[KarmaContestant]

I was not at the show.

However, I just read all 28 pages of this thread, every post, and I have a couple observations to share.

This happens with every tour - there are people who are disappointed, and I believe this is rightfully so. We've been fans for a *long* time. We know how vast the Fleetwood Mac catalog is, and we know all too well how little of this material ever sees the stage. Maybe 1 fifth? 1 sixth? Even less? We've heard the staples too many times - and maybe it's our own fault for seeing too many shows over the years.

On the other side, you have the fans who chastise anyone who dares to express a dissenting point of view. They're either complete and total fanbois who believe the Mac can do no wrong, or more often, newer fans who have not seen the band before and can't imagine why anyone would not want to hear *insert any song here* again for the 40th time. They often love every song unconditionally, and typically like to remind all of us how grateful we should be that Fleetwood Mac is touring at all. And they're right - we should be grateful.For these fans, I'm excited for you to be able to see Fleetwood Mac, and I hope the show is every bit as wonderful for you as you hoped it would be.

However, for many of us, there is a certain level of monotony that just cannot be justified anymore. It's been going on for a while, and the blame rests squarely on the band members. This lineup has had one album of new material in 26 years. ONE!!! Then they go on tour, and well of course, they want to play the hits. I don't blame them - I would, too - but when your last hit was almost 30 years ago, it's hard to find material to add to your setlist that isn't going to be repetitive. Then they tour again. And again. And it's the same, sad, old, done-to-death setlist with a little something to make it seem fresh. Well, the truth is that no amount of salt or pepper will liven up a bland, boring meal. If Fleetwood Mac wants hits, if they want fans to love new material, they need to earn that. I'm not even going to any of the shows on this tour. There's just nothing new enough to draw me there. One new song, one new but actually old song and a couple songs they've done before but not last time just isn't worth paying for Stevie's dogs to fly around on luxury jets. It's not bold. It's not fresh. It's not risky. It's tired, and done. They talk about how they want to be fresh and relevant - it's all so bigus. They want to be *comfortable*. Well, comfortable is boring. Comfortable is not enough for me, when I can put in a DVD and see almost the same show, with better vocals, and with Christine there, too.

I understand they're old. So what? Being old is no excuse for playing virtually the same songs four tours in a row. If they can play at all, they could play something *different*. They are *so* stuck on themselves and their insecurities. How will fans hear new songs if you don't play them or release new material? You can never have new hits in your setlist if you don't give the songs a chance to become fan favorites. So what if people pee or get a beer during a new song - that's what fans have done for decades at concerts across the globe! After almost five decades of touring you'd think they would have figured that out. As much as we should be lucky they are touring, THEY should feel lucky that people still want to pay to see them perform the same songs again and again. I'm betting that both Without You and Sad Angel will be dropped within 5 shows. I hope I'm wrong.

I don't think it's fair to call out another fan for being "negative". It's not negativity - it's actually honesty. Honesty about being disappointed in a band that can't seem to get past it's glory days of 40 years ago, despite talking the talk (but not ever really walking the walk).

I saw this today on Facebook, posted by Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. Stevie could learn something from this. She clearly got it with In Your Dreams, but she could maybe carry this sentiment into the studio with Lindsey.

"We all like to have hits, it's nice to have hits, of course, but after making 13 records together, it's not what drives you. What drives you is to make a great record."
This is something Stevie, Lindsey and crew have forgotten how to do together. I would happily spend hundreds of dollars to see them go out and play a new album mixed in with a few of those old standards. But that won't happen, and to me, it feels as if Fleetwood Mac is only revived periodically to pay for the high cost of retirement these days.