Soundstage aired last night - any reviews?

[dontlookdown]

Hey - So our band got prime time airing last night in the LA market - 8pm.
Unfortunately, due to work obligations, I only caught a few minutes of it.

For those of you who did see it, what did you think?

From what I could tell, it was certainly not as "polished" as the Dance video, but it also seemed a little more wild in a Lindsey kind of way - which is how this whole tour has felt....

[The Tower]

"Rhiannon" was the worst version of it I've ever seen in my life. She was singing the "Take me like the wind..." line a full OCTAVE below the standard melody. At least during The Dance tour she touched on the A and then went down to a mid level note.

I was shocked. I can see why they haven't dropped this song, like they did with "Silver Springs"- she has a range of about six notes throughout the entire song. It's a complete embarrassment.

"Beautiful Child" and "Goodbye Baby" were pretty good- especially "Beautiful Child".

I think it's time for Stevie to reconsider all the material she can't do justice to anymore- either that, or maybe it's time to retire from the stage.

Yeah, I know... blaspheme and all that crap. But youth ain't forever, and being old is not the same as being young. Joni Mitchell was able to figure it out and never did disservice to her songs like "California". Stevie needs to get a clue.

[shackin'up]

From what I could tell, it was certainly not as "polished" as the Dance video, but it also seemed a little more wild in a Lindsey kind of way

Well, that's sounds like how it has to be, like heaven I mean. Hope Stevie sounds a bit more raw then expected by the big audience. She does on the SYW-clip. So maybe it's going to be OK in the end. Despite the cover.

[strandinthewind]

"Rhiannon" was the worst version of it I've ever seen in my life. She was singing the "Take me like the wind..." line a full OCTAVE below the standard melody. At least during The Dance tour she touched on the A and then went down to a mid level note.

I was shocked. I can see why they haven't dropped this song, like they did with "Silver Springs"- she has a range of about six notes throughout the entire song. It's a complete embarrassment.

"Beautiful Child" and "Goodbye Baby" were pretty good- especially "Beautiful Child".

I think it's time for Stevie to reconsider all the material she can't do justice to anymore- either that, or maybe it's time to retire from the stage.

Yeah, I know... blaspheme and all that crap. But youth ain't forever, and being old is not the same as being young. Joni Mitchell was able to figure it out and never did disservice to her songs like "California". Stevie needs to get a clue.


I know - as much as I like Rhiannon in general, I think she should do like Diana Ross does and do a ten minute medley of the old chestnuts and get on to the stuff better suited for her voice now. OR - unplug Dreams and Rhainnon and just do it with LB on guitar. I mean LB unplugs his stuff :shrug:

YOU NEED TO JAZZ IT UP PEOPLE!!!!!!!! :laugh:

[Villavic]

"Rhiannon" was the worst version of it I've ever seen in my life. She was singing the "Take me like the wind..." line a full OCTAVE below the standard melody. .


And that's what we will get in the DVD ??? :(

[shackin'up]

I think she should do like Diana Ross does and do a ten minute medley of the old chestnuts

Brrrrrrr. Barf. Never.

Drop the song. Sing Storms instead.

[The Tower]

And that's what we will get in the DVD ??? :(

Yep.

I think if they had really shaken up the set list, made it fresh, and tailored the song selections to Stevie's "lazy on tour" vocal range (vs. her "electric in studio" REAL range), then this tour could have really been a killer.

But, I think Stevie is just as damn bored with all those tired songs as I am.

[Villavic]

Brrrrrrr. Barf. Never.

Drop the song. Sing Storms instead.

I agree. Medleys does not always fit.
For example, I didn't like when they played at the grammies, in 19..98?

They played Rhiannon, Don't Stop and GYOW, as I remember. It was not so cool.

[dissention]

Was EOTW as good as I remember it? :xoxo:

[gldstwmn]

Brrrrrrr. Barf. Never.

Drop the song. Sing Storms instead.

Definitely. I don't want a medley.

[Lala]

They played Rhiannon, Don't Stop and GYOW, as I remember. It was not so cool.

As a medley????? EWwwwwwww! The Mac just is not the kind of band that should be doing corny medlies.

[dontlookdown]

Thanks to "The Tower" for one of the most brutally honest reviews I've ever read on these boards. It's about time - and how refreshing.

