The Ledge - My concert review...too long for the review section

ARROWHEAD POND, ANAHEIM, CA July 17th

First a comment about concession prices...HOLY CRAP! $10 a beer...just a normal ol' 12oz beer? Obviously, I won't be partaking.

As I was sitting in my seat, scoping the stage/backstage with binoculars (checking out all the gear*) , I could faintly hear the ambient "muzak", but not enough to really tell who it was (I remember they used Mickey Hart's "Planet Drum" on The Dance tour)...parts sounded like a newly recorded version of FMac's own "Underway"...anyone know what album(s) they're using for the pre-show ambience this tour?

THEN the crickets started...whoooo, boy...here we go, ready for lift-off, Mission Control.

Houselights extinguished, bring on the band.

The set is the same as it has been, I'm assuming...

The Chain The first shot of Stevie on the "big screen", I just thought, "who dyed Stockard Channing's hair and stuck her up there?" (just to clarify, that's a compliment, not a bash)

Dreams It's their only #1, they gotta do it. Just glad they do it early to get it over with while I'm still adrenaline pumped. Stevie sounds really good tonight.

Eyes Of The World The three part guitar harmony on the main riff is spine-tingling! Overall so far, the sound is EXCELLENT! I didn't expect it to be that good out of the gate. The band is hitting on all cylinders!

Then Lindsey steps to the mic to introduce the next song...he says "Cheer loudly, we're broadcasting to over 200 radio stations nationwide" (crowd obliges!) I think: Ah, HA! No WONDER it sounds so good! I guess for those who LISTENED to the broadcast, you can stop reading here.

Then he recites what I assume is his canned intro to...

Peacekeeper They've really learned how to play this one live since the Today Show/Tonight Show fiascos...sounded great! I noticed that Neale Haywood plays the lion's share of guitar riffs in this one.

Second Hand News {sigh} I just think the intros to EotW & SHN are just too similar to be played so close together...almost sounded like they were starting to play EotW AGAIN. Either they should play them further apart or pick only one of them to play. Still, though, it sounded great...especially with Lindsey & Stevie doing harmonizing "Bam-bams"

Say You Will Had to laugh at Stevie's intro of this, she sound very robotic...in a Jiminy Glick way...as if she was reading a teleprompter. As I've read in reviews of other shows, Stevie's "macarena-like" hand gestures were once again mimic'd by those down in front of her...which Stevie seemed to get a kick out of...and another chuckle from us in section 441 (only a handful of NASA folks have been higher). Oh, yeah, the song itself sounded great! I still have this mental audio picture of this song blasting out of every convertible sports car on PCH this summer.

Never Going Back Again When I read that they'd resurrected this one for the new tour, I groaned...just seen 'em play it TOO many times. But, WOW! Full band version...McVie's bass line throughout was typical John...MONSTER! Really nice harmonies from Stevie on this one, too! I've never heard a better version of this song.

Rhiannon Nice. The harmonies on the "Rhia-a-a-a-non"s were flawless, and made the hair on my arms tingle, but overall, the song has just run its course. With this tour being so "guitar oriented" and Lindsey going ballistic with guitar solos, I'm really surprised that his solo in this song remains AWOL.

Come Remember my comments from way back when? They came true. I'm a little pissed-off at myself about it, but what can I say? Oh...and if Lindsey is really going to treat a Turner Model 1 like that, somebody (me?) should take them away from him. Just imagine what he'd say to Will or LeeLee if they treated THEIR toys like that? tsk, tsk, Lindsey!

Gypsy Talk about your drivin' 75 down a freeway and then shoving the car in reverse! Really great version of the song, but following "Come"? YIKES! It was tough to shift gears like that. This would've been a great one to follow "Never Going Back Again", and "Rhiannon" would've been a better choice to follow "Come". Anyway, nice use of the projection screens, showing clips from the "Gypsy" video.

Big Love I really liked the backdrop effect behind Lindsey on this one...his live image in B&W as he's playing the song projected onto what looked like either rice-paper or parchment. Great effect. No real difference in performance here as to The Dance version or the OotC tour version. Definitely has become Lindsey's "spot" in the show! Although, I'd still like to hear a full-band version of this song at some point before they hang up the concert performances.

Landslide A bit of a personal history lesson from Stevie regarding how the LA/OC area was where she & Lindsey hooked up with Mick & John and then dedicated this to us SoCal folk. Very nice version, Stevie was in good voice throughout.

Say Goodbye Putting this one behind "Landslide" made for a great "call & response" kind of feel...very nice song, I think better than the album's version, for sure. I really liked Mick's "baby drum set" out in front on this one...that set had the biggest ride cymbal I've ever seen...and it DIDN'T sound like an aluminum trash can lid, as I'd expected! :) I also really liked the use of the overhead video screens, Stevie on the left one, Lindsey on the right, with them looking at, and singing to each other...great touch, kind of emotionally moving (yeah, this is where my "sappy moment" during the show seemed to land)

What's The World Coming To? A more subdued performance than what I had expected from hearing the album's version...I guess I'd expected more of a "What Makes You Think You're The One" type aggression on it...and a great Beach Boys-like vocal blend!!

