Old Review: LB with Tina Turner

[michelej1]

[Didn't see this online, so uploaded]

Pittsburgh Post Gazette, July 9, 1993

HEADLINE: TINA TURNER BELTS 'EM OUT;
LIFETIME OF HITS FILLS CROWD WITH NOSTALGIA

BYLINE: REVIEW BY ED MASLEY

BODY:
The Clinton era has arrived, make no mistake.

Trouble is, now that everyone realizes he can't do a darn thing about the economy, the White House generation can't afford to go see all of the president's bands.

Back in the heat of Clinton-mania, last night's Tina Turner/Lindsey Buckingham double-header probably would have sold out the Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheatre. It's that perfect blend of adult pop and soft rock that means so much to folks old enough to invest it with the proper amount of nostalgia.

Turner's new movie alone should have roped in a bigger crowd than the 8,048 who made it out to Burgettstown. Clearly, rock's old guard can't stop thinking about tomorrow when faced with the prospect of shelling out $ 24 a pop for concert tickets. Heck, VH1 is free.

Either way, Turner did everything in her power to earn that $ 24. All legs and Vegas shtick, she belted out a lifetime of hits, from ''Proud Mary'' to ''We Don't Need Another Hero,'' with equal amounts charm and professionalism. She even did the costume change thing and brought along a beefy young sax player to spread the sex appeal around a little.

Surprisingly, the beefcake turned in a solo on ''Private Dancer'' that may have been the musical highlight of Turner's set. The emotional highlight, hands down, was Turner's moving delivery of ''I Don't Wanna Fight No More,'' written for the movie about her relationship with Ike. It's obvious that Turner has no real desire to rise above the Vegas trappings of her stage show, but for that one moment, she became much more than a world-class entertainer.

As the brains, heart and soul behind Fleetwood Mac's commercial zenith, Lindsey Buckingham knows a thing or two about world-class entertainment. Fortunately, he knows a lot more about art.

Dressed in black, the former Mr. Stevie Nicks greeted the crowd armed only with a classical guitar for a brilliantly finger-picked version of ''Big Love,'' followed by a bone-chilling ''I Go Insane'' that truly lived up to its title.

Then, quicker than you can say ''MTV Unplugged,'' he brought out a 10-piece orchestra to explore the outer reaches of pop music as only he can.

''As long as no one yells out 'Go Your Own Way' too early, we're gonna get along great,'' Buckingham joked before launching into a rendition of ''The Chain'' that clearly blew away the original. His five-guitar army played enough games with the dynamics that the build coming out of the bass solo was as intense as mainstream pop is likely to get.

In the midst of his first solo tour, Buckingham eventually played ''Go Your Own Way.'' He turned in a stark acoustic ''Never Going Back Again,'' too, though ''Tusk'' was sadly scratched from the set list.

Fleetwood Mac at its best was always Buckingham's ball game, so there's no shame in looking back, but this is one pop icon who will not rest on his laurels.