Yes - I wish Stevie would take Joni Mitchell's recent tours as an example. That woman has aged so gracefully and her shows are still so wonderful - even when she lights up a cigarette before she starts singing.

Joni's one of the few vocalists who I think has actually become a better singer as her range has fallen. Stevie can do it to - but I think she's gotten tired and is too attached to the old tired hits. God - remember her live version of At Last? Even Joni Mitchell was blown away but that performance.

[sparky]

"Rhiannon" was the worst version of it I've ever seen in my life. She was singing the "Take me like the wind..." line a full OCTAVE below the standard melody. At least during The Dance tour she touched on the A and then went down to a mid level note.

I was shocked. I can see why they haven't dropped this song, like they did with "Silver Springs"- she has a range of about six notes throughout the entire song. It's a complete embarrassment.

"Beautiful Child" and "Goodbye Baby" were pretty good- especially "Beautiful Child".

I think it's time for Stevie to reconsider all the material she can't do justice to anymore- either that, or maybe it's time to retire from the stage.

Yeah, I know... blaspheme and all that crap. But youth ain't forever, and being old is not the same as being young. Joni Mitchell was able to figure it out and never did disservice to her songs like "California". Stevie needs to get a clue.

Didn't see it, and won't till tomorrow night - but I couldn't agree more with the opinion of Rhiannon. It is dismal every time I have seen it since 94. Just don't even bother, Stevie. That's the point, she can't be bothered to put effort into that song. It isn't the range, it the passionless delivery.

Joni is the perfect example for her to follow - her Travelogue cd was so moving, graceful, and mature. She has become a much better singer with her age. As proven by At Last, SN can do it too, if she were so moved to do it. I am shocked she didn't pull out all the stops considering it was filmed. Just do it once - blow it outta the park, and retire the damned song.

Amen to that post, dude.

[MikeVielhaber]

Well, that's sounds like how it has to be, like heaven I mean. Hope Stevie sounds a bit more raw then expected by the big audience. She does on the SYW-clip. So maybe it's going to be OK in the end. Despite the cover.

yeah we all expect it to be horrible because of the cover.....

[AliceLover]

Tower I have a question for you, are you a singer?

Do you sing about 20 songs a night with the majority being high melod songs? she does and shes almost sixty you ass. Do you know hard it is to do that? You have some nerve to say that about her. They are trying to plase the fans and when i was at that show Rhiannon sure as hell pleased me. Shes not what she used to be, but she is still kicking ass at 56.

Jimmy

[ShangriLaTroubl]

Well I happen to like how she does Rhiannon on this tour much better than The Dance..


I don't expect as much out of Stevie I guess as some do. I'm sure I will adore the DVD start to finish...I accept Stevie for who she is. Beautiful Child is one of her best vocal performances in YEARS I think...I could do without Rhiannon as well, but lets face it, it is here to stay..

Chris

[gldstwmn]

Tower I have a question for you, are you a singer?

Do you sing about 20 songs a night with the majority being high melod songs? she does and shes almost sixty you ass. Do you know hard it is to do that? You have some nerve to say that about her. They are trying to plase the fans and when i was at that show Rhiannon sure as hell pleased me. Shes not what she used to be, but she is still kicking ass at 56.

Jimmy

Dude, no need to get personal. :distress:

[Hawkeye]

I really don't gve a rats ass about freaking Octaves and my ABC's. Waht matters is the delivery of the song and in my opinion rhiannon now is the best it's been since the Street Angel tour, definitely better then The Dance and BY FAR better then the TISL and Enchanted versions.

[HomerMcvie]

Tower I have a question for you, are you a singer?Do you sing about 20 songs a night with the majority being high melod songs?
I am, and do 40! songs a night. AND, I write the set list depending on how good I feel that day. A perfect example is: We've been doing Sheryl Crow/Rod Stewart's "First Cut is the Deepest". Well, it's a little too high for me without straining, and lowering the key just doesn't sound right, sooo, we're DROPPING it, because, IT IS BETTER TO NOT DO IT, THAN TO SUCK AT IT! And that's the lesson she could learn.
Suck not, oh witchy one! :lol:

[Johnny Stew]

Wait... you mean Stevie isn't the same skinny little 20-something girl, who used to shred her vocal chords up on stage singing "Rhiannon" every night?!?
Well, doggoneit, I'm not even gonna bother buying this DVD then!
Hmmpf!

