Reviews of the classic west show?

[secondhandchain]

Surprised no thread yet. How were they? Did Stevie even look at Lindsey?

[Danielle]

Surprised no thread yet. How were they? Did Stevie even look at Lindsey?

http://i.imgur.com/JLe528V.jpg

More pictures and a few videos here (http://crystallineknowledge.tumblr.com/tagged/the-classic-west).

[pattyfan]

Apparently this was the setlist...



The Chain

You Make Loving Fun

Dreams

Second Hand News

Rhiannon

Everywhere

Bleed to Love Her

Tusk

Sara

Say You Love Me

Big Love

Landslide
(Dedicated to Glenn Frey)

Never Going Back Again

Think About Me

Gypsy

Little Lies

Gold Dust Woman

I'm So Afraid

Go Your Own Way

Encore:
Don't Stop

[Wdm6789]

Set list was exactly what you would expect. The performances were all very good. Stevie, Christine, and Lindsey all did great, except they did not seem very happy or enthusiastic to be there. Stevie's mic like fell and almost hit her in the face between Rhiannon and Everywhere so she joked about that. The crowd went nuts for most of the songs. Surprisingly there was no 15 minute long story before Gypsy. Lindsey did the slow whisper Never Going Back Again and the annoying solo Big Love. I'm really glad they did Sara, that was my highlight.

[SisterNightroad]

Fleetwood Mac's Classic West Performance A Well-Deserved Celebration

If forty years ago, when Fleetwood Mac was at the height of what guitarist Lindsey Buckingham now refers to as “The musical soap opera,” someone were to tell you that in 2017, the Mac would be a happy, healthy functioning touring act people would have thought you had partied harder than the six bands on this weekend’s Classic West.

But, 40 years after Rumours and all the tabloid drama that went with that landmark album, the Mac are a regular touring act and Buckingham told me earlier this year the band “is in a good place.”

So in a very unexpected twist of fate, the night after the Eagles delivered an emotionally compelling and dramatic performance (https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/07/16/the-eagles-turn-classic-west-into-a-powerful-memorial-for-glenn-frey/#4983218a1e6a) at night one of Classic West, Fleetwood Mac got to come out and revel in the celebratory, feel good vibes that have characterized their tours in recent years.

After opening with “The Chain” and the Christine McVie pop gem, “You Make Loving Fun,” Stevie Nicks established the mood of the night when she said, “Without further adieu, we should get this party started,” introducing “Dreams.”

Despite their numerous upbeat pop/rock anthems, Fleetwood Mac aren’t what you would call a typical party band. With songs like the encore, “Don’t Stop” and the Buckingham-fronted “Go Your Own Way,” the band absolutely possesses the capability to get 50,000 fans singing and celebrating in unison. And the anthem-like “Go Your Own Way” is a joyous and jubilant celebration.

There were plenty of more introspective moments too. After the sublime “Landslide,” a song like the Eagles’ “Desperado,” that is as heart wrenching as any in rock, Nicks dedicated it to the Eagles’ Glenn Frey.

“I’d like to dedicate that song to Glenn Frey, who was my friend,” Nicks said. “And I’d like to dedicate it to his son, who did such a beautiful job last night under so much pressure. That was for big Glenn and little Glenn.”



https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/07/17/fleetwood-macs-classic-west-performance-a-well-deserved-celebration/#a94129f356e1

[button-lip]

Set list was exactly what you would expect. The performances were all very good. Stevie, Christine, and Lindsey all did great, except they did not seem very happy or enthusiastic to be there. Stevie's mic like fell and almost hit her in the face between Rhiannon and Everywhere so she joked about that. The crowd went nuts for most of the songs. Surprisingly there was no 15 minute long story before Gypsy. Lindsey did the slow whisper Never Going Back Again and the annoying solo Big Love. I'm really glad they did Sara, that was my highlight.

Just what I was afraid of. They weren't happy to be there or they weren't happy to be around each other?

I'm not surprised there was no 15 minute long story before Gypsy, especially if they fit 20 songs in 2 hours. Did it ended at 10 pm instead of 11 pm like on Saturday?

Bummed they didn't do Silver Springs and World Turning. :distress:

But glad they at least did Sara. :nod:

[button-lip]

Surprised no thread yet. How were they? Did Stevie even look at Lindsey?

Haha! :xoxo: Why would she? They're on different bands now. :D

[jcalzaretta]

The show was fantastic. I don't think Stevie and Lindsey came out together holding hands like they used to. But there was the interaction after Sara and Landslide. At end, usually, Stevie and Lindsey are next to each other for the bows but not last night. I don't know. Can't read too much into it. The music and voices were amazing. The crowd was so into this show. It was awesome. I am bummed it ended with Don't Stop although worked with firewords. Bummed about Silver Springs but was giddy as can be for Bleed to Love Her!!!!!

[button-lip]

The show was fantastic. I don't think Stevie and Lindsey came out together holding hands like they used to. But there was the interaction after Sara and Landslide. At end, usually, Stevie and Lindsey are next to each other for the bows but not last night. I don't know. Can't read too much into it. The music and voices were amazing. The crowd was so into this show. It was awesome. I am bummed it ended with Don't Stop although worked with firewords. Bummed about Silver Springs but was giddy as can be for Bleed to Love Her!!!!!

They didn't come out together holding hands and they weren't next to each other for the bows and you're not reading too much into it?! They're at war again, which is odd, given they're both doing what they like. :shocked:

I saw the inteaction after Sara. It was awful and fake. :nod:

[secondhandchain]

Of course there at one again. Steve has been going around minimizing his contributions to her career and constantly telling whoever will listen that they are not friends anymore while Lindsay has kept his mouth shut I really can't stand her anymore

[Macfan4life]

On an Eagles note, Deacon Frey did a fantastic job! I saw the video. His dad must be smiling.

The Mac setlist was pretty good. It was the Australian leg minus a few but included Sara and Think About me.
Stadium shows are so impersonal. I would not put too much into the way they looked. Just a few weeks ago Christine commented that she is nervous for shows but not Stadium shows. They just see a sea of people, not personal faces. So it does appear they are going through the motions.

[SpyNote]

Surprised no thread yet. How were they? Did Stevie even look at Lindsey?

There's already an active thread (http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=56896&page=16) on this topic, but I guess it got buried.

Here's a link (https://stevie-nicks.info/2017/07/fleetwood-mac-closes-out-the-classic-west/) to pictures, videos and the Twitter feed.

[ami0425]

Hopefully their attitudes are better in two weeks. I'm going to The Classic East.

Was there any merch on sale? If so was it just general "The Classic" stuff or individual band stuff too?

[button-lip]

Of course there at one again. Steve has been going around minimizing his contributions to her career and constantly telling whoever will listen that they are not friends anymore while Lindsay has kept his mouth shut I really can't stand her anymore

Someone who went to the concert told me Lindsey was the only one present, and that Stevie's mic incident probably set the tone for her for the rest of the show.

I wonder what's gonna happen next year... :lol:

[button-lip]

Hopefully their attitudes are better in two weeks. I'm going to The Classic East.

Was there any merch on sale? If so was it just general "The Classic" stuff or individual band stuff too?

I saw some merch for the Saturday concerts. Lots of Eagles t-shirts, so I guess it was the same for FM yesterday.

[vivfox]

Here's a link (https://stevie-nicks.info/2017/07/fleetwood-mac-closes-out-the-classic-west/) to pictures, videos and the Twitter feed.

Thank you for the videos. I just sat and watched them all from the comfort of my own living room.:angel:

[tango87]

Nice to hear that Lindsey is playing that beautiful high solo at the end of YMLF again - in recent years he has been playing it an octave lower, and it just doesn't have that same transcendent effect.

I often wonder if musicians ever listen back to their records and think, 'oh yeah, that's how I used to play it - I should do that again!'

[jbrownsjr]

Nice to hear that Lindsey is playing that beautiful high solo at the end of YMLF again - in recent years he has been playing it an octave lower, and it just doesn't have that same transcendent effect.

I often wonder if musicians ever listen back to their records and think, 'oh yeah, that's how I used to play it - I should do that again!'

I think the same thing. I wish he would play NGBA at regular speed.

[elle]

Nice to hear that Lindsey is playing that beautiful high solo at the end of YMLF again - in recent years he has been playing it an octave lower, and it just doesn't have that same transcendent effect.

I often wonder if musicians ever listen back to their records and think, 'oh yeah, that's how I used to play it - I should do that again!'

Yeah Lindsey has been so obviously loving doing YMLF during BuckVie shows - it's been a joy to watch and listen! He must have been really missing performing some of Christine's songs in the years she was absent from the band.

[Lola]

Positive review from Billboard
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7866240/fleetwood-mac-dodger-stadium-classic-west

[Lola]

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/17/fleetwood-macs-lindsey-buckingham-offers-stunning-solo-moment-during-classic-west-at-dodger-stadium/

[dontlookdown]

Based on a few reviews from friends and after reading the Billboard review, it sounds like it was a great show.

Still glad I didn't go. The crowds and the ****ty Dodger stadium acoustics would have annoyed me - and I would have regretted the high ticket prices.

But that doesn't mean I won't go if they do a legitimate tour next year.
I'm all about the music and could not be less interested in all the manufactured drama surrounding the Buck/McVie album and Stevie.

[aleuzzi]

Their three voices sounded terrific on "The Chain." 'I'm impressed they can still do it. They sing together and yet each voice is identifiable and important. Love it.

YMLF was very good. Christine's voice is strong here. Her piano playing on "Don't Stop" was welcome, too!

The other clips were equally good. "Gold Dust" is when Stevie shines brightest, I think.

[bwboy]

The reviews are positively gushing, which was awesome to read. All three singers got great mentions overall, unfortunately leaving little mention of Mick and John, but I'm sure they did a great job, too.

I think their set list was totally awesome. I didn't check, but it sounds like it was the exact same set list as what they played last year at Dodger Stadium, at the fundraiser. Songbird wouldn't have been a good set closer in that stadium. I am surprised Stevie swapped Seven Wonders for the more subdued Sara, so good for her.

I can't wait to see them next year!

