifuls Child. Same spot in the set, same concept (each were Stevie Tusk Ballads that we've all adored for years and always assumed neither would ever be played live)

The Chain- Unleased, there's really no difference between this and SYW and I would've said the dance except for the way they sound on the ending "Chain Keep Us Together" and Stevie's doing the little mini scream after the chourus

Dreams- Unleashed, doesn't matter all versions are rather boring, but the band sounds best on this tour with the stripped down sound

Gypsy- Say You Will, in 2003 the song has this warm sounding feel to it that it didn't have 97 or now.

Go Insane- Gift of Screws, Unleashed is basically just as awseome but i just can't get over that image of brett playing piano with one hand and guitar in the other for lindsey's solo tour.

Rhiannon- All modern Rhiannons are basically the same for me, I always really manage to love it while Im there and then watching them later they all pretty much range from eh to ok to decent to that was better then normal to good. I'm gonna give the edge to the most recent version I saw in rochester.

Tusk- Say You Will I miss all the antics and I don't like the new slower beginning

Second Hand News- Unleashed only because his energy just keeps getting better

Sara- Say You Will, I don't like this song live ever but its way better in Fleetwood Mac and I'm never one to care about clothes but I'll give SYW the edge for the red shawl.

Big Love- All The Same All the Same All the Same Big Love but in a good way

Landslide- Unleashed for the vocals and it just being Stevie no backup but Crystal Visions for the background and still better vocals then any previous version until Unleashed

Never Going Back Again- Unleashed

Storms vs Beautiful Child- STORMS. Not even close. I was equally excited to hear both. In fact before the Say You Will Tour if you'd asked me if i could only get one song played of the two I'd pick BC, and while BC was Great, it doesn't even touch how awseome Storms is.

Say You Love Me- The Dance All of them standing in a line like that and oh maybe the song being sung in a non comical way

Gold Dust Woman- UNLEASHED! Baby Baby Baby Baby You Can't give a **** about that ending. a couple months ago I said Soundstage was the best GDW but now its this one. Obviously it has to be about Stevie's voice first for the song to work but everything is just clicking this year. Mick's drumming so noticeable, Lindsey's harmony on the chorus and the Stevie/John moment that I didn't get to fully appreciate until seeing it from the angle on the MSG 3/19 video on Youtube.

Oh Well- The song has always sounded great to me, but this is the first tour that it doesn't seem like an obligation for Lindsey to be playing it, he's actually feeling it and enjoying it and thats what pushed Unleashed to being the best "LIndsey" Oh Well ever.

Im So Afraid- Unleashed The GOS was a great new arrangement for the song but the rythm section was blah, so as i said in my rochester review adding Mick and John to the solo arrangement was like the perfect ISA storm. And Stevie's harmony worked better in this new arrangement.

Stand Back- SAY YOU WILL but the unleashed tour is way better then the last three years of solo shows.

Go Your Own Way- Unleashed

Silver Springs- UNLEASHED, No competition. I can already see what I'm gonna read though. Its way better then the Say You Will tour and almost as good as the dance but nothing can touch the dance cause i just love that stevie turns and sings to lindsey and moves towrds him and screams to him that he'll never get away blah blah blah, It's better this tour!

EnchantedKiwi · #2 03-29-2009, 09:37 PM

I LOVE the new way they do tusk, its probably second best to The Dance version IMO.

jmn3 · #3 03-29-2009, 10:17 PM

I've been doing this in my head since I went to the first show and then from hearing boots..

Monday Morning - love it, shades of the 1980 performances, a little older but still awesome
The Chain - The Dance
Dreams - all the same
I Know I'm Not Wrong - Unleashed
Gypsy - Dance
Go Insane - I loved the Dance version of this one, as much as I like the full band version, I'd rather have solo GI and full band Big Love
Rhiannon - Say You Will
Second hand News - Unleashed
Tusk - Dance
Sara - Unleashed
Big Love - Dance
Landslide - Dance
Never Going Back Again - Unleashed - I love this stripped back down
Storms - this is great, though, I really really enjoyed Beautiful Child on SYW
Say You Love Me - Dance all the way, although they get points for putting this back in and doing justice to the song
Gold Dust Woman - Unleashed
Oh Well - this was the highlight of the show for me
I'm So Afraid - Dance, it seems too slow or something this year
Stand Back - I'm in the minority of people who could care less about the drum solo on teh SYW tour...I really like the Unleashed versions best, especially with the extended part at the end which I believe this is the first time it has been incorporated into a FM show
Go Your Own Way - Dance
World Turning - they both sound about the same to me, I miss Chris here...
Don't Stop - Dance, Chris is sorely missed and I do not like Stevie's made up lyrics
Silver Springs - Dance, but Unleashed is very close behind. The Dance DVD was perfection so it's hard to compete!

jedw · #4 03-30-2009, 05:43 AM

From what I have seen, stevie is contributing better vocals LIVE on the unleashed tour than on either her TISL album or Say you will.