;)

What's funny though, is that people are saying that Stevie should follow Joni's lead... which I assume means she should sit down on a stool, light up a cigarette, and sing all of her melancholy numbers... because she'd be more "graceful" that way.
But then in the next breath, they're saying she should be more energetic and passionate.

No, "Rhiannon" isn't exactly the goosebump-inducing scorcher it used to be, but I think Stevie's fashioned it into a really intense slow-burner, that perfectly suits her current voice and deportment.
For me, it doesn't lack energy or passion... it's just a different reading on it.

But that's just my opinion. :)

[jbrownsjr]

Wait... you mean Stevie isn't the same skinny little 20-something girl, who used to shred her vocal chords up on stage singing "Rhiannon" every night?!?
Well, doggoneit, I'm not even gonna bother buying this DVD then!
Hmmpf!

;)

What's funny though, is that people are saying that Stevie should follow Joni's lead... which I assume means she should sit down on a stool, light up a cigarette, and sing all of her melancholy numbers... because she'd be more "graceful" that way.
But then in the next breath, they're saying she should be more energetic and passionate.

No, "Rhiannon" isn't exactly the goosebump-inducing scorcher it used to be, but I think Stevie's fashioned it into a really intense slow-burner, that perfectly suits her current voice and deportment.
For me, it doesn't lack energy or passion... it's just a different reading on it.

But that's just my opinion. :)


Joni didn't sit on a stool and light a ciggerette. She sang a full 2 hours with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and it was very passionette and moving.

Having said that, she's lost quite an edge on her voice too and it's due to lighting that ciggerette. I have nothing against smoking at all. But it does do a number on the chords. And Joni smokes a lot.

As for Stevie, c'mon let er alone, she probably is giving her all. I do cringe sometimes too however :shocked: Oh, I didn't see the performance so I really can't say one way or the other. I just wanted to give JOhnny a hard time. :wavey:

[MikeVielhaber]

I am, and do 40! songs a night. AND, I write the set list depending on how good I feel that day. A perfect example is: We've been doing Sheryl Crow/Rod Stewart's "First Cut is the Deepest". Well, it's a little too high for me without straining, and lowering the key just doesn't sound right, sooo, we're DROPPING it, because, IT IS BETTER TO NOT DO IT, THAN TO SUCK AT IT! And that's the lesson she could learn.
Suck not, oh witchy one! :lol:

my favorite version is version from the writer of the song...cat stevens. ..very unlike his 70's output but its just a very well written song......speaking of which....i HATE it when someone covers a song that was originally sung by someone of the opposite sex and they just switch out the he's and she's....i think thats totally weak.

[shackin'up]

yeah we all expect it to be horrible because of the cover.....

Ah, you don't get tongue in cheek remarks, tomball ranger? ;)

[dissention]

While I'm no big fan of the latter day Rhiannon's, it's been better than it has been in a LONG time lately. So, I don't have a big problem with it. If it's as I remember it from the taping, it won't be that bad; I enjoyed it.

[AliceLover]

I am actually quite surprised why this is new to you people.

Rhiannon was only good during the white album and Rumours tour. Of course I mean by this she tore it up at the end. Ever since then it hasn't been that good. But if your a singer like me you know your limits. The songs she sings every night can be straning on her voice. But I am still confused why this is new to all you.

Jimmy

[dissention]

I am actually quite surprised why this is new to you people.

Rhiannon was only good during the white album and Rumours tour. Of course I mean by this she tore it up at the end. Ever since then it hasn't been that good. But if your a singer like me you know your limits. The songs she sings every night can be straning on her voice. But I am still confused why this is new to all you.

Jimmy

It's not new to anyone, pal. She tore that song up from '75 all the way up to '94. She never knew how to sing correctly, bless her heart, until she started turning the corner in '97. Only then did she "know her limits." And any singer worth their salt knows that if you sing a song every night that is straining on your voice, DROP IT; you don't continue singing it.