[elle]

Here's a link (https://stevie-nicks.info/2017/07/fleetwood-mac-closes-out-the-classic-west/) to pictures, videos and the Twitter feed.

thanks for compiling that! surprised no pics of the final bows.

[Mr Scarrott]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-classic-west-20170717-story.html

This is perhaps the clincher:

But the true bummer was how unengaged the members were in the music — how little pleasure (or pain) they seemed to be taking in the job at hand. There was no humor or charm, nor any evidence of the group’s mythically complicated chemistry; song after song in the two-hour set simply rolled by as though they were marking items off a grocery list.


and

. In their excellent performance on Saturday, the Eagles showed that it’s possible to refresh a vintage sound while maintaining a cherished legacy.

Twenty-four hours later, the members of Fleetwood Mac made me feel like a sucker for caring about theirs.


Well, I wasn't there but the videos I've seen don't really show them gelling personally as well as they did on the last tour. I just hope they don't have to suffer the Eagles' recent tragedy to produce something that would please this reviewer more.

You have to wonder if the recent Buckingham-McVie bifurcation whilst the Mac remains a touring concern is having wider effects between them. Sympton or cause, though?

[bwboy]

All of that might be true, but how can you compare the emotional resonance of the Eagles reuniting in tribute to their band mate who passed away, with his son performing in his place, to Fleetwood Mac coming together not too long after a huge world tour? So maybe FM was going through the motions a little bit- it sounds like they still put on a great, professional show, not an easy feat considering their age and the fact that Buckingham/McVie are smack in the middle of their own tour.

[Lola]

Scathing review. 180 degrees from the 2 linked reviews I posted up thread. Chris and Lindsey are doing their thing. Stevie is still doing 24 Karat Gold shows. Maybe this Classic West show infringed on their ability to compartmentalize (even though they agreed to it). It would have been cool to do Tusk with the marching band but there's a cost. If FM was lukewarm to this show/just getting a check then there's no motivation for them to do anything extra like the drummers/horns.

[button-lip]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-classic-west-20170717-story.html

This is perhaps the clincher:

But the true bummer was how unengaged the members were in the music — how little pleasure (or pain) they seemed to be taking in the job at hand. There was no humor or charm, nor any evidence of the group’s mythically complicated chemistry; song after song in the two-hour set simply rolled by as though they were marking items off a grocery list.


and

. In their excellent performance on Saturday, the Eagles showed that it’s possible to refresh a vintage sound while maintaining a cherished legacy.

Twenty-four hours later, the members of Fleetwood Mac made me feel like a sucker for caring about theirs.


Well, I wasn't there but the videos I've seen don't really show them gelling personally as well as they did on the last tour. I just hope they don't have to suffer the Eagles' recent tragedy to produce something that would please this reviewer more.

You have to wonder if the recent Buckingham-McVie bifurcation whilst the Mac remains a touring concern is having wider effects between them. Sympton or cause, though?

That's the thing: this is a band that was always famous for their chemistry, good or bad, and the drama sorrounding them at all time. To be on the stage like robots who are doing their job sucks, simply because that's not who they are.

And it wasn't only Stevie and Lindsey. Christine didn't look very happy either. I don't know if the BuckVie tour is the cause of this strange behavior on stage, but a cold concert with no emotion whatsoever isn't exactly who they are. And it makes the concert less pleasurable. :distress:

And I certainly sympathize with the reporter. It makes you feel like a sucker for caring about their legacy.

[Mr Scarrott]

It's a little sad somehow that these two Classic events are the only Mac performances this year as they approach the 50th anniversary of Fleetwood Mac's very first proper gig on 13 August 1967 and that this doesn't appear to have been acknowledged during their set (from what I have read). Did Mick not make any mention of it?

[Lola]

http://variety.com/2017/music/news/concert-review-classic-west-fleetwood-mac-journey-earth-wind-fire-classic-west-1202497817/
This reviewer was hoping for an obscure album cut OR something from BuckVie. LMAO

[AliceLover]

This guy is just harping on the comment that Lindsey squeaked out about money. He's taking Lindsey's flawed and vulnerable comment and manipulating it. The writer found a weakness and exposed it. He's trying to make this "a thing." Obviously a negative festival review is going to get more of a reaction. "Why I felt Betrayed by Fleetwood Mac" what a drama queen. Must have minored in journalism...also whenever I see the phrase "grocery item checklist" in a concert review? Talk about Lindsey cringing.

[elle]

All of that might be true, but how can you compare the emotional resonance of the Eagles reuniting in tribute to their band mate who passed away, with his son performing in his place, to Fleetwood Mac coming together not too long after a huge world tour? So maybe FM was going through the motions a little bit- it sounds like they still put on a great, professional show, not an easy feat considering their age and the fact that Buckingham/McVie are smack in the middle of their own tour.
hehe yet again i have to agree with you bwboy! what's the world coming to? :laugh: it just seems completely wrong to compare situation that the Eagles were in with any other band participating.

and ironically enough. weren't the Eagles when they existed in their full regular configuration the band that people usually complained about being detached in their live performances?

[elle]

Positive review from Billboard
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7866240/fleetwood-mac-dodger-stadium-classic-west

thanks! pasting the text - and love that this reviewer cited Lindsey's very recent and interesting interview with Dan Rather (from 2015 i believe) which shows he did his homework or is actual fan:

Fleetwood Mac Caps Classic West With Poignant Closing Set
7/17/2017 by Fred Schruers

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Scoop Marketing
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac performs during The Classic West at Dodger Stadium on July 16, 2017 in Los Angeles.

Fleetwood Mac operates on one’s imagination in a way few other bands can -- whether within your musical memory, or onstage at Dodger Stadium as they were Sunday night (July 16), for the second evening of Classic West.

The sweetly intoned, plaintive melodies of Christine McVie, the now-gentle, now-angry mini-operas of Stevie Nicks, and what might be called the ecstatic agonies (“Bleed To Love Her,” anyone?) of Lindsey Buckingham, all swirl into an understanding that emotion will come to the fore. The shorthand for their genre is “hits," and they delivered plenty to a crowd that roared appreciatively from the time the lights went down to usher in “The Chain” to the last notes of “Don’t Stop,” 20 songs later.

The inherent drama that suffuses any Fleetwood Mac performance might be baldly stated as “Who’s still in love with whom?” and the band not only lives with that as a sometimes-aggravating hangover -- reliving your late twenties onstage as a member of a band whose average age hovers near 70 can’t always be easy -- but as an evergreen dramatic conceit.

Opening with “The Chain” definitely fed the beast of tortured past relationships as a topic: “And if you don’t love me now/ You will never love me again” reverberated with feeling even as it showcased the group’s durable trademark sound -- Fleetwood’s funereal drumbeats, John McVie’s underrated mutterings on bass, the ladies’ baleful harmonies, and Buckingham’s venomous leads. Buckingham’s clearly incapable of pretending it’s an evening’s casual entertainment and would come on at the end -- spotlight chasing him as he gyrated somewhere near the park’s bullpen -- to reinforce that he’s one of the great closers in the trade.

Fleetwood Mac
READ MORE
Fleetwood Mac Talk Returning to the Stage for Classic East Gig After Two-Year Hiatus
Nicks, no slouch herself at fully projecting a somebody-done-somebody-wrong song, greeted the magnitude of the event with an early yawp of ready enthusiasm, and punctuated “The Chain” with a declamatory “No!” emphasizing the song’s warning. For his part Buckingham instructed “Run run, run run!” with what felt like climactic urgency. And yet, this was just the set opener. (In fact, Cindy Crawford was just finding her seat near the front of the crowd who seemed to fill much of the park’s 55,000-seat capacity. Earlier in the Forum Club, where the laminate-holders assembled, there was much speculation as to how gauzily veiled attendee Bjork was going to deal with the barbeque that was on offer.)

McVie’s “You Make Loving Fun,” with her own pearlescent keyboard work, was a fine palate cleanser, and Nicks, who had recently carped lightly about McVie’s duet album and tour with Buckingham, quickly established with fond glances and earnest harmonizing that the Englishwoman is still her musical bestie. Notably here, and during other potentially challenging patches of the Mac canon, a pair of female back-up singers and a second keyboardist were somewhat shadowy but not clandestine contributors throughout the set.

The hits and occasional deeper cuts spilled forth -- Stevie’s never-quite-saccharine “Dreams," Lindsay’s “Second Hand News," Nicks' “Rhiannon” (done right but just shy of the abandoned passion she can sometimes lend it). Her “Sara” was dramatized to the frankly gaping crowd by a stroll to Buckingham’s side that ended in a sweet, if slightly awkward ex-lovers’ hug, and the set moved on through the catalog to “Landslide,” a song she recently told an English audience she has never skipped in concert. She dedicated it this night to the late Eagle Glenn Frey, with a warm nod to his son Deacon, who filled in for Glenn at the band's Classic West gig the night before.

Fleetwood Mac
READ MORE
Eagles and Fleetwood Mac Planning New York and Los Angeles Festivals: Exclusive
A little past the midpoint of the two-hour set, with Buckingham’s “Never Going Back Again” -- the chipper chords fighting it out with the lyrics’ painful regrets -- you could sense the turn towards home. The backdrop for “Gypsy,” by contrast to the bucolic images of trees and landscapes that previously dominated, deployed images that reminded the audience of that 1982 hit’s big-budget video. 1977’s “Gold Dust Woman” -- written, like “Gypsy,” around the time Nicks was having a later well-chronicled cocaine problem (even making a gesture of spooning something towards her face during her performance here) -- exemplifies the singer’s capability to match her life experiences up with rigorously savvy songwriting, and deliver it all with gritty certitude.

The previous night’s concert-capping performance by Eagles had taken on its own memorable gravitas as a tribute to the departed Frey, and given the many purchasers of two-day passes, the question hanging in the periphery was who scored best across six acts? Certainly Sunday’s opening set by Earth Wind and Fire was wonderfully played, polyrhythmic and got the house happily rocking, and Journey’s mid-show performance began with a wild momentum that carried from opener ”Separate Ways” through the fourth song, “Stone in Love,” as guitarist Neal Schon played with energy and precision. He owned the video screens while seemingly wardrobed for an MTV time capsule in bandana and shiny red jacket, gnashing his gum and very much on planet Neal --save for the moment when he dedicated “Lights’ to original singer Steve Perry. (Perry’s vocal replacement Arnel Pineda was reliably on the money.)