'Im so afraid' is always my lindsey highlight, and its so cool that it keeps evolving even 30+ years on - being played in different key - slower temp etc. I like it. But i miss stevie singing harmony parts "So afraid". Somtimes I sit at home with the dance DVD and play along on electric guitar - BADLY

Storms and Sara are both new to the tour?? - 'sara' was a rarity on the 'say you will tour'??! (i'm not sure?) But anyway, great that they are included.
I didn't like the Sara i saw from soundstage (sorry if thats heresy)

Dreams / Gold dust / Rhiannon / Gypsy etc .. same as always but thats good. Except and heres the thing, in the 70's and 80's lindsey would let rip with a guitar solo on songs like Rhiannon - why has this gone!?!?

Stand back - odd to see Fm do this, (although they have been doing it since the tango tour I think?!) I like her false ending, and lindseys little guitar details - a mile away from waddy wachtels style.

The Chain - you can#t go wrong with the chain!

Silver springs - Can anyone think of a better finisher - I mean now that its not possible to use songbird anymore. (I can't)

I cant think of anything else right now- all I can say is when they come to my native UK (and they better) LOL ill feel MORE like paying the ticket prices after seeing what i've seen. I can't go back in time and see the other tours - so im happy to sit here and kid myself thats its gonna be the best ever LOL.

stevierocks87 · #5 03-30-2009, 05:08 PM

not sure why this thread didn't spark more discussion, its a great topic....

anyway, i really like your comparisons Hawkeye, just to add a few notes...

-Overall I am loving the stripped down arrangements, which I think are largely inspired by the Lindsey solo tours- i.e. Tusk, So Afraid.
-I am REALLY surprised by SYLM. I was totally turned off by the idea of them doing Christine songs, but this really works. Stevie sounds great!
-Gypsy just doesn't have the "spark" a song like that should have. I adore the Dance and SYW Boston versions. It TOTALLY should have been acoustic this tour. Oh, the opportunities they miss out on!
-Rhiannon-all the same. Please do something to change it up. She seems so bored singing it, and how could she not?
-GDW- like the shorter arrangement, but give us a bit more interesting vocal to go along with it.
-MM- So glad to be back! Great opener.
-The Chain- bleh. Dance version rocked it. I miss the Stevie screams after "never break the chain..."
-Silver Springs-"Unleashed" for sure, one of the few songs that fits the description.
-Sara- better vocals, better arrangement- but I want a red shawl! seems shallow, but really adds to the performance for some reason.

macpai · #6 03-30-2009, 05:21 PM

This is an interesting thread. I hadn't seen the Mac in person since '87, but I guess I can still compare and contrast over DVDs I've seen.

Monday Morning-Unleashed. The unexpected perfect opener. They really get you into it quickly.

The Chain-Dance

Dreams-all the same

I Know I'm Not Wrong-Unleashed (better than GoS)

Gypsy-argh, I love this song, I just don't think it's working out. But all the same in it's not working out-ness

Go Insane-Unleashed. I think I'm in the minority but I really like this tempo change, sort of midway between the original and the previously recent tours

Rhiannon-all the same

Second Hand News-Unleashed (that's a surprise for me, because it was one of the highlights of GoS tour to me)

Tusk-Dance (hard to touch that, but it's always fun)

Sara-SYW

Big Love-Unleashed (I was at his feet when he played it, kinda hard to top)

Landslide-Dance

Never Going Back Again-GoS

Storms-Storms!

Say You Love Me-Dance! Didn't like it the first time I heard on Unleashed, but did the second time, so it's grown on me.

Gold Dust Woman-Unleashed! It's been the Stevie highlight for me.

Oh Well-So glad it's in the set, they knock it out of the park!

I'm So Afraid-Unleashed. Lindsey is soooo on the top of his game.

Stand Back-Unleashed

Go Your Own Way-GoS Atlantic City!!!!!!!!

World Turning-Unleashed over GoS by quite a bit.

Don't Stop-Dance

Silver Springs-Dance (can't be touched, but they are making a real nice go of it on Unleashed.)

Lindsey Jr. · #7 04-03-2009, 09:14 AM

The songs on The Dance are immensly over-dubbed, so how can they count? If someone could pm me a list, so I can see it all...

David · #8 04-03-2009, 11:11 AM

Monday Morning - Huge differences from 1980 or 1978 and this year. My vote goes immediately to 1980.

The Chain - Same this year as 2003, but it's a completely different song from the distant past, when it was like a powder keg detonating (as Steve Pond put it).