[wondergirl9847]

Which is why she should have never learned to sing correctly. :laugh: Damn those singing lessons!! :mad:

[dissention]

Which is why she should have never learned to sing correctly. :laugh: Damn those singing lessons!! :mad:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Good point!

[The Tower]

Tower I have a question for you, are you a singer?

Do you sing about 20 songs a night with the majority being high melod songs? she does and shes almost sixty you ass. Do you know hard it is to do that? You have some nerve to say that about her. They are trying to plase the fans and when i was at that show Rhiannon sure as hell pleased me. Shes not what she used to be, but she is still kicking ass at 56.

Funny you should ask. I am a singer. I was a vocal major in college and I know all about singing. I've been in a band since 1989 and I know what it's like to rehearse for eight hours straight singing songs over and over again.

I don't necessarily think Stevie is "kicking ass" at 56. Tina Turner was kicking ass at 56. Ann Wilson is kicking ass at 54. I think Stevie is f**king awesome- "Beautiful Child" is spine-tingling- it's that good. But I wouldn't say she's "kicking ass".

Stevie doesn't sing 20 songs a night and none of them are high melody, which isn't really the point anyway. Everyone has their own subjective opinion about Stevie's performances and her music. I've seen Stevie in concert about 30 times since 1979. Sometimes fantastic, sometimes frightening, sometimes ho-hum.

I feel that she cannot do justice to Rhiannon anymore. That's just my opinion. Just because she's 56 doesn't mean the performances should be subpar. She doesn't HAVE to do Rhiannon. She could do any number of other songs that fit her register that would be vibrant, moving and entertaining.

My Joni example was more related to reality. If you know her music, you know that songs like "California" and "The Arrangement" and others are really, really high. Joni can't sing that high anymore. So, when she went on tour- did she pull out "California" in the same key, but sing it in a monotone, lackluster fashion? Nope. She did take a song like "A Case of You" (which is also REALLY high in its original key) and completely revamped it into a slow, orchestral piece. A lot of Joni's fans hated that she changed it around, whereas I thought it was enough of a departure to actually work on its own merit.

Rock-n-roll songs should ROCK. Look at Ann Wilson. She still goes out on tour and she really does sing 20 high melody songs every night with no problem. Ann and Stevie obviously have different voices, but you work with what you got. And Stevie voice just can't do Rhiannon the way it is right now. I think she should change it or, preferably, drop it.

I would much prefer to see the Stevie of 2004 do stuff like "Crystal", "Storms", or even something like "Illume", which isn't that high but would really kick ass live. I think "Rhiannon" was something that really was only designed for 1975 Stevie and I think it has seen its day.

Just my opinion.

[Johnny Stew]

Rock-n-roll songs should ROCK. Look at Ann Wilson. She still goes out on tour and she really does sing 20 high melody songs every night with no problem. Ann and Stevie obviously have different voices, but you work with what you got. And Stevie voice just can't do Rhiannon the way it is right now. I think she should change it or, preferably, drop it.

Ahh, but Ann shaves off some of those higher notes, too, when doing songs like "Crazy On You" and "Magic Man." ;)
But I know what you mean, and you're right that she does push her limits more on stage than Stevie does these days.
Still, I don't feel that Stevie is just "going thru the motions," or not investing any passion... it's just expressed in a different way than it was before.

And it's just my personal opinion, but I'd usually rather hear a song done in it's original tempo but with a lower key, than hear it slowed down.
chiliD will hate me for this, but I can't listen to Eric Clapton's unplugged rendition of "Layla"... to me, the slowed tempo is excruciating and mars what is one of the greatest rock songs ever.

[EveryHour]

No, "Rhiannon" isn't exactly the goosebump-inducing scorcher it used to be, but I think Stevie's fashioned it into a really intense slow-burner, that perfectly suits her current voice and deportment.
For me, it doesn't lack energy or passion... it's just a different reading on it.