Fleetwood Mac photographed circa 1977.
READ MORE
Every Song on Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' Ranked
In Fleetwood Mac’s set, with an inevitable pair of song choices and an encore remaining, Buckingham stepped up with a certain I-got-this resolve. “I’m So Afraid” drills down to the parts most other singer-songwriters rarely reach -- as in, “Agony’s torn at my heart too long” -- with a performance to match, and as unsparingly frenzied as his vocal is, the lyrics can seem to be simply the platform for one of rock guitar’s signature epic workouts. Buckingham did not disappoint, at times even skipping about, though not in a carefree way, as the notes shrieked across Chavez Ravine.

By that time there, was only one song that could be thoroughly apt for the moment, and for the welcome release of the romantic tension that has served Fleetwood Mac so well even as it’s bedeviled them. The ringing chords of "Go Your Own Way" have joined with its freely stated pathos to make it a generational anthem, and if the message is plain as the author once stated to Dan Rather -- “It’s a damn shame -- it‘s not what I want” -- once again it made many thousands of concertgoers feel thoroughly fulfilled.

The break before the valedictory “Don’t Stop” was brief, and as the small temporary city headed for their various traffic jams, fireworks crackled and thumped overhead. There hasn't been much heard lately of the prospects for another Mac tour -- but based on the rattle, hum and heart of what the Dodger Stadium crowd witnessed, fans should wish the chain to remain unbroken for one more go-round.

[bwboy]

hehe yet again i have to agree with you bwboy! what's the world coming to? :laugh: it just seems completely wrong to compare situation that the Eagles were in with any other band participating.

:thumbsup:

[elle]

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/17/fleetwood-macs-lindsey-buckingham-offers-stunning-solo-moment-during-classic-west-at-dodger-stadium/

pasting the full text of this one too -

Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham offers stunning solo moment during Classic West at Dodger Stadium

By MICHELLE MILLS | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: July 17, 2017 at 10:38 am | UPDATED: July 17, 2017 at 3:15 pm

Following the Eagles’ headlining set on Saturday, the second night of Classic West at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 16, featured performances by Earth, Wind and Fire, Journey and Fleetwood Mac. while each of the acts offered strong performances with their share of memorable moments, Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham proved the star of the evening with a stunning solo performance during the band’s 2-hour headlining set.

As the rest of the band – drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie, singer Stevie Nicks and singer and keyboard player Christine McVie – slipped off stage, singer/guitarist Buckingham told the audience that they are “a band of contradictions,” and alluding to past adversity said, “We wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a great deal of love.” Then he offered up a moving solo performance of “Bleed to Love Her,” demonstrating not only his musical prowess, but pushing all the right emotional buttons as well.

Later as band finished “Sara,” there was an audible sigh from the audience as Stevie Nicks gave Buckingham a hug. She added on that emotional moment when after singing “Landslide” she took a moment to dedicate the tune to her friend Glenn Frey, who died in 2016. Frey’s son, Deacon Frey, stood in for him with the Eagles the night before.

“He just did it so beautifully; his daddy would be so proud of him,” Nicks said with a catch in her voice. “I didn’t (dedicate) it before I sang, because I would have started to cry.”

Journey had their share of sweetness as well, beginning with Arnel Pineda dedicating “Lights” to the band’s original singer Steve Perry and then performing it with the audience joining in on the choruses.

Keyboardist Jonathan Cain discussed how hard it is to tour and be away from your family. He told the crowd that it’s tough for the members of the military too and sent “Faithfully,” the last song recorded on the 1983 album, “Frontiers,” out to them.

Earth, Wind and Fire had the audience up and dancing through their entire set, despite the heat. Lead vocalist and percussionist Philip Bailey and the band paid tribute to founder Maurice White, who died in 2016, with “Serpentine Fire,” accompanied by a photo slideshow offering a wealth of images, both on and off stage.

After the group’s founding more than 45 years ago, there are only three original members left in EWF, Bailey, bassist Verdine White and percussionist Ralph Johnson, but the group offered up tight, upbeat tunes and an eye-catching stage show with sharp choreography. They ended their set with thanks, an applause for the crowd and big waves goodbye.

[Macfan4life]

I've been watching all the videos on youtube. I must say I am fascinated with Journey and Anrel Pineda and his amazing story from the slums to fronting his favorite band. Journey rocked and I loved their performance.

[Lola]

Thank you Elle. When I saw these reviews earlier they were basically what I expected to read not FM let me down! Jeez. I dunno, wasn't there. The true review is probably somewhere in the middle. It'll be fun to compare the East and West shows.

[elle]

http://variety.com/2017/music/news/concert-review-classic-west-fleetwood-mac-journey-earth-wind-fire-classic-west-1202497817/
This reviewer was hoping for an obscure album cut OR something from BuckVie. LMAO

hehe, thanks again! i actually enjoyed this one and actually learned more about the performance! and, someone posted on facebook that huge billboard / screen advertising BuckVie at the Greek - very cool. :nod: :thumbsup:

pasting full text:

Concert Review: ‘Yesterday’s Gone,’ but the Music Lives on for Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Classic West Crowd

Chris Willman
Music Writer
@chriswillman

Stevie NicksGETTY IMAGES FOR SCOOP MARKETING
JULY 17, 2017 | 02:22PM PT

“Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone,” Fleetwood Mac sang in the closing moments of the Classic West festival Sunday night, but considering that out of 97 songs performed by six acts over two days at Dodger Stadium, not one tune was younger than 20 years old — and only three had been minted in the last three decades — yesterday is very much alive. Thinking about tomorrow, or today, or anything as fresh as the 1990s was as far away from the agenda as a surprise Chainsmokers appearance.

And while we’re doing some math, the amount of F’s given about this lack of topicality by the crowd of tens of thousands added up to, well, zero. This was a vast audience that believes, overtly or innately, that the zenith of American culture can be firmly placed in the years 1972 to 1980, when both the Eagles and Steely Dan had their original runs before epic-length breakups, and when fellow festival attractions Fleetwood Mac, Journey, and the Doobie Brothers were all enjoying peak moments.

As nostalgic impulses go, this one isn’t exactly the coolest, but it isn’t the craziest, either. Listening to McVie’s band again reenact the crazy experiment in which the lushest soft rock is set to an impossibly muscular rhythm section, or hearing Earth Wind & Fire recreate a peculiar niche of soul that should have lived forever instead of going as extinct as the carrier pigeon, you, too, could have a moment of being lulled into advocating for the Me Decade as the Greatest Generation.

If it’s possible to copyright a decade, Irving Azoff has one on the ‘70s. The legendary talent manager is the force behind both the Classic West fest and its identical Classic East counterpart, taking place at New York’s Citi Field July 29-30. He represents all six billed bands, or at least individual members thereof — which surely goes a long way toward explaining why there’ll be no Desert Trip II this fall. Last year, Goldenvoice had the genius idea to put every remaining superstar whose career dates back to the 1960s on one bill out on the Coachella grounds… and, having used up virtually everyone who fit that criterion, short of reuniting Led Zeppelin or Simon & Garfunkel, they would have had no choice for a boomer sequel but to move on to the next decade of legends. But it would be pretty difficult to book a Superstars of the ‘70s festival without going through Azoff, who has nothing if not the kind of DIY attitude that makes cutting out the middleman look easy.

Irving Trip, if we can call it that, was an unqualified success by any visible marker. Ticket sales might have been in question when an aggressive marketing campaign offered attendees a free Dodgers ticket in combination with a two-day pass, but it was clear that campaigning had paid off when attendants were asking drivers to show their tickets before gaining entry to the parking lots. The festival was VIP-friendy, too — an Azoff trademark. The stadium’s Dugout Club was transformed into the Forum Club, a nod to the elaborate buffet area Azoff’s people set up to encourage industry folk to make the trek down to Inglewood when he took an interest in that facility. Chavez Ravine may not have the mystique of the desert, but it did have creature comforts for invited guests, and no blisters or pedicabs.

What this festival didn’t have is a headliner with the ongoing creative vitality of Desert Trip’s Bob Dylan or Neil Young. On Saturday night, even though they were playing strictly ancient material, the Eagles had a sense of occasion built into the show, because of the notable guests filling in for the late Glenn Frey. But the limitations of relying entirely on material from three or four decades ago became more apparent during Fleetwood Mac’s closing set Sunday, particularly as the band played precisely the same 20-song set they’d played a year earlier at Dodger Stadium.

Surely they’d bring out a guest, or pull out a lesser played single or obscure album cut, or do anything at all that would mark the show as something fresh or special? Like, maybe, just add a song from the brand new Buckingham/McVie project, which is pretty much a Fleetwood Mac album in everything but its Nicks-lessness? No, not even that, although LED screens did advertise an upcoming Greek appearance by Buckingham and McVie as a duo, which is the ticket you apparently need to buy if you want to hear some not-by-the-numbers Fleetwood Mac music.

The most oddly incongruous moment came when Lindsey Buckingham gave a short speech that was actually about the need for artists not to rest on their laurels. “People who’ve been doing this as long as we have tend to sort of, what would you say, chase the brand, if you will, and end up doing pretty much what’s expected of them,” he said. “And it becomes a little more tenuous going out there and taking risks and continuing to define yourself as an artist.” Was this a setup for a new song? No, just an introduction to a frenzied solo acoustic version of “Big Love” — rearranged from the studio rendition, as he suggested, but the same version he’s been playing on tour as a solo artist since 1993 and with Fleetwood Mac since 1997. Given Buckingham’s brilliance and past track record of artistic restlessness, it was bizarre to hear him sell this decades-old arrangement of “Big Love” as a Big Risk.

But as intransigent as the set list may be, no one would ever accuse Buckingham of phoning it in. Screaming at the end of guitar solos, the guitarist worked himself into a lather as if he were just discovering his wild man side for the first time, perhaps protesting the band’s essentially sedentary 21st-century nature a bit too much. He did give Mick Fleetwood a good laugh by doing a Ministry of Silly Walks march across the stage at the close of “I’m So Afraid.”