Dreams - Always great when played by Fleetwood Mac, even if Nicks botches her vocals by eliminating dynamic variation & singing/straining full-voice.

Gypsy - Preferred it slightly in 1997 when McVie's keyboard lent the rhythm even more substance & pocket.

Go Insane - Prefer this full-band to past solo guitar arrangement. The song is a beautiful series of chords that benefit from amassed forces.

Rhiannon - Better this year than in 2003 because there's a little more looseness in the edges & we don't have to listen to that damned vocal intro at full-voice.

Tusk - I'm not sure. I don't think I've heard it yet from 2009.

Second Hand News - Unsingable, & the 2009 tempo destroys the effect.

Sara - Not sure.

Big Love - Gets worse every year because Lindsey's voice gets worse every year (& because the arrangement is already a warhorse).

Landslide - I saw one video from this tour -- forgot where -- but it was splendid. She took some chances once again & made some on-the-spot alterations that sounded like a reinvigorated Stevie.

Storms vs Beautiful Child - Stevie's only style these days, that of full-voice strain, better served "Beautiful Child" in 2003. On "Storms," it's jangling to the fastidious ear. The "Storms" arrangement is rather oddly quite loose, as if the song hadn't been rehearsed to the point of nailing something down, which is sort of endearing coming from the 20-man Fleetwood Mac of today. It's almost like listening to an off-the-cuff jam with drum, bass, Rhodes, & guitar.

Say You Love Me - Great, solid, tight, musical arrangement this year, but I still give the bigger thumbs-up to the 1997 arrangement, piano-free, picked-up tempo, & prominent banjo.

Gold Dust Woman - I don't know, other than it's time to retire this tiresome thing.

Oh Well - I don't know. Nice to hear.

Stand Back - Long since time to retire.

Go Your Own Way - Great group singing on the chorus this year. Great visual presentation.

Silver Springs - Vocals ruin a wonderful song in 2003 & again this year.

PenguinHead · #9 04-03-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnchantedKiwi

I LOVE the new way they do tusk, its probably second best to The Dance version IMO.

I like the new arrangement too. At least it distinguishes itself from prior versions.

stevierocks87 · #10 04-03-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Storms vs Beautiful Child - Stevie's only style these days, that of full-voice strain, better served "Beautiful Child" in 2003. On "Storms," it's jangling to the fastidious ear. The "Storms" arrangement is rather oddly quite loose, as if the song hadn't been rehearsed to the point of nailing something down, which is sort of endearing coming from the 20-man Fleetwood Mac of today. It's almost like listening to an off-the-cuff jam with drum, bass, Rhodes, & guitar.

Say You Love Me - Great, solid, tight, musical arrangement this year, but I still give the bigger thumbs-up to the 1997 arrangement, piano-free, picked-up tempo, & prominent banjo.

Gold Dust Woman - I don't know, other than it's time to retire this tiresome thing.

Oh Well - I don't know. Nice to hear.

Stand Back - Long since time to retire.

Go Your Own Way - Great group singing on the chorus this year. Great visual presentation.

Silver Springs - Vocals ruin a wonderful song in 2003 & again this year.

Really? SS is one of the few songs I think Stevie sounds great on this year, way better than 2003 (The LIB vocal is kinda embarrassing

). Overall, however, I agree, about GDW and SB needing to be retired, even though I think she is doing a great job on these two songs this year.

Villavic · #11 04-03-2009, 05:19 PM

I didn't realize there were 2 legs (I mean the tour)

but yes, makes sense with an almost-3weeks break .

Meanwhile, I was at Las Vegas this week and took this picture at MGM Grand, though actually I'll be at the Dallas show

The band has been kind of lazy about stuff around the tour, I mean there is no even a new photo of them this year, they reuse the SYW shot.

Villavic
still waiting for the mailing list of the official website

michelej1 · #12 04-03-2009, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villavic

Villavic
still waiting for the mailing list of the official website

That's great. I'm surprised they have the poster up this far ahead of time.

You should have knelt down a little for the picture, so that your head would be on line with theirs. You'd be part of the FM Mount Rushmore

.

Michele

EnchantedKiwi · #13 04-03-2009, 07:58 PM

Monday Morning-Unleashed Love The new version, great opener!

The Chain-The Dance You can't beat Stevie, Chris and Lindsey's Harmony on this one!

Dreams-The Dance

I Know I'm Not Wrong-Unleashed

Gypsy-The Dance I think i like this version better than the album, i don't know why but i love it so much!

Go Insane-Unleashed I Didnt think i'd like the full band as much, but it sounds awesome! Though it would have been cool with some Stevie vocals like on the Rock and Roll hall peformance of Big Love.

Rhiannon-The Dance BRING BACK THE PIANO INTRO!