So well said! "Slow-burner" indeed it has become and I have no problem with that. Rhiannon is continually evolving. Yes, Stevie used to really rip into this one. But the semi-ironic thing about everyone complaining about the current (and other mellower) version is that they're more like the way the song began and the original recorded version anyway. So I don't see why it has to be deemed "lesser". Also, one cannot necessarily put it down to age, because she did it mellow on the Bella Donna Tour...no "all the same", etc. It's unfair to act like this song died in live performance after the RAL Tour (or for some of you, it may be as early as Tusk or Mirage). It continued to evolve after that...it has never really been the same on any tour, including in more recent years. The TimeSpace version (which I think was great), was different from the Street Angel version, which is different from the SYW version. I do wonder, though, if Stevie is in fact tired of performing a lot of her songs...it's impossible to not notice that she seems to perk up when she is singing something that she hasn't done much (Beautiful Child or accompanying someone else, for example. I recently saw the AHI '00 video for the first time, and she seemed much more excited while singing with Chris Issak and Sheryl than during her own songs. She really laid into the "acoustic set" on the Enchanted Tour, too...she really seemed to be enjoying herself. It makes me feel really bad that she felt the need to announce "the acoustic set is officially over" at every show...like she had to apologize for doing it.:().

[EnchantedSLN]

I just had a chance to see it. Rhiannon was as I expected it to be... a bit spotty, but decent. It didn't sound any better or worse to me than it did at any other show on this tour. As a whole, I *really* enjoyed the Soundstage broadcast. Someone said it wasn't as "polished" as The Dance. That's what I liked best about it. Real concert, real audience, not too much fancy camera stuff. They did a great job conveying what it feels like to actually be at a Fleetwood Mac concert.

I didn't recall Lindsey's Stand Back dance looking quite so hilarious :laugh:. To whoever asked about the Landslide dedication (not in this thread), it was in there.

[MacMan]

But the semi-ironic thing about everyone complaining about the current (and other mellower) version is that they're more like the way the song began and the original recorded version anyway.

This I agree with. Everytime I hear someone complaining about Rhiannon and the passion that seems to be gone from it.. I think - go back and listen to the album version.

Someone said it wasn't as "polished" as The Dance. That's what I liked best about it. Real concert, real audience

That's what I like too and am most looking forward to.

[dissention]

This I agree with. Everytime I hear someone complaining about Rhiannon and the passion that seems to be gone from it.. I think - go back and listen to the album version.

Keep in mind that not everyone likes the album version. ;)

[blinker12]

This I agree with. Everytime I hear someone complaining about Rhiannon and the passion that seems to be gone from it.. I think - go back and listen to the album version.

True, and that brings up a very simple solution to the "Rhiannon" problem: She should just sing it like it is on the album. Forget the extended coda, with the "Take me like the wind" bit. Singing it low and monotone just spotlights the fact that she can't do that version justice anymore.
And another thing. I just don't get the discrepancy between Stevie's great studio performances and her ho-hum live performances. It's as if she's afraid she'll hurt herself if she sings live like she does in the studio. While that might have been the case two decades ago, she now supposedly takes vocal lessons and knows how to sing correctly. If that's the case, she should be able to sing the same thing every night without hurting herself. In other words, if she can hit the high notes in "Sorcerer" six times in the studio, there's no reason she can't do it on stage, too. GET OVER THE FEAR, STEVIE! :nod:

[Hawkeye]

I think the reason isn't AS good anymore is 's fault at all. It's LINDSEY'S. The freaking long extended guitar solo/piano and bass thingy is gone and now there is like a 12 second piano thing. That's what makes people think Stevie isn't doing it justice anymore. Does anyone want to mention that this Say You Will Tour is the first time Stevie has even done the Wellllllll I DON"T THNK YOU DO part. And she does a very decent ending. She takes the mic back and yells TAKE me like the wind. The only thing that dissapoints me with Rhiannon these days is the "All The Sames" they haven't ben good in awhile. But then she goes into a good Take to me the sky Dream on DON"T YOU TRY HARD. And in the beginning of the tour she did the ending different;ly. She did the You Still Cry Out for Her, but fast paced and over and over. And I liked that ending alot better. Listen to the Buffalo Boot. I was there and it was great that night. Rhiannon is one of the few songs I feel was better the beginning og the tour. And Rhiannon is like the only song I can say is Different EVERy tour. It's almost never the same two tours in a row. And it changes from SHOW to SHOW alot. Listen to Columbus, Buffalo, Worchester, the AH! 2003 show. All of them have complely different endings.