You had to love the contrast between the lengthy speech Buckingham gave about the band’s tortured history — excerpt: “Through all the difficulties … and all the politics … in this band, and it can get pretty convoluted sometimes, you have to acknowledge that we wouldn’t here still if there weren’t a great, great deal of love” — with Stevie Nicks simply saying: “It’s a journey. In SO MANY WAYS.” In another seemingly spontaneous moment, Buckingham walked up to Nicks during a lull in “Sara” and tenderly rested his head right above her heart. As ex-girlfriends are prone to do in that kind of situation, she gave him a sort of half-hug in return. If you’re a fan of awkward moments, that one was almost worth the price of admission.

Sunday’s sets by Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire were hardly any less rooted and sealed in the past, but with those openers, the time capsule factor seemed to matter less. That’s partly because we expect less of them creatively, with both missing their former creative leaders, Steve Perry and the late Maurice White, respectively. It’s also because neither crew has any pretensions at this point about anything beyond competing to be the world’s greatest block-party band, a title either outfit could effectively contend for at any given moment, based on the relentlessly high-energy, ridiculously entertaining sets both turned in Sunday.

Journey was the only one of the six acts you’d say had something significant to gain from these bicoastal festivals, beyond the obvious paycheck and good will. They were the only one of the opening bands to get a 100-minute slot, as opposed to the 75-minute bookings for Steely Dan, EWF, and the Doobies. It was hard not to see that padded set length as an act of added evangelism on management’s part — because, as successful as the group tends to be on the road, there’s still enough of an aversion to ringer singers that the majority of Classic West attendees would probably never give a moment’s thought to buying a Journey ticket in 2017. They will now, though, so: Evangelism accomplished.

Journey is actually almost a decade into having Filipino-American success story Arnel Pineda as singer, and it’s not just because we haven’t been paying strict attention to time passing that we still think of him as the kid. It’s because he doesn’t look or, certainly, act a day over 19, even though a web check reveals Pineda is just shy of his 50th birthday. He has the Perry chops down, of course, but also a propensity for very non-Perryesque midair splits. Pineda gives off the kind of energy that makes you think he could hop over to Sunset and pave the whole length of it to the sea and back in amber, and still be back on stage by the end of Neil Schon’s guitar solo.

So, yes, we can maybe agree that they don’t make ‘em like they used to, when most of the true remaining rock royals, as seen here or at Desert Trip, are sixty- or seventy-something… but there’s still a lot to be said for the unrelenting vivacity of youth after all. Even if, in Pineda’s case, youth is actually just five months shy of an AARP card.

FILED UNDER: EaglesFleetwood MacIrving AzoffJourney

[dreamsunwind]

I've watched a lot of videos from the shows and it looked great! I'm still kinda iffy on how The Eagles are still performing without Glenn, even if it's with his son which is very touching, it just doesn't feel right to me. But it's amazing how well Don Henley's voice has held up. Obviously it's not the same as during his young prime, but he still sounds really great if you ask me. Same tone, same overall sound, good range. He's got one of the great voices in music. And I had to admit it, but it really shows you how much Stevie, Lindsey and Christine's voices have deteriorated. Stevie and Lindsey especially don't even sound anything like how they did during their primes.

[justcrazylove]

C'mon lets all get real here, who is actually shocked by any of this?

Going on the videos on YouTube i think they sound great, however they were always going to phone this performance in and that's exactly what we got.

The only thing I'm hoping for is next years tour has some bite to it, and isn't a by the numbers greatest hits fest. :cool::(

[elle]

and another review (i think this one hasn't been posted yet?) -

http://ew.com/music/2017/07/17/classic-west-6-standout-moments-the-eagles-fleetwood-mac-more/

Classic West: 6 standout moments from The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and more
MAUREEN LEE LENKER@THEMAUREENLEE

POSTED ON JULY 17, 2017 AT 4:52PM EDT

The popularity of Coachella has bred a new kind of music festival – a nostalgia-fueled Woodstock in miniature, filled with the iconic bands and artists of rock & roll’s past. Last fall saw the inaugural Desert Trip – a two-weekend extravaganza featuring the likes of the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and The Who.

Los Angeles got its own taste of a throwback weekend with The Classic West on July 15 and 16. The two-night concert at Dodger Stadium featured The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Journey, as well as headliners The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. The same groups will do it all over again for The Classic East on July 29 and 30 at Citi Field in New York.

Classic West was the perfect hazy summer rock concert – a chance to wander down memory lane (even if it might be your parent’s memories and not yours) and soak in the good vibes. They don’t call it “The Classic” for nothing. Here are our six favorite moments from the weekend-long classic rock festival.

We Will Never Be Here Again…

An inevitable part of these shows is the absence of band members – whether they’ve simply left the band or died. Tributes and a bittersweet melancholy were a natural part of the weekend, including a medley in honor of Maurice White and a celebration of the remaining original members of Earth, Wind, and Fire. The most palpable absence was that of Eagles singer Glenn Frey – this show marked the band’s first concert since his Jan. 2016 death. The lack of his presence was still a fresh wound felt by band members and fans alike.

Frey’s band members spoke lovingly of their missing friend. Guitarist Joe Walsh kicked off the show, saying, “This one’s for you, Glenn – you’re in our hearts tonight and the music goes on.” Don Henley noted, “Glenn is with us tonight. Glenn is with us in spirit, and Glenn is also here in the form of his fine son Deacon.”

Looking uncannily like his father during the early days of the band, Deacon Frey took over some of his dad’s lead vocals, most notably on “Take it Easy,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” and “Already Gone” (country singer Vince Gill did some of the heavy lifting on other Frey-led charts). The talents and unassailable grace of Frey’s 24-year-old son Deacon were the revelations of the night. His soulful vocals belied a deep well of talent suggesting he’s inherited much of what made Glenn Frey a singular voice. He didn’t merely pop out to cover a few songs — he truly integrated into the band, lending background harmonies and guitar stylings throughout the night and never leaving the stage. But it was his emotional proclamations that really brought down the house, as he told the audience, “The only remedy for something like that [grief] is love – you guys are my medicine tonight.” He took the musical break in “Peaceful Easy Feeling” to ask, while visibly choked up, “Anyone out there miss my dad?” – a query that drew loud cheers and provoked many tear-stained faces.

Artists outside the band also paid tribute to the late Eagle. During Sunday night’s concert, Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks dedicated “Landslide,” her emotional ballad of loss and change, to Glenn Frey and Deacon for a performance she said would have made his dad proud. Nicks waited until the conclusion of the song, remarking with a lump in her throat, “I didn’t do it before because I knew I would have started to cry and I wouldn’t have gotten through it.”

They Called it Paradise

Part of the magic of The Eagles is that their soulful harmonies have always meant they didn’t need much more than a few instruments and their own voices to put on an amazing show. But they pulled out all the stops for this special engagement, bringing on a cadre of gifted musicians and instrumental acrobatics to wow the crowd. Bob Seger joined the group on “Heartache Tonight,” a tune he co-wrote with the band over the phone.

The most important special guests, however, were those without recognizable names and platinum albums to their credit. Henley sang the final track from the Hotel California album, “The Last Resort,” a song he noted is rarely performed in concert because of the “personnel” it requires. They certainly didn’t skimp on personnel, bringing on a string section to provide the necessary backing on this provocative ballad about our tendencies to destroy the things we find most beautiful. It was a rare treat to hear live in concert with full orchestrations what Frey once dubbed “Henley’s opus.” The Eagles were also joined by a killer horn section that added exciting riffs to a new arrangement of “Witchy Woman,” and a stirring, mariachi-infused trumpet solo to the opening of “Hotel California.”

An Axe to Grind

Both The Eagles’ Joe Walsh and Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham hold a place of honor on Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists.” With many on that list no longer living, it’s easy to think the chance for a one-two punch like “The Classic” is something that belongs only to the past and the likes of the Monterey Pop Festival. To see two such legends strut their stuff in one weekend? It’s almost too good to be true.

Walsh was in top form Saturday night, from his iconic riffs in “Life in the Fast Lane” and “Hotel California” to his lengthier jam sessions on his solo charts “Life’s Been Good” and “Rocky Mountain Way.” He has a mesmerizing talent and a dexterity with his instrument that makes it impossible to take your eyes off him when he’s performing.

It was Buckingham’s turn to bring the goods Sunday night, with his dizzying guitar sprees through the likes of “Big Love” and “Never Going Back Again” that made him appear a man possessed by an inner spirit that flits between demon and rock angel. For all of his intensity and musical aggression on “Big Love,” “The Chain,” and “Go Your Own Way,” he brought an equally compelling softness and deft touch to the lilting tunes of “Never Going Back Again” and “Landslide.”

Walsh is all rock & roll bravado fueled by his mischievous spirit – an antic sprite of music. In contrast, Buckingham is the rock answer to classical guitar with fingerpicking that elevates his folk music roots into stadium-worthy licks. The two are the yin and yang of epic guitar playing, particularly when presented in direct complement and contrast to one another.

Don’t Say That You Love Me

In 1979, Fleetwood Mac made history (and gave a college marching band a platinum album) when they recruited the USC Marching Band to record and star in the music video for “Tusk.” Mick Fleetwood later called the moment his “lunacy.” In 2012, Stevie Nicks told the BBC, “I honestly think that that might be the very best thing that came out of that whole record because it was so crazy and the song was so insane and what we did with it with that video was so magical, that nobody, I don’t think any band has ever re-created something quite that cinematic.”

To see Fleetwood Mac bring the same life, fire, and yes, lunacy to a live rendition of this tune nearly 40 years after the original in the very stadium where they crafted an insane and iconic music video defies description. Fleetwood was in top form on drums, and Buckingham can still bellow his unintelligible and chilling vocal riffs with guttural aplomb. For good measure, they included the original footage of the music video and the Trojan Marching Band on the screen behind them. It was the most meta moment of the night and a chance to feel like you were being transported back into a part of rock history.