Second Hand News-SYW It was one of my favourite tracks of LIB

Tusk-Unleashed!! God I love the new way they do this track its serously cool

Sara-Unleashed Take it or leave it. I would of liked to see it done on The Dance with Christine

Big Love-The Dance it needs Stevie harmonizing!

Landslide-Unleashed i prefer the way shes mixed it up, and i love the peformance in Nassau were Stevie and Linsey muddled it up

Never Going Back Again-SYW I prefer the full band version

Storms-Unleashed LOVE IT!

Say You Love Me-The Dance, I would have prefered YMLF Tho!

Gold Dust Woman-Unleashed, i really hated the Syw version

Oh Well-Unleashed

I'm So Afraid-The Dance

Stand Back-SYW Though i could have been without the 2 minute intro.

Go Your Own Way-Unleashed Micks a mad man on this one!

Don't Stop-The Dance

Christine! im sick of stevies dodgy lyrics

Silver Springs Unleashed & The Dance I think all thats missing is now is chris.

Villavic · #14 04-05-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelej1

You should have knelt down a little for the picture, so that your head would be on line with theirs. You'd be part of the FM Mount Rushmore

.

Good idea, and I would take one of those famous Lindsey's faces,

TeenageMac · #15 04-05-2009, 10:59 PM

I am going to compare The Dance and Unleashed, not including SYW. I think that of the three, The Dance and Unleashed have been the best tours overall (my opinion anyways), so I think it is a good idea to compare the best!

Monday Morning - Unleashed. I love this song as the opener. It really gets the crowd going and it works well in that spot.

The Chain - The Dance. Unleashed is very good, but you cannot beat Stevie, Christine, and Lindsey's harmonies... "Chaaain... Keep us together..."

Dreams - The Dance. This song has become a bit of a snoozer for me, especially on Unleashed. The Dance was probably the last time that I really enjoyed this tune.

I Know I'm Not Wrong - Unleashed. I really like this song, and I think it is one of the hidden gems from Tusk. Seems to translate well live too.

Gypsy - The Dance. Like Dreams, this one is getting a bit old for me too. I don't think it translates very well live in general.

Go Insane - Unleashed! No doubt about it. This was really one of the highlights for me on this tour. I love the new arrangement with the sharp, tight acoustic guitars.

Rhiannon - The Dance. I prefer the piano intro over what they are doing on Unleashed, which is the the original album version intro. I like how the piano intro builds into the song. I think The Dance version was basically perfect as well - Tough to compete with it.

Second Hand News - Unleashed. I don't think it was played much (or at all) on The Dance. I enjoy this song a lot. Stevie and Lindsey seem to have a good time doing it. I'm glad it is on the setlist.

Tusk - Unleashed. This is tough one. I loved it with the USC Marching Band and Christine coming out from behind the keyboards, but I also love the new slower intro arrangement. One of my favorite FM tracks too.

Sara - Unleashed. I enjoy this song live. It was very good on Unleashed.

Big Love - The Dance. This song (when Lindsey does it solo) is getting weaker and weaker each and every tour. I am starting to get sick of it and I'd love to see the album full band version - That would be awesome!

Landslide - Unleashed. This song pretty much stays the same tour to tour, and I always enjoy it.

Never Going Back Again - Unleashed. At first I was uneasy about the Unleashed version, with the slower pace during vocal parts, but it has grown on me after seeing the various bootlegs.

Storms - Unleashed. Love having this song on the setlist!

Say You Love Me - Unleashed. This will probably surprise people. I thought Stevie did a good job and even though Lindsey practically butchered his part, they did great on the chorus. Unlike most, I don't really like The Dance version. Just didn't work for me. I too would have liked to see You Make Loving Fun or maybe Hold Me.

Gold Dust Woman - Unleashed. One of the highlights of the tour for me. Great song and it seems to get better and better each tour. Love the wail.

Oh Well - Unleashed. Mick, John, and especially Lindsey go all out for this one and it totally rocks - Love it!

I'm So Afraid - The Dance. I'll go with The Dance - Hard to really say either way, as it sounds the same every time, no?

Stand Back - Unleashed. It may not seem like it is an important part, but I love the "And...1...2...3...4." Plus, her vocals are great on this one and it makes the performance even better when she really gets into it.

Go Your Own Way - The Dance. I loved Go Your Own Way from The Dance. For me, it is hard to compare. Unleashed is still great though.

Don't Stop - The Dance. No doubt. This one is kind of getting old for me, and without Christine and Stevie's new lyrics, there is no way this one goes to Unleashed!

Silver Springs - The Dance. Again, like Rhiannon, it is hard for Unleashed to compete. One of the best live performances from FM I've ever seen. But Unleashed is still very solid and I must admit I do like it as the closer.