Beautiful Child The "out of left field" song of the tour...I really didn't expect to like it, but I did. In fact, a BEAUTIFUL rendition.

Gold Dust Woman Twirls abound! :) I didn't realize it at first, but both Carlos Rios & Neale Haywood had vacated the stage...leaving Lindsey as the lone guitarist. Really cool...kind of answers the "What Do You Think Of The Additonal Musicians" thread on the message board. Fine on some songs, they can make a beer run on others. :)

I'm So Afraid I'm just burnt out on the song. Plus, I don't think any version could top the one on the "Mirage" tour. Although, I did like Stevie's harmonies on this one. Still, Lindsey's the lone guitarist.

Carlos & Neale return.

Stevie dedicates the next one to her mom who's listening on the radio...

Silver Springs Nice, though not as intense as The Dance tour performances...however, Lindsey's guitar solo, albeit pretty much note-for-note from The Dance version, seemed to carry more emotion behind it than in 1997.

Tusk They seemed to rush this one...I don't know if Mick started the song too fast or what. Cool effect of the projections of the USC marching band on screens behind the band.

Stand Back Really powerful version...great slide guitar work by Neale Haywood. Lindsey spends the song hamming with folks in the seats on the side of the stage...I don't think he's actually PLAYING on the song, even though he's trying to make it look like he is. ;)

Go Your Own Way The old "Live 1980" intro is back!!! Mixed feelings about this one...it ROCKED, but at the same time, I knew that it was the set closer. I want this concert to last another 3 hrs at least!!!

FIRST ENCORE:

World Turning Ahhhh...that guitar riff...nice job covering Christine's part on this one, Stevie. And, along comes Mick. The revival of the African Talking Drum! Since, 1987, he'd only made concillatory use of it, this time, an extended solo before going on to the electronic Vest portion of our program. I found the vest solo to be significantly less annoying as previous tours, and actually somewhat uplifting & fun.

Don't Stop Seemed like the keyboards were mixed too low on this one. Mick's drums overpowered the opening chord sequence. But, beyond that, a rollicking good time. The only faux pas of the night was they botched the end of the song...not everybody hit the end right on cue and very pronouncedly (is that a word?) so. (something my own band does so often we just laugh it off, and so did they!)

After more false goodbyes and leaving the stage, I couldn't believe the mass exodus of the crowd...I guess when the reviewers don't stay til the end and say they ended the show with "Don't Stop", people believed them.

When the houselights didn't come on immediately a lot of people stopped, turned around and went back to their seats.

SECOND ENCORE:

Goodbye Baby Beautiful. Much better than the album version.

After the requisite bows & handshakes, off the band went...

...suddenly, with houselights still off and a blue glow of lights on the stage, the PA blasted the original recording of...

Albatross

...as "exiting music". I just sat there...reflected on the show I'd just witnessed...choked back the lump in my throat (it just seemed to go by so fast, I'm not ready to leave, I still want to hear & see more), let a smile cross my face and headed down the row to the stairs.

SUMMARY:

All the "Stevie wasn't into it" comments from other shows definitely didn't apply to this one. Sure, she didn't move around much (she had an obvious limp), but she was very demonstrative with her arms, hands, and facial expressions.

I lost track of how many times I overheard "Lindsey's a mad-man!"

*GEAR = Lindsey had THREE Mesa-Boogie Triple Rectifier amp heads going into 3 Mesa-Boogie 2x12 cabinets, John had a rack full of stuff, going into THREE SWR 8x10 cabinets...all the acoustic guitars were being played through SWR "California Blonde" amps, Lindsey's had been modified (covered with black tolex instead of the standard white). From my angle, I couldn't see what keyboards Brett Tuggle had other than the requisite Hammond B-3 going through THREE Leslie speakers...one behind him, one behind John, one behind Lindsey.

I think Lindsey had about 10 Turner Model-1s that he kept rotating through song to song, each one had just a tad different finish...either honey-shaded mahogany, with the dark mahogany neck or a more reddish-mahogany with a maple neck and a few shades inbetween.

John started off with his Tobias bass for the first few songs, then for "Never Going Back Again", he switched to the Turner Renaissance RN-4...then to a Turner Electroline.

Carlos Rios kinda threw me because he's left handed, and he doesn't play standard guitars, I couldn't (from MY seat, anyway) tell what kind of guitars he played...although he DID play a Martin acoustic.

Neale Haywood alternated between a Fender Telecaster & Fender Stratocaster (60's model) and a Taylor acoustic...even played a Turner Renaissance 12-string baritone guitar on a couple of numbers.

When Brett Tuggle played guitar it was either a Taylor 6-string or 12-string