Why is Stevie so absent on stage?
 

I saw her live for the first time yesterday and was kinda disappointed / surprised by her lack of crowd interaction and crowd contact?

She seems to constantly focus on some points in the distance above the crowd. And when she does look into the crowd it's not actually "at" anyone, she just kinda stares into the distance.

Her performance is amazing and very gracious but it's pretty much like watching a DVD. She does a little wave at the audience during Go Your Own Way but even then it's more like an absent gesture, and it looks like she'd rather be sitting at home watching TV.

Is this supposed to be part of her "act"? Does she have stage fright? Is she bored of touring?

Also why does she waggle around so much like a penguin? Watching clips before I thought it was the high heels but seeing it in person makes me think she has some kind of issue with her joints.

Honestly after this concert I feel kind of disconnected from her as a person. I'm not one of those crazy fans who wants to be "recognized by their artist" but I felt like she didn't care about anyone at all. I went there intending to give her my support and yell stuff like 24 KARAT GOLD to know she has fans of her solo career but I wound up enjoying CHRISTINE the most and cheering her on lol. She's such a sweet awesome lady. I don't think my dad enjoyed Stevie either. He called her "cranky" lol. But well, he's a Lindsey fan.

Hell, even MADONNA has more crowd contact than Stevie and Madonna is supposed to be this untouchable diva bitch who has everything rehearsed down to the last second.

Having said that, Landslide was my highlight of the concert and far better and more emotional live than I could've imagined.

I think she has a lot of interaction in-between songs when she talks with the audience like she and them are BFF's. She's very funny and personable. When she performs, I think she's totally in that moment, focused. I think that's why during Christine and Lindsey's songs she smiles or waves a little more.

For what I know Stevie is practically almost blind, I remember her and Richard Dashut saying that she has only 4 dioptres on each eye and that even with contacts she doesn't see beyond 4 metres ahead of her and at concerts the audience is mostly a blurred mass.

About her movements, I think the age really took its toll on her, sometimes when I watch video on youtube I see her holding her back or joints and walking very tiredly.

Oh really? That would explain a LOT.

I felt like even when she looked at the crowd she wasn't really "seeing anything". I justified that to myself by saying she's so "in the music" that she doesn't see the people, but I still felt kinda bummed that she didn't seem to make contact with anyone at all.

Has she ever talked about this?

Yeah near the end of the concert she was constantly holding her back (like me hahaha). That doesn't bother me at all though I just hope she's fine. I'd rather she does small hall acoustic tours than try to stay a rock chick.

I watched Stevie constantly, even during Lindsey's and Christine's songs she didn't really do much with the crowd. She just walked around and stared up at some point above the crowd (that's why I thought maybe she has stage fright?) and did her beautiful dances and hand gestures. Although her connection with Lindsey and Christine was lovely. I was really moved by Christine. Prior to this concert I didn't even like her. She genuinely seemed so happy to be there.

Makes me wish she would do a solo concert here. I think it'd be a lot better. A 2-minute pre-Landslide speech is just not enough Stevie.

This was true at one point, but she had laser surgery done in the 90s. She talked about how frightening it was to suddenly be able to look into the audience and actually see people's eyes, because before, the crowd was just a beautiful blur (or something to that Stevie-ish effect :p).

I don't think this is why she's a robot in concert and avoids eye contact & interaction, though. I think she's just genuinely terrified of her fans. Just by the nature of her persona she attracts some odd birds... and obsessive types. I think this is the way she throws up a protective veil between herself and her fans.

As far as the lack of fluidity of her movements... just look closely at her hands. The woman clearly is arthritic, and has been for a long time. Dancing around on stages in heels for hours a night and banging away on tambourines daily for 40 years takes it's toll. It's easy to forget sometimes she's on the Edge of 70.

I do, however, think her eyesight has worsened significantly since her surgery in the '90s. That's why she relies so much on her prescription sunglasses when she's not on stage. From when I've seen her perform recently, it seems pretty clear that she can only really see a few yards or so in front of her. :shrug:

i'm not sure whether that's night vision problems or difficulty walking in platform heels, but if you watch the band and how they move on stage during FM gigs, every time when the stage is dark one of the band members is holding Stevie by the hand to take her where she needs to go.

at the start of the show Lindsey brings her out in the dark, when they move around in the dark between some of the songs Christine takes her by the hand and leads her to her spot, at the end after Songbird John holds her hand and helps her walking out on the stage.

that said, and reading beforehand how bad her vision was, i've been surprised at some of the shows where she was clearly looking for someone in the audience, and made eye contacts. so she can see people, although not sure how far back. but yeah most of the time she seems to just have a blank stare towards / through the people, while Christine and Lindsey actually make eye contact and interact with the audience.

Just thought I'd share with you guys that my only wish regarding FM on tour would be for Stevie to recreate the Gypsy dance routine live on stage. Just thinking about it gives me tingles! Ah well, I can dream! :lol:

Yeah, blank stare is a good description.

Even when I thought she was looking at someone in my direction, it was still just a blank stare. Not sure how to explain it.

Lindsey and Christine on the other hand really make eye contact. Lindsey surprised me SO much. The first songs I was just staring at Stevie, then during Dreams I looked over at Lindsey and he was literally looking into my eyes singing along the lyrics just like me. Suddenly I felt guilty I wasn't paying any attention to him, haha. He's a great guy. Too bad I don't "feel" his music or style.

I guess Stevie is more like a blank stare "in the zone" kinda girl. That's really surprising. Prior to my concert I thought she was very involved with crowd contact and interaction.

Makes you realize how different watching clips is from an actual concert.

She used to be. All the time. The one and only time I've had a front row ticket, she noticed that I was the only one standing up and dancing/singing along to her song. She then (during the musical bridge) started shaking her tambourine and walked over to me, looked in my eyes and smiled. To which I then froze up and my mouth dropped, seeing her "acknowledge my existence". LOL

I've been to many other FM/Solo shows where she has pointed at audience members holding up signs or memorabilia, smiled and shook hands, among other things.

IMO, I just think she's exhausted with this CURRENT tour, hence the lack of audience interaction.

I also think there's a difference between "solo" Stevie and "Fleetwood Mac" Stevie. Solo Stevie tends to be more playful and interactive, because it's her show and she can be. "Fleetwood Mac" Stevie tends to be a bit more professional, if you will, and hold back a bit so as not to steal (or be perceived as trying to steal) attention from the others on the stage.

This may be true, but she was a blank-stare-straight-forward-into-oblivion zombie the entire Say You Will tour, too- and that was a dozen years ago. It really bugged me back then because even stoic, silent John pointed, laughed, and smiled at the signs fans made for him that tour. Lindsey watches the audience like a hawk during Mac shows (not so much solo)- he seems to really enjoy what's going on out there. He even pointed at me once when he noticed I was dancing and knew the words to his new (at the time) SYW songs.

I bet there's some truth to this. Stevie likes to characterize her solo shows as "one big sleepover." ;)

It's funny you say that because that's ALL I have perceived from her during this current tour. The main event being Chris' return to the fold, yet her "ramblings" on that subject, as well as others, always bring the focus back to her. It almost seems like she's jealous over that fact, but pretending to be happy about it, and overcompensating with her "speeches" and "song intros". At least, that's the impression that I've gotten from seeing this show live and watching YouTube clips.

Just my opinion.

I think she clearly has issues with her joints. Hips and knee. She talked about falling that one time years ago, when she was exercising on the plate, but just because she doesn't talk about it anymore, I don't think she's healed. I think it's a chronic thing, which would not be a big deal if she just lived a normal life like us, but having to perform so much, it takes its toll on her.

Michele