[DownOnRodeo]

Well the Boston show Rhiannon must have been a stinker because in Australia that song went off.

[sodascouts]

I think the reason isn't AS good anymore is 's fault at all. It's LINDSEY'S. The freaking long extended guitar solo/piano and bass thingy is gone and now there is like a 12 second piano thing.

Yeah, what is up with that? Lindsey could tear up the end and make us forget about octaves and monotones, but for some reason he doesn't.

[Nicks Fan]

I agree that Rhiannon has not been done as well as I think it could but just seeing Stevie live on stage is exciting for me.

[jmn3]

ITA with you Hawkeye...Rhiannon continued to be edgy and kick-as$ long after Stevie toned down the "Take me like the wind..." part ('76) in large part due to the musical arrangement of the song. Over the years, Rhiannon seemed to go from about 10 minutes long down to four or five. Where's the blistering guitar solo that used to follow the end of Stevie's wailing at the end? It sort of disappeared after the Mirage Tour and by the time the Dance came around, there was nothing left of it at all. Oh, yes...and the one that followed the main part of the song and came before the "Dreams unwind" part? That also took a hike after 1982. It seems that the time allotted to Rhiannon was reduced basically to give more time to other songs.

Aside from the musical arrangement which bugs me, I still enjoy Rhiannon...Stevie can still rock it when she wants to. I was at HSBC that night too...and Rhiannon was awesome! I don't think anyone in the audience was saying...boy this sure doesn't sound like it did in 1975!

As for the "Welllllll, I don't think you DO!," I think she started doing this on her 1998 tour didn't she?

Finally...I think I'm the only one out there that enjoyed Rhiannon on the Dance tour. NOT the CD mind you, THAT was too boring...but I thought she took it up a notch during the tour. She was going for some higher notes...I don't know, I really enjoy the '97 boots of Rhiannon.

[earthdreamer]

I think all her songs she has performed on a permanent set basis have aged gracefully with her, I love Stevie's voice, she might not be the same person she was back then when she first created these songs but there is an elusive definitive evolution that can't be touched, nor should it ever be.

[face of glass]

I think the reason isn't AS good anymore is 's fault at all. It's LINDSEY'S.
Nah. It's Stevie Nicks' song and surely she approves of the final live arrangement before they start doing it. If she doesn't want it to include a screaming guitar bit then it doesn't have a screaming guitar bit. If she thinks "her wisdom is much evolved" then she doesn't want an arrangement similar to the past one. Buckingham tears it up on "Come" and "I'm So Afraid" and certainly could do it on "Rhiannon" too if he was given the permission to. But no, it seems like it has been decided that when they're doing a song the songwriter should get the main attention and the other frontperson should not even try to take the attention away from him/her. Which sucks because when I'm listening to audio from 1975-82 it's the battling for attention that puts those performances into stratosphere for me.

[dissention]

I think the reason isn't AS good anymore is 's fault at all. It's LINDSEY'S. The freaking long extended guitar solo/piano and bass thingy is gone and now there is like a 12 second piano thing. That's what makes people think Stevie isn't doing it justice anymore.

How absurd.

Do you honestly believe that Lindsey himself changed the arrangement? I think not. It's Stevie's song, she has the final say. I suspect that the reason the arrangement has been changed is because Stevie's voice just can't keep up with the song if it's a straight rocker like it used to be. If they kept the old arrangement, the whole song would be out of sync because she'd be her vocals would be petering out just as the music was escalating to a crescendo.

[shackin'up]

How absurd.

Do you honestly believe that Lindsey himself changed the arrangement? I think not. It's Stevie's song, she has the final say. I suspect that the reason the arrangement has been changed is because Stevie's voice just can't keep up with the song if it's a straight rocker like it used to be. If they kept the old arrangement, the whole song would be out of sync because she'd be her vocals would be petering out just as the music was escalating to a crescendo.

And I bow deeply.
Well said.

[Johnny Stew]

It's definitely not Lindsey's fault.
Though I don't think the current arrangement is Stevie's "fault" either.

I know when they filmed 'The Dance,' I remember reading that they knew they had to shorten some of the lengthier songs, with an eye towards releasing the album as a single disc.

