Here is what I can remember/review about the show on Friday. I split the posts up for the meet and greet and the show:
Edited on 10/07/2014
Meet & Greet
I had two VIP tickets to the Meet & Greet for Friday's show, one for me, one for my mom. We left around 3:00pm to get there for the 4:30pm check-in. Traffic was horrible and we got around to the West Side of the city within 5 minutes of check-in time. I wish either United Center staff or Future Beat staff had put some signs about where to park because there weren't any!! By this time, my mom and I were freaking out because we had no idea if this thing was going to start on time.
Finally, we found a lot that wasn't the employee lot (yes, we had gone into that lot because we saw all these cars pulling in there thinking this must be it right?) with I think two minutes to spare. I got out of the car and literally ran towards the Will Call window. I knew it was right in front of the Michael Jordan statue but I didn't realize that the windows were off to the right of Gate 4, so I stupidly was pulling on the locked doors and thinking, "Oh ****, where am I supposed to go now." Luckily, I looked over and saw the ticket windows and there was a guy sitting there and I asked to pick up my tickets and did, before running back to Gate 6 to join the small crowd waiting outside in the cold to be let in.
Then the waiting began. I remember wondering why they had us start at 4:30pm. It's because they wanted you to wait outside in the cold before they got the okay to go inside.
It was then that Vivien (McTrouble) noticed me and she tapped me on the shoulder and we greeted each other and then she introduced me to Tracie who then asked, "Are you the one who makes the gifs?" I, of course said "yes."
After more waiting, the roadie guy from Fleetwood Mac or Future Beat, wasn't sure, came out and introduced himself as Jim or Jimmy. He brought a table out with a box (these were the lanyards) and then we all checked in with our ID's. He then explained the whole M&G process which consisted of us maybe hearing some sound check (which we did, about 4 or 5 songs
), filing down to the stage, sitting in the first couple of rows, leaving our jackets and bags there, filing up and onto the stage, Mick coming out, talking, then photos and then the Q&A portion.
We waited some more, because they were still trying to figure out when we could be let in per UC staff. The roadie guy ended up getting locked out at one point and had to use his cell phone to call himself back in. There was a woman I remember who was wearing a red shirt but wasn't wearing a jacket who opened one of the doors and held it open, so that the heat could come through. Shortly after that we were allowed inside where they did a hurried bag check and scanning of tickets (I was initially worried about why they needed us to be there at 4:30pm but probably the reason was they wanted us to wait for 45 minutes to an hour outside in the cold while they made sure we could be let inside, but I was glad they scanned our tickets which meant we could stay inside the arena).
We had to have a security guard escort us to the bathroom since the arena wasn't fully open so some in the group did that. After that, we hung around the merch table to wait for them to let us go to the stage. Unfortunately, we couldn't buy anything.
This was where we heard Little Lies, Gypsy, The Chain, and GYOW. That's all I can remember. There may have been one more. Needless to say, we were all really excited to listen to some of their sound check on the concourse.
By this time, we were all lined up single file and then finally they opened the curtain to Sec. 112/113 and we filed down to the floor. We sat down in the first two rows on stage left, left our things and then proceeded row by row to go up to the stage. I remember someone being afraid that someone was going to steal their $100 in their blazer. Thought that was kind of ridiculous. The VIP host made sure to reassure him.
I remember as we were getting closer to the stage that this was really amazing getting to go up on the stage they would soon be on performing for us. Then I saw LB's guitar closet (that's what it looked like to me) and pointing it out to my mom, and I said those are all his. Stevie mic as well, you know, you can't miss it with all those streamers.
Then we were on the stage and I was surprised that it was padded. I never thought stages were unless that's just a FM thing. The big "Fleetwood Mac" logo was behind us projected on the screen.
Then Mick entered from stage right (if you're looking out towards the audience) and there was applause. His security guard fixed his microphone and then he was talking about Christine being back and also something about realizing during a concert that he was screaming out towards the audience and he couldn't understand why no one could hear him and it was because he didn't have a mic. The point of the story was that he understands and appreciates what the other members in the band have to take care of - their voices.
Then it was time to take pictures and we got up there one by one for two individual shots and then a group shot, if you were with someone. We then returned to our seats as everyone went through taking pics.
The Q&A portion was interesting and someone did ask about the new album, and we got the response I think we've all heard, "we're working on it, that's something we definitely have planned." Someone also asked if Mick knew that Richard Dashut has a Tumblr blog and he said that he did, and that Richard has been a huge part of FM's history. There was another person who asked if he still talks to Peter Green and he does and then he said something like, "well if you've met Peter he'll say that being in a band is like: oh okay, yeah" like not a big deal or anything. While he was saying all this, he was signing items that people had brought and I remember kicking myself for not bringing anything because I thought we couldn't. There were hats, cds, a copy of his old autobiography, photos, a chord book, vinyls etc. I remember Mick also joking about how he spent all night signing the 8x10's for us.
Soon, that part was over and I remember the ushers at the UC coming down on our left side to get a closer look because they were all getting ready for the doors to the stadium to officially open.
They let us out single file and as they were doing so, we were given our "exclusive tour mech item" as well as the autographed 8x10.