Shatter Your Illusions of Love

Stevie Nicks is a witchy, mystical, supreme goddess. And she brought all of her boho-queen magic to the stage this weekend, most particularly on a haunting rendition of “Gold Dust Woman.” Swathed in a gold shawl, Nicks first wowed with her signature vocals but then brought the crowd to its feet with her mystic moves, which included a series of spins and a litany of poses that erupted out of her as she let the power of the music drive her.

Nicks has always crafted a witchy, numinous image, but the reason it works is because her performances make you feel as if her vocals and her movements are truly being fed by some magical inner life force. Her voice has a haunting power that suggests she’s not exactly of this world, and her accompanying iconic moves and clothing just seal the deal.

“Don’t Stop” x Two

Sunday’s show was the night of “Don’t Stop” encores – first, Journey made “Don’t Stop Believin’” their penultimate tune and then Fleetwood Mac wrapped up the entire weekend with “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow).” The two charts are show-closers for a reason.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” has become a bit of a musical punch line at this point, thanks to the likes of Glee and endless karaoke covers. But you’d have to be quite the curmudgeon to not enjoy the experience of hearing it earnestly belted out across a stadium of thousands of eager concertgoers.

“Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” is almost the antithesis of the other “Don’t Stop,” a jaunty pop-rock blast of optimism in contrast to the power ballad melodrama of the Journey tune. For fans of Fleetwood Mac, it was a thrill to end the night with the Christine McVie song, considering she was absent from the tour line-up from 1997-2014. Accompanied by a flurry of fireworks, “Don’t Stop” sent the crowd out on a literal high note – a frenzy of effervescent light and fizzy good tunes.

Click here to purchase tickets for The Classic East.

[elle]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">TY <a href="https://twitter.com/fleetwoodmac">@fleetwoodmac</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/johnmcvie?src=hash">#johnmcvie</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/christinemcvie?src=hash">#christinemcvie</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stevienicks?src=hash">#stevienicks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mickfleetwood?src=hash">#mickfleetwood</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lindseybuckingham?src=hash">#lindseybuckingham</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fleetwoodmac?src=hash">#fleetwoodmac</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/classicwest?src=hash">#classicwest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/concert?src=hash">#concert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/music?src=hash">#music</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fun?src=hash">#fun</a> <a href="https://t.co/B8Oiyo92cm">pic.twitter.com/B8Oiyo92cm</a></p>&mdash; Joni Milken-Noah (@malibuheaven1) <a href="https://twitter.com/malibuheaven1/status/886981756385021952">July 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[aleuzzi]

Having watched the clips, I'm quite frankly surprised so many people are displeased with the performances. They're tight, professional, and well-executed. What else would someone expect from this gig? It was done to please someone with a lot of money and influence. The band were paid well. And well, that's that. I'm just really glad they can still perform so well at their ages.

Now, if they went out on tour with such an unadventurous set, I'd be annoyed. But they may very well do so anyway!

[Macfan4life]

OUCH!
Not sure if this was posted but this guy from the LA Times felt betrayed by the Mac's performance.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-classic-west-20170717-story.html

I can’t say I wasn’t warned.
In a recent interview with Lindsey Buckingham, I asked the Fleetwood Mac frontman about turning his attention from his and Christine McVie’s new duets album to Fleetwood Mac’s participation in Classic West.
First he cringed, as though the mere mention of the two-day festival — which brought Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, among other veteran rock acts, to Dodger Stadium over the weekend — had embarrassed him. Then he explained that the explicitly nostalgic event wasn’t exactly his dream gig, but that he’d agreed to do it in deference to his manager, Irving Azoff, who put the Classic West together.
Buckingham’s mantra for the show? “Just close your eyes and take the money.”

Having seen Sunday’s miserable excuse for a concert, I wish I’d been closing my eyes.
It’s not that I object to (or was scandalized by) Buckingham’s avowed desire to be paid. Pop music is fundamentally a commercial enterprise; money plays no less a role than a strong beat in making the whole thing go.
So of course Classic West was a paycheck, one almost certainly inspired by the enormous success of last year’s Desert Trip festival in Indio, which made an estimated $160 million with a boomer-attuned bill that included the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney. (On Sunday, Fleetwood Mac was preceded by Journey and Earth Wind & Fire, both as competent as they were unremarkable.)
But great pop makes you forget about the profit motive; it finds ways to put across real emotion or drama or excitement — something, anyway, that feels like those things — while doing its dirty work behind your back.

And that’s a trick Fleetwood Mac knows better than just about any other band in rock history.
Take the group’s celebrated “Rumours” album, which we’re constantly reminded has sold approximately 1 zillion copies since it came out in 1977. At another point in our conversation, Buckingham said the album’s vaunted sales numbers have been so widely discussed that they’ve actually overwhelmed the music itself.
But it’s not true.
Put on “Dreams” now, 40 years later, and your mind isn’t filled with thoughts of Mick Fleetwood’s ample retirement fund. You think about thunder and players and the sound of your loneliness like a heartbeat.
It’s not just these musicians’ old stuff, either. Buckingham and McVie’s record is a low-key delight, with loads of crafty melodies and inventive production touches that demonstrate how clearly they’ve influenced hip young bands such as Haim and Phoenix.
Stevie Nicks put out two solid solo albums in the last few years. And before Saturday I’d have said Fleetwood Mac was sounding as vital on the road — especially since McVie rejoined in 2014 — as the group ever had.
At Dodger Stadium, though, I thought a lot about that ample retirement fund.
For the record, the band did not play well. “Little Lies,” one of Fleetwood Mac’s most luscious hits, was comically ragged, while “Gypsy” moved so sluggishly that you felt like you were hearing the band’s batteries die in real time.
But the true bummer was how unengaged the members were in the music — how little pleasure (or pain) they seemed to be taking in the job at hand. There was no humor or charm, nor any evidence of the group’s mythically complicated chemistry; song after song in the two-hour set simply rolled by as though they were marking items off a grocery list.
“What album is it from?” McVie asked, a cartoon of rock-star distraction, before “Think About Me.” Elsewhere, Nicks, looking like she regretted skipping her disco nap, dedicated “Landslide” to Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon, who’d filled in for his late father the night before with the Eagles.
At least Nicks’ tribute took the show off the script it otherwise clung to tightly.
Look, I get it, bands use set lists; they’re practically required by big productions with lights and video. But Sunday’s show was a step-by-step replica (minus the energy and charisma) of other gigs I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac play in recent years — a real disappointment given the potential for something special here.
For instance? “Tusk.”
In the late ’70s Buckingham famously recorded that song at Dodger Stadium with help from the USC marching band.
How hard would it have been to arrange for some drummers and horn players to bring that moment back to life in the very same place? Imagine the smiles and goose bumps the band would’ve given to the tens of thousands of fans who’ve kept Fleetwood Mac afloat for decades.
Maybe those folks were the problem though.
As Buckingham’s queasy feelings about Classic West suggested, the singer and guitarist appears more interested these days in cultivating a new audience than with servicing the lifers.
Which is a valuable impulse. But that meant that this concert, with its graying demographic, resembled an obligation on the band’s part — a chore not worth putting too much effort into.
And that’s not only a cynical position, it’s a poorly informed one. In their excellent performance on Saturday, the Eagles showed that it’s possible to refresh a vintage sound while maintaining a cherished legacy.
Twenty-four hours later, the members of Fleetwood Mac made me feel like a sucker for caring about theirs.

[Steviegirl]

OUCH!
Not sure if this was posted but this guy from the LA Times felt betrayed by the Mac's performance.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-classic-west-20170717-story.html

I can’t say I wasn’t warned.
In a recent interview with Lindsey Buckingham, I asked the Fleetwood Mac frontman about turning his attention from his and Christine McVie’s new duets album to Fleetwood Mac’s participation in Classic West.
First he cringed, as though the mere mention of the two-day festival — which brought Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, among other veteran rock acts, to Dodger Stadium over the weekend — had embarrassed him. Then he explained that the explicitly nostalgic event wasn’t exactly his dream gig, but that he’d agreed to do it in deference to his manager, Irving Azoff, who put the Classic West together.
Buckingham’s mantra for the show? “Just close your eyes and take the money.”

Having seen Sunday’s miserable excuse for a concert, I wish I’d been closing my eyes.
It’s not that I object to (or was scandalized by) Buckingham’s avowed desire to be paid. Pop music is fundamentally a commercial enterprise; money plays no less a role than a strong beat in making the whole thing go.
So of course Classic West was a paycheck, one almost certainly inspired by the enormous success of last year’s Desert Trip festival in Indio, which made an estimated $160 million with a boomer-attuned bill that included the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney. (On Sunday, Fleetwood Mac was preceded by Journey and Earth Wind & Fire, both as competent as they were unremarkable.)
But great pop makes you forget about the profit motive; it finds ways to put across real emotion or drama or excitement — something, anyway, that feels like those things — while doing its dirty work behind your back.