For example, the long guitar outro during "The Chain," just after the "Chain, keep us together/Running in the shadows" part, was dropped.
And they went fairly quickly into the end of "Rhiannon," bi-passing the extra piano & guitar parts that used to be there.
For some reason, they decided to stick with those two arrangements, even beyond 'The Dance' filming.

[David]

I know when they filmed 'The Dance,' I remember reading that they knew they had to shorten some of the lengthier songs, with an eye towards releasing the album as a single disc.

For example, the long guitar outro during "The Chain," just after the "Chain, keep us together/Running in the shadows" part, was dropped.
And they went fairly quickly into the end of "Rhiannon," bi-passing the extra piano & guitar parts that used to be there.
For some reason, they decided to stick with those two arrangements, even beyond 'The Dance' filming.I think Lindsey brought that arrangement of The Chain over from his solo tour. In the case of Rhiannon, the instrumental vamp used to be three or four minutes of "Stevie" ballet, so there was just no point to it if she wasn't going to undulate. By 1997, she was post-undulative.

[dissention]

And they went fairly quickly into the end of "Rhiannon," bi-passing the extra piano & guitar parts that used to be there.

Yeah, but it was almost as lengthy as it used to be because they added the piano intro to it. :)

[sodascouts]

How absurd.

Do you honestly believe that Lindsey himself changed the arrangement? I think not. It's Stevie's song, she has the final say. I suspect that the reason the arrangement has been changed is because Stevie's voice just can't keep up with the song if it's a straight rocker like it used to be. If they kept the old arrangement, the whole song would be out of sync because she'd be her vocals would be petering out just as the music was escalating to a crescendo.

I'm sure Stevie did tell Lindsey she wanted the song more like her snoozer Enchanted box set version (man, that one is painful to listen to). I still think the guitar could work at the end, though, because she woudln't have to actually sing then. She could finish her vocal and Lindsey could roar away. But either that didn't occur to either of them or it occured to him and she veto-ed it. Regardless it was a bad decision, IMHO.

Side note: I would bet that Lindsey probably has a lot more influence on live arrangements then Stevie does, even on her own songs, simply because of the nature of their skills. That being said, I'm sure he couldn't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do.

[sparky]

In the case of Rhiannon, the instrumental vamp used to be three or four minutes of "Stevie" ballet, so there was just no point to it if she wasn't going to undulate. By 1997, she was post-undulative.

POST-UNDULATIVE ?????? :eek:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

So damned funny. Almost spewed coffee on the laptop.

I say ditch the vamp. The whole point of that vamp was building to a crescendo, and now there is no crescendo. She is capable of holding a fairly high note for longer than 8 beats - she does it in other songs. Just doing that would have all the chiffon heads soiling their drawers. Alas, not happening. She doesn't want to do it, so just end the song with a crash, like that recently surfaced 1974 version. Or, just do the piano version, which is beautiful in it's own right. Or, dump the song altogether.

[Janet]

This is a facinating conversation:)

I am so tired of Rhiannon. I loved Christine's piano entrance into the song..it gave it class and age and Stevie did a good job, lackluster, but she made it pretty, gothic almost.

Now that Chrissie is gone, we need to drop the song. It's been 80 different songs by now and there is nothing more to do with it.

I loved the version she did in the 70's...but she can't do that anymore. The coked Mirage version is soooo raw, but unintentional so I guess it doesn't count.

I wish they could take more chances, but like 75% of the people there want to see the songs like Rhiannon and that's the way it is.

I think too that Lindsey has a greater say in what happens on the live sets.

I also agree the Enchanted version.....I can't listen to it.

I would love to see Stevie do stuff she can do...those torch songs...those rocky songs...I think she enjoys singing with others because the songs are different...
She is a performer and she loves to perform and she can sing decently so she should make set lists showing that. It will never happen though...

[gldstwmn]

I'm sure Stevie did tell Lindsey she wanted the song more like her snoozer Enchanted box set version (man, that one is painful to listen to).

I agree. Why she decided to record it on a piano with a broken pedal is a mystery to me. I did watch the Storytellers performance of it for the first time in a while the other night and found that one likeable though. :)

[cliffdweller]

Joni's one of the few vocalists who I think has actually become a better singer as her range has fallen.

I don't agree with this statement at all. I think Joni sounds like she's smoked 100 packs too many, and it shows in her singing. However, I happen to be an early years Joni Mitchell fan with the cutoff being about Hejira---her last great album, with the exception of Night Ride Home in the early 90's, that too is a great album. Joni had AMAZING range on Blue, and I like to think of that album as the truest testament to her vocal ability. On Blue her voice is absolutely pristene but at the same time she exudes a certain vulnerability in the risky, downright experimental approach to the vocals on many of the songs. She couldn't do that now if she wanted to, and she doesn't want to because she's closed that chapter of her life and moved on in a different musical direction.

Stevie's voice is in no way as shot as Joni's in my opinion. Sure she can't hit the high notes like she used to, but all in all I think her voice has held up rather well considering all the abuse she's inflicted upon it with substances and constant strain throughout her early years with F.M.

[strandinthewind]

I read an interview with her around the time of Stevie's TISL. Ms. Mitchell said she purposefully lowered her singing range because she had been singing out of her true range for too many years.

[cliffdweller]

The coked Mirage version is soooo raw, but unintentional so I guess it doesn't count.

Oh it counts, it counts a great deal :nod: :laugh:

[Johnny Stew]

I agree. Why she decided to record it on a piano with a broken pedal is a mystery to me. I did watch the Storytellers performance of it for the first time in a while the other night and found that one likeable though. :)

The 'Storytellers' "Rhiannon" blows the 'Enchanted' version out of the water!

I wouldn't say the 'Enchanted' version is God-awful... but it's only "Ok," and I barely ever listen to it... but the 'Storytellers' performance was mesmerizing.

[Tusk57]

I saw the concert on PBS and loved it. "I'm So Afraid" kicked ass with Lindsey doing an extended version of his guitar solo. He was on fire the whole night. Stevie was good too although she is not as animated as Lindsey is. They interacted very well together on the songs, "Say you Will", "Landslide", and "Tusk". They edited out "World Turning" so Mick didn't get to strut his stuff. Darn! John was steady as a rock. The filming was pretty good also in that they didn't jump from camera to camera every other second like they did on the Tango concert video. That one is practically unwatchable. Lindsey is clearly dominating the show now. Bill

[jbrownsjr]

I don't agree with this statement at all. I think Joni sounds like she's smoked 100 packs too many, and it shows in her singing. However, I happen to be an early years Joni Mitchell fan with the cutoff being about Hejira---her last great album, with the exception of Night Ride Home in the early 90's, that too is a great album. Joni had AMAZING range on Blue, and I like to think of that album as the truest testament to her vocal ability. On Blue her voice is absolutely pristene but at the same time she exudes a certain vulnerability in the risky, downright experimental approach to the vocals on many of the songs. She couldn't do that now if she wanted to, and she doesn't want to because she's closed that chapter of her life and moved on in a different musical direction.

Stevie's voice is in no way as shot as Joni's in my opinion. Sure she can't hit the high notes like she used to, but all in all I think her voice has held up rather well considering all the abuse she's inflicted upon it with substances and constant strain throughout her early years with F.M.

I agree they are shot equally in different ways. Joni does sound raspy. She has for years. Some of it is style, but I can't argue with the 100 packs of cigs for both.

[EveryHour]

When it comes to Stevie, I don't feel that I "gloss over" imperfections (which I realize can be so easy to do when you care about/adore/admire, etc someone so much), but rather accept them as human. I don't pretend that currently Rhainnon is as exciting as 1976, but I love and accept what it is now as yet another new rendition of what has been a constantly evolving song. I like the low notes...something new in a song that has been performed thousands of times. Bottom line: I think it's great that Stevie is still rockin' in her 50's, whatever that brings. She has the right as an artist and human to be out there and say, "this is who I am now". She can't, afterall, be anyone but herself. Sure, ideally I think it would be great if some of the songs were reworked, but if Stevie chooses not to, the option is not for her to retire for the sake of your comfortability. The option is for those who are no longer moved by her performances to quit going to the shows! You, too, have the option to "bow out gracefully" without complaint, just as you think Stevie "should". I, for one, will continue to support her because she still moves me like no other. And she can rock the Reeboks for eternity for all I care because I'm only 25 and I already don't like uncomfortable shoes! :o :)