And that’s a trick Fleetwood Mac knows better than just about any other band in rock history.
Take the group’s celebrated “Rumours” album, which we’re constantly reminded has sold approximately 1 zillion copies since it came out in 1977. At another point in our conversation, Buckingham said the album’s vaunted sales numbers have been so widely discussed that they’ve actually overwhelmed the music itself.
But it’s not true.
Put on “Dreams” now, 40 years later, and your mind isn’t filled with thoughts of Mick Fleetwood’s ample retirement fund. You think about thunder and players and the sound of your loneliness like a heartbeat.
It’s not just these musicians’ old stuff, either. Buckingham and McVie’s record is a low-key delight, with loads of crafty melodies and inventive production touches that demonstrate how clearly they’ve influenced hip young bands such as Haim and Phoenix.
Stevie Nicks put out two solid solo albums in the last few years. And before Saturday I’d have said Fleetwood Mac was sounding as vital on the road — especially since McVie rejoined in 2014 — as the group ever had.
At Dodger Stadium, though, I thought a lot about that ample retirement fund.
For the record, the band did not play well. “Little Lies,” one of Fleetwood Mac’s most luscious hits, was comically ragged, while “Gypsy” moved so sluggishly that you felt like you were hearing the band’s batteries die in real time.
But the true bummer was how unengaged the members were in the music — how little pleasure (or pain) they seemed to be taking in the job at hand. There was no humor or charm, nor any evidence of the group’s mythically complicated chemistry; song after song in the two-hour set simply rolled by as though they were marking items off a grocery list.
“What album is it from?” McVie asked, a cartoon of rock-star distraction, before “Think About Me.” Elsewhere, Nicks, looking like she regretted skipping her disco nap, dedicated “Landslide” to Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon, who’d filled in for his late father the night before with the Eagles.
At least Nicks’ tribute took the show off the script it otherwise clung to tightly.
Look, I get it, bands use set lists; they’re practically required by big productions with lights and video. But Sunday’s show was a step-by-step replica (minus the energy and charisma) of other gigs I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac play in recent years — a real disappointment given the potential for something special here.
For instance? “Tusk.”
In the late ’70s Buckingham famously recorded that song at Dodger Stadium with help from the USC marching band.
How hard would it have been to arrange for some drummers and horn players to bring that moment back to life in the very same place? Imagine the smiles and goose bumps the band would’ve given to the tens of thousands of fans who’ve kept Fleetwood Mac afloat for decades.
Maybe those folks were the problem though.
As Buckingham’s queasy feelings about Classic West suggested, the singer and guitarist appears more interested these days in cultivating a new audience than with servicing the lifers.
Which is a valuable impulse. But that meant that this concert, with its graying demographic, resembled an obligation on the band’s part — a chore not worth putting too much effort into.
And that’s not only a cynical position, it’s a poorly informed one. In their excellent performance on Saturday, the Eagles showed that it’s possible to refresh a vintage sound while maintaining a cherished legacy.
Twenty-four hours later, the members of Fleetwood Mac made me feel like a sucker for caring about theirs.

As much as it breaks my heart, I think there is a lot of truth here. As a devoted fan who remembers bringing home the Rumours album and investing, (happily), in this band for decades, I can't help but feel the same way Lindsey does about the "Classics." I truly admire that he and Christine are on the road with new music. In the videos of the Classic, everything appears very stale and phoned in. I particularly found myself dreading the "crackhead dance," which, to me, is not only uninspired but also not befitting Stevie in its very name and its clunky execution. I have loved--and still love--this band with all my heart, and I understand Lindsey's loyalty to Irving Azoff, but I really wish they hadn't participated in this.

[dontlookdown]

That's the thing: this is a band that was always famous for their chemistry, good or bad, and the drama sorrounding them at all time. To be on the stage like robots who are doing their job sucks, simply because that's not who they are.

And it wasn't only Stevie and Lindsey. Christine didn't look very happy either. I don't know if the BuckVie tour is the cause of this strange behavior on stage, but a cold concert with no emotion whatsoever isn't exactly who they are. And it makes the concert less pleasurable. :distress:

And I certainly sympathize with the reporter. It makes you feel like a sucker for caring about their legacy.

I don't think Fleetwood Mac has really ever been a great stadium band. The Eagles are masters at duplicating the sound of the records; but Fleetwood Mac has always been a different thing on stage - with much more interesting arrangements and more muscle. Also the acoustics at Dodger stadium are AWFUL, and it's the main reason I didn't go. The stage is far away from where they put the first row of fans, and in general it's a lousy place for bands to play and connect with the audience.

[sodascouts]

Poor Lindsey. He decides to be honest and not just give the "company line", and it gets thrown in his face.

And we wonder why all he does is repeat platitudes in his interviews.

[John Run]

Poor Lindsey. He decides to be honest and not just give the "company line", and it gets thrown in his face.

And we wonder why all he does is repeat platitudes in his interviews.

Yes! It appears the writer is a FM / LB fan and his idealism about the music vs the realism of the business became conflicted and he went into the show with a preconceived bias based on the prior statement Lindsey had provided him. I am sure that quote informed all that his ears heard and eyes saw.

That said this particular review has been reposted 3 times in this short thread even though 5 of the 7 media reviews have been positive, one middle of the road, and this one take down piece.

That said, i had no intrest in seeing these shows because of much of what was written. But let's please not act like that FM is some lone capitalistic sellout in the music business. They gave a professional show, they played 20 hits and played them well. It is just not my cup of tea.

[button-lip]

I think the band received the message loud and clear... :nod: Coincidence? :shrug:

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u527/rojo2706/Christine_zpsfixo323f.png (http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/rojo2706/media/Christine_zpsfixo323f.png.html)

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u527/rojo2706/Mick_zpsgyctju1u.jpg (http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/rojo2706/media/Mick_zpsgyctju1u.jpg.html)

[button-lip]

Poor Lindsey. He decides to be honest and not just give the "company line", and it gets thrown in his face.

And we wonder why all he does is repeat platitudes in his interviews.

I've talked to some people who was there and they told me that Lindsey's performance was the best by far. So, he's not perceived by fans the same way as this writer. ;)

[button-lip]

I don't think Fleetwood Mac has really ever been a great stadium band. The Eagles are masters at duplicating the sound of the records; but Fleetwood Mac has always been a different thing on stage - with much more interesting arrangements and more muscle. Also the acoustics at Dodger stadium are AWFUL, and it's the main reason I didn't go. The stage is far away from where they put the first row of fans, and in general it's a lousy place for bands to play and connect with the audience.

I have read several comments on the acoustics there. And I also noticed the first row is far, far away from the stage. Pretty much like in my country. But that's because we're beasts with our idols. Too much passion. :laugh::laugh:

[elle]

Yes! It appears the writer is a FM / LB fan and his idealism about the music vs the realism of the business became conflicted and he went into the show with a preconceived bias based on the prior statement Lindsey had provided him. I am sure that quote informed all that his ears heard and eyes saw.

That said this particular review has been reposted 3 times in this short thread even though 5 of the 7 media reviews have been positive, one middle of the road, and this one take down piece.

That said, i had no intrest in seeing these shows because of much of what was written. But let's please not act like that FM is some lone capitalistic sellout in the music business. They gave a professional show, they played 20 hits and played them well. It is just not my cup of tea.

i don't know. a hardcore fan would NEVER think that festival cashgrab show would be "for fans" like this guy seems to believe. so that's where he immediately loses me, as well as behaving all personally insluted by LB for telling him exactly what he will get from their festival show, when they actually delievered greatsst hits set that Lindsey told him will be the case. seriously? what was he thinking, that LB was lying to him?

and if this guy has seen FM shows before, how were Gypsy or Little Lies different or so much worse at this show than on the last FM tour? really? i bet they were about the same!

as you so nicely stated in your last paragraph, unless you've never had a chance to see FM live, the fans like you or i, from the US or parts of Europe where FM tour regularly, have little interest or expectations of a diverse setlist from a stadium-held "festival" show that's done for masses who mainly jsut want to be able to say they've been there and they saw FM and they knew all the songs.

and, this part of the review makes this particular reviewer look kinda pathetic - like he's just complaining because he didn't get his dose of expected fake interactions:

But the true bummer was how unengaged the members were in the music — how little pleasure (or pain) they seemed to be taking in the job at hand. There was no humor or charm, nor any evidence of the group’s mythically complicated chemistry; song after song in the two-hour set simply rolled by
it's a rock conecrt, dude! get over the melodrana of the past, looks like the band [mostly] has!

[elle]

Poor Lindsey. He decides to be honest and not just give the "company line", and it gets thrown in his face.

And we wonder why all he does is repeat platitudes in his interviews.
i know right? i had that same thought many times, knowing how way too direct and candid he is when he actually speaks of the cuff!

[Buster]

I don't know why the LA Times guy or anyone for that matter is surprised by the FM performance. They are not spontaneous and since they didn't really care about this show other than the $$, why would they do something like get a marching band. They aren't going to show chemistry because they don't have any. They stopped being a band in the 80's. The only time they've shown any excitement about being together was a little bit around The Dance and a little bit after Christine rejoined a couple of years ago.

Of course they are going to provide a professional, well-executed performance and nothing more/different.

Buckingham McVie can now go back to enjoying their tour and Stevie can enjoy the last of the awesome 24 Karat tour, Mick Fleetwood can twiddle his fingers waiting to make some more cash during the farewell tour and that's about it.

[iamnotafraid]

OUCH!
Not sure if this was posted but this guy from the LA Times felt betrayed by the Mac's performance.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-classic-west-20170717-story.html


Stevie Nicks put out two solid solo albums in the last few years...

And before Saturday I’d have said Fleetwood Mac was sounding as vital on the road — especially since McVie rejoined in 2014 — as the group ever had.




I put little credence in this review after reading those few lines.

[Kubrick2788]

as an unapologetic super fan of 'Sara,' that was a pretty great version. seems like everyone was singing well. if this is what the next tour's set is (plus the notable dropped songs) i can be happy with that send-off. i think the separate tours have worked well for these three. just a thought.

[aleuzzi]

I guess I'm missing something here because I saw the video clips of the show and thought the band did very well. I wasn't expecting amazeballs chemistry or a new set list since this show was only the first of a two-off. What's the big deal? From the clips I've seen of the US festival, I'd say the band had a similar mindset going into that as they did with this show. It's business. They did well.

Anyone irate enough to write the article the LA Times writer wrote has no real idea of what the band has become over the last 15 years. Also, I think the writer believed he had a genuine "angle" in using LB's "undiplomatic" comment--which was cajoled out of him--as grist for the mill in reviewing the ensuing concert. I get the sense he went to the concert expecting--even hoping--it would confirm his thesis so he could write what he wrote. The problem is, I don't think he was all that accurate: the band sounded more than reasonably good. And they're all approaching or over 70.

[Lisa W]

I was at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night and from what I saw the crowd totally enjoyed the set and the performances. The people around me were not regular FM concertgoers, so they appreciated hearing hits they were familiar with. I've seen the Mac numerous times in L.A. venues, but knew going in that this gig would not veer from what people wanted to hear.

I was thrilled that Sara and Bleed to Love her were performed. I also got really excited when they started into Think About Me, but it was then that their short rehearsal time showed. From the start of that song the timing seemed off and halfway through, the drums came up really loudly in the mix. It was so noticeable that when it ended, the lady next to me said "well that was really random...".

My overall impression is that the band and crew felt really rushed through set-up and performance. FM was scheduled to come on at 8:55pm, but the crew was not yet finished by that time. The band came onstage at 9:04 and had to be off by the 11pm curfew. It was clear that the usual lead-ins and comments were not going to happen, but I actually think the crowd enjoyed the faster pace. For me it seemed less personal, but I totally understood why the speaking parts and certain songs were not included.

The only thing I agree with from the very unreasonable LA Times review is that there could have been an acknowledgement of the role that Dodger Stadium played in the recording of the Tusk single. While they did play the USC band video in the background, I'm sure there were many people there that did not know the important stadium connection. I realize there was not enough rehearsal time available to include a live Trojan band performance, but I think it was a missed opportunity that Lindsey or Mick did not at least mention the Dodger Stadium role before or after the Tusk performance.

I did see the the repeated ads for the August 2nd BuckVie show in L.A. and am looking forward to being there!! I also went to two of Stevie's 24K Gold tour shows which were terrific as well. My attitude about the whole thing is that I'm amazed and thankful that these five people (that I first saw live in 1979) are still performing while veering back and forth from getting along and driving each other crazy. I look forward to whatever is ahead from them!!

[button-lip]

I was at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night and from what I saw the crowd totally enjoyed the set and the performances. The people around me were not regular FM concertgoers, so they appreciated hearing hits they were familiar with. I've seen the Mac numerous times in L.A. venues, but knew going in that this gig would not veer from what people wanted to hear.

I was thrilled that Sara and Bleed to Love her were performed. I also got really excited when they started into Think About Me, but it was then that their short rehearsal time showed. From the start of that song the timing seemed off and halfway through, the drums came up really loudly in the mix. It was so noticeable that when it ended, the lady next to me said "well that was really random...".

My overall impression is that the band and crew felt really rushed through set-up and performance. FM was scheduled to come on at 8:55pm, but the crew was not yet finished by that time. The band came onstage at 9:04 and had to be off by the 11pm curfew. It was clear that the usual lead-ins and comments were not going to happen, but I actually think the crowd enjoyed the faster pace. For me it seemed less personal, but I totally understood why the speaking parts and certain songs were not included.

The only thing I agree with from the very unreasonable LA Times review is that there could have been an acknowledgement of the role that Dodger Stadium played in the recording of the Tusk single. While they did play the USC band video in the background, I'm sure there were many people there that did not know the important stadium connection. I realize there was not enough rehearsal time available to include a live Trojan band performance, but I think it was a missed opportunity that Lindsey or Mick did not at least mention the Dodger Stadium role before or after the Tusk performance.

I did see the the repeated ads for the August 2nd BuckVie show in L.A. and am looking forward to being there!! I also went to two of Stevie's 24K Gold tour shows which were terrific as well. My attitude about the whole thing is that I'm amazed and thankful that these five people (that I first saw live in 1979) are still performing while veering back and forth from getting along and driving each other crazy. I look forward to whatever is ahead from them!!


Thanks for your review, Lisa! I was also told that people took a seat during Bleed to Love her and Think About Me, maybe because those are not popular songs. Too bad the lack of rehearsals was noticeable. Luckily they will have three months of rehearsals for the 2018 tour. ;)

Let's hope they won't be rushed at the Classic East. I didn't know there was a curfew for these kind of events. :shrug:

I understand these are not concerts designed for hardcore fans and given the circumstances of the crew delay, they had to rush everything. :thumbsup: I hope the organisation of the event improves in Citi Field.

[HomerMcvie]

Thanks for your review, Lisa! I was also told that people took a seat during Bleed to Love her and Think About Me, maybe because those are not popular songs. Too bad the lack of rehearsals was noticeable. Luckily they will have three months of rehearsals for the 2018 tour. ;)

Let's hope they won't be rushed at the Classic East. I didn't know there was a curfew for these kind of events. :shrug:

I understand these are not concerts designed for hardcore fans and given the circumstances of the crew delay, they had to rush everything. :thumbsup: I hope the organisation of the event improves in Citi Field.

Think About Me is in my all time top 10 FM song list!

I don't think I've ever been to a concert(at a major venue - not a club, obviously) that was "allowed" to go past 11PM. I believe mostly due to "union" stage hands(I've read about bands paying penalties, when they've gone past 11), but also local noise ordinances for outdoor venues, which are typically 11PM, also.

[button-lip]

Think About Me is in my all time top 10 FM song list!

I know! I can't stop singing it every time I listen to my Tusk CD on my car! :shrug:


I don't think I've ever been to a concert(at a major venue - not a club, obviously) that was "allowed" to go past 11PM. I believe mostly due to "union" stage hands(I've read about bands paying penalties, when they've gone past 11), but also local noise ordinances for outdoor venues, which are typically 11PM, also.


I know. I just want the party to never stop!!! :]:]:nod::blob2::blob2::xoxo:

Can't you tell I'm already in concert mode? :D;)

[HomerMcvie]

I know. I just want the party to never stop!!! :]:]:nod::blob2::blob2::xoxo:

Can't you tell I'm already in concert mode? :D;)

Hope you have a blast!!:angel:

[button-lip]

Hope you have a blast!!:angel:

Thanks! :xoxo:

[Macfan4life]

Lets not forget..... Fleetwood Mac is not a spontaneous band. They are probably the most ritualistic live band ever. They only open with 1 or 2 songs and have the same show closers. They are not political and never acknowledge events from the stage. During Christine's solo tour before she performed Songbird she acknowledged the town's tragedy where 7 teens died in a fun house fire. Its a shame they did not acknowledge Dodger stadium but it would have surprised me if they did. Lindsey makes the same short speech night after night. No variation ever. For God's sake why they never played Illume in New York City when the city was still recovering from 9/11 surprised me but not really. Fleetwood Mac is not that kind of band. And during a Stadium show they are not going to stray from their live formula. Even when Billy and Rick joined the band, they did not take chances. They tried to replace Lindsey live which is impossible. They should have put their own stamp on the songs with a lick here or there. But they would never do that and play conservatively.

[dontlookdown]

Fleetwood Mac is a lot more political than you think.
Individually and collectively they are generous contributors to worthwhile social justice organizations. Even good ole John McVie has denounced his Republican loyalty.

Regarding the LA times reviewer - I had to chuckle when I read he felt betrayed.
As if he is owed by Fleetwood Mac. Narcissistic behavior is having a moment it seems, in the USA.

[GypsySorcerer]

I don't know why the LA Times guy or anyone for that matter is surprised by the FM performance. They are not spontaneous and since they didn't really care about this show other than the $$, why would they do something like get a marching band. They aren't going to show chemistry because they don't have any. They stopped being a band in the 80's. The only time they've shown any excitement about being together was a little bit around The Dance and a little bit after Christine rejoined a couple of years ago.

Of course they are going to provide a professional, well-executed performance and nothing more/different.

Buckingham McVie can now go back to enjoying their tour and Stevie can enjoy the last of the awesome 24 Karat tour, Mick Fleetwood can twiddle his fingers waiting to make some more cash during the farewell tour and that's about it.

Exactly. Where's this LA times guy been for the past 20+ years? :laugh:

I love them, but spontaneous they are not.

[Macfan4life]

Fleetwood Mac is a lot more political than you think.
Individually and collectively they are generous contributors to worthwhile social justice organizations. Even good ole John McVie has denounced his Republican loyalty.

Regarding the LA times reviewer - I had to chuckle when I read he felt betrayed.
As if he is owed by Fleetwood Mac. Narcissistic behavior is having a moment it seems, in the USA.
My sentence was a run on but I said or meant not political from the stage. Of course each has their politics like everyone else. They are not Ted Nugent on stage to say the least ;)
The Mac took some flack the day after their Ottawa Canada show because the day before there was a terrorist attack. Terror attacks in Ottawa are extremely rare and shocked the world. A few who went to the concert wondered why no one in the band acknowledged the attack or had words of inspiration for the city. They simply played their show like any other night.

[AliceLover]

I love them all. I love that after all this time, they are back together again. But I will say.....

They are just so much better on their own these days. Their solo shows just blow their Fleetwood mac performances out of the water. Stevie's 24k Gold show was truly one of her best tours to date. I've never seen her so invested (other than maybe IYD). To see her putting 100% in Hyde Park (to a LOUSY crowd) on youtube to then the Classic performance is almost like a different woman.

Same with Lindsey/Chris, their show right now is so fresh. It felt like I was seeing them both for the first time. The Buckvie album was and is awesome.

The last few FM tours (even with Chris) have just been so uneventful. I will never stop seeing them, solo or with FM, but honestly I'd take 3 more 24k gold tours and 3 more Lindsey albums (with or without Chris) than another FM tour. It sucks that FM tours have to go for 2 years, wish they could do 20 dates here, 20 there while going back to their respective solo projects.

[James89]

Stevie's 24k Gold show was truly one of her best tours to date. I've never seen her so invested (other than maybe IYD). To see her putting 100% in Hyde Park (to a LOUSY crowd) on youtube to then the Classic performance is almost like a different woman..

I agree with you but I was at the Hyde Park gig and the crowd LOVED her performance. I walked past lots of people who expressed their surprise at her amazing vocals and performance. It was great to hear. Concerts like that aren't loud and as involving as arena gigs unless there's audience participation as there was with Tom Petty's set. The amount of people singing along to Edge of Seventeen was mind blowing. Honestly, she went down an absolute treat.

[button-lip]

I love them all. I love that after all this time, they are back together again. But I will say.....

They are just so much better on their own these days. Their solo shows just blow their Fleetwood mac performances out of the water. Stevie's 24k Gold show was truly one of her best tours to date. I've never seen her so invested (other than maybe IYD). To see her putting 100% in Hyde Park (to a LOUSY crowd) on youtube to then the Classic performance is almost like a different woman.

Same with Lindsey/Chris, their show right now is so fresh. It felt like I was seeing them both for the first time. The Buckvie album was and is awesome.

The last few FM tours (even with Chris) have just been so uneventful. I will never stop seeing them, solo or with FM, but honestly I'd take 3 more 24k gold tours and 3 more Lindsey albums (with or without Chris) than another FM tour. It sucks that FM tours have to go for 2 years, wish they could do 20 dates here, 20 there while going back to their respective solo projects.

I agree with your "but", because that was exactly what I noticed from watching videos of that night and reading fans' comments. :nod:

I think they're better on their own these days AND they're also happier. Stevie had wanted out for many years, but now I think also Lindsey has found his happy way with BuckVie.

So, this makes me wonder: what's gonna be of the 2018/9 tour? :shrug:

[jkmaletic]

I watched almost the entire concert (except for the last two songs) on Periscope in bed. My cat even watched too! I told her I always wanted to take her to a Fleetwood Mac or Stevie show.:laugh: Anyway I thought they did really well. And the comments on the Periscope feed that I was on were all very positive. The only thing I did notice was that they moved from song to song very quickly. And I think the reason they did that is because the audience had already sat through two other bands. It was also a Sunday night. My brother went to that show and he said he had the best time and he couldn't believe how good they were.

[HomerMcvie]

I think they're better on their own these days AND they're also happier. Stevie had wanted out for many years, but now I think also Lindsey has found his happy way with BuckVie.


I think so, too. I'd be happy with as many years as they have left, of nothing but BuckVie.

The fact that they went out and ate together, after soundcheck in Nashville, tells me how well they get along.

WHEN do you think was the last time Stevie and Lindsey went out to dinner, just the two of them? 1974?:lol::lol::lol:

[vivfox]

WHEN do you think was the last time Stevie and Lindsey went out to dinner, just the two of them? 1974?:lol::lol::lol:

I bet a heck of a lot more times than u could think. But why publicize it when not letting it be known sells more tickets?

[HomerMcvie]

I bet a heck of a lot more times than u could think. But why publicize it when not letting it be known sells more tickets?

I don't think so. I personally think they can't stand each other.

What was it in Mick's book, during the fight when Lindsey was leaving the band? 'Get this crazy bi*ch out of my face', or something very close to that?

Yeah, you're right...they get along just fine.;)

[sodascouts]

I am not one who wishes they'd never perform again as Fleetwood Mac and only do their own thing. There's nothing like the power of the full band, going into The Chain... hearing fantastic song after fantastic song. I enjoy the other shows, but after Fleetwood Mac... well, songs like "Little Lies" and "Gold Dust Woman" in those solo shows just don't cut it. Plus, all those amazing songs we'd never hear again if Fleetwood Mac called it quits...

No, the best of both worlds is what I like, what we're getting now - their solo stuff for a while, then the Mac for a while. If this is the Mac's last go-'round, I'll understand, but I'll miss it terribly. I'll treasure those solo shows, but I'll always miss the Mac.

Perhaps the length of the tours would be better if shorter, so they could have a better attitude about it.

[sodascouts]

I don't think so. I personally think they can't stand each other.

What was it in Mick's book, during the fight when Lindsey was leaving the band? 'Get this crazy bi*ch out of my face', or something very close to that?

Yeah, you're right...they get along just fine.;)

I agree that they don't seem to be lovey-dovey nowadays but seriously.... that gem is 30 years old! The fact that you have to go back that far for a truly venomous quote is actually circumstantial evidence their relationship has improved.

Oops. ;)

[HomerMcvie]

I agree that they don't seem to be lovey-dovey nowadays but seriously.... that gem is 30 years old! The fact that you have to go back that far for a truly venomous quote is actually circumstantial evidence their relationship has improved.

Oops. ;)

They play nice now for the paycheck. And they're too old to fight. So there.:mad:

[jbrownsjr]

In my opinion, I just don't care about their relationship. That bond is old and tired.

I do care about BuckVie having a trust and a kindred spirit kind of relationship. It shows on this new album. I believe that if they did another album from scratch, it would only get better and better.

As for the full band, I thought they sounded great.. and that was just youtube..
I saw Stevie being very playful w/ Christine.. I think these two are bff's. That's nice, too.

I hope they switch the set list up for the 2018 tour. It would do them and the fans some good.

[button-lip]

WHEN do you think was the last time Stevie and Lindsey went out to dinner, just the two of them? 1974?:lol::lol::lol:

I read somewhere that during last tour in England, someone saw them having dinner, but they guy knew nothing about FM, so he couldn't remember if it was the whole band or just the two of them :shrug:

I love when they start fighting in Destiny Rules, and Lindsey says: "JESUS CHRIST!". That's who they really are. :nod:

[button-lip]

I don't think so. I personally think they can't stand each other.

What was it in Mick's book, during the fight when Lindsey was leaving the band? 'Get this crazy bi*ch out of my face', or something very close to that?

Yeah, you're right...they get along just fine.;)

Well, I wouldn't put much into what Mick says. He know juicy drama sells more, and if I remember correctly, he said: "f*ck you all!" to everybody, not just Stevie.

To be a fly on the wall of Christine's house that day... :lol:

[jbrownsjr]

I read somewhere that during last tour in England, someone saw them having dinner, but they guy knew nothing about FM, so he couldn't remember if it was the whole band or just the two of them :shrug:

I love when they start fighting in Destiny Rules, and Lindsey says: "JESUS CHRIST!". That's who they really are. :nod:

That was an authentic moment. It spoke volumes. :laugh:

[button-lip]

That was an authentic moment. It spoke volumes. :laugh:

It's clearly very difficult for them to maintain a healthy, adult relationship, and it must be frustrating. I'm sure it got better with time (I'd like to believe they're not still fighting like they used to. Although with these two you will never know).

I think profesionally the gap got wider with time, and Lindsey's current association with Christine probably made the personal gap wider too.

[jbrownsjr]

It's clearly very difficult for them to maintain a healthy, adult relationship, and it must be frustrating. I'm sure it got better with time (I'd like to believe they're not still fighting like they used to. Although with these two you will never know).

I think profesionally the gap got wider with time, and Lindsey's current association with Christine probably made the personal gap wider too.

I'd have to agree. Stevie HAS to be the boss. And she doesn't want Lindsey telling her what to do professionally. Christine is happy to collaborate, co-write and have a producer.

[HomerMcvie]

I'd have to agree. Stevie HAS to be the boss. And she doesn't want Lindsey telling her what to do professionally. Christine is happy to collaborate, co-write and have a producer.

THIS is it, of course. Old Mama has most of the power now, and she's NOT gonna let him tell her what to do. She really should just Go Her Own Way now, since she doesn't want to be a team player.

[button-lip]

I'd have to agree. Stevie HAS to be the boss. And she doesn't want Lindsey telling her what to do professionally. Christine is happy to collaborate and have a producer.

It's unbelievable, you know? If I were Stevie, I'd be happy to have someone guiding me (even if it's someone with Lindsey's personality :rolleyes: )

And if I were Christine, I'd probably make my opinion heard more often. I'm not saying Christine is soft, but sometimes I see her deal with Stevie and Lindsey (together or individually) and I feel truly sorry for her. :distress:

[button-lip]

THIS is it, of course. Old Mama has most of the power now, and she's NOT gonna let him tell her what to do. She really should just Go Her Own Way now, since she doesn't want to be a team player.

Papa Lindsey was a visionary. :nod: :laugh: He wanted to kick her ass since 1977.

[jbrownsjr]

It's unbelievable, you know? If I were Stevie, I'd be happy to have someone guiding me (even if it's someone with Lindsey's personality :rolleyes: )

And if I were Christine, I'd probably make my opinion heard more often. I'm not saying Christine is soft, but sometimes I see her deal with Stevie and Lindsey (together or individually) and I feel truly sorry for her. :distress:

I kind of feel like Christine needed someone to guide her back in after her long vacation and rehab stint etc.

In the old days, she did what she wanted. She fought Lindsey on a lot.

[HomerMcvie]

How much fight could you have left at 74?

I think she's just enjoying doing what she's doing, and is HAPPY that Lindsey is the leader.

[button-lip]

I kind of feel like Christine needed someone to guide her back in after her long vacation and rehab stint etc.

In the old days, she did what she wanted. She fought Lindsey on a lot.

But ultimately she valued/values his opinion.

I also think Lindsey's way of communicating his ideas/knowledge is entirely different when he's talking with Christine than when he's talking with Stevie. Let's face it: Stevie wants to be the boss but Lindsey isn't exactly the most understanding and patient person in the world. :lol:

[GypsySorcerer]

In my opinion, I just don't care about their relationship. That bond is old and tired.

I do care about BuckVie having a trust and a kindred spirit kind of relationship. It shows on this new album. I believe that if they did another album from scratch, it would only get better and better.

As for the full band, I thought they sounded great.. and that was just youtube..
I saw Stevie being very playful w/ Christine.. I think these two are bff's. That's nice, too.

I hope they switch the set list up for the 2018 tour. It would do them and the fans some good.

Agreed. I have wanted BuckVie to collaborate more intensively for years, and I am glad we are finally getting it. I also agree about Stevie and Chris' bond. They're very different, but it works.

[GypsySorcerer]

But ultimately she valued/values his opinion.

I also think Lindsey's way of communicating his ideas/knowledge is entirely different when he's talking with Christine than when he's talking with Stevie. Let's face it: Stevie wants to be the boss but Lindsey isn't exactly the most understanding and patient person in the world. :lol:

Stevie's used to getting her way, and Lindsey can be a pretentious twit. So many power plays there...it's easy to see why their romantic relationship was doomed.

[Neal]

Perhaps the length of the tours would be better if shorter, so they could have a better attitude about it.

This!

I realize these 18 month tours rake in the dollars, but if they kept them to a reasonable 4-6 months tops, they (Stevie) probably wouldn't need 3 year gaps between projects just to look at each other again...

[jbrownsjr]

This!

I realize these 18 month tours rake in the dollars, but if they kept them to a reasonable 4-6 months tops, they (Stevie) probably wouldn't need 3 year gaps between projects just to look at each other again...
Exactly!! Remember after Tusk.. they were so sick of each other.

Mirage's short tour was a result of that. And then LB didn't even want to tour Tango. Tusk tour burned them out.

[gldstwmn]

I guess I don't understand why anyone would think they would do anything different for a show billed as The Classic. :shrug:

[jbrownsjr]

I guess I don't understand why anyone would think they would do anything different for a show billed as The Classic. :shrug:

Fair point!