Live Nation chairman Irving Azoff: Fleetwood Mac to tour in 2011

[Nikolaj]

The brilliant financial wizard, Mr Oiv Azoff (Irving) is doing his job right now, which is some serious 'damage control'-- The Eagles tour he put together, with The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban has tanked, badly. Badly, badly.
He manages none of them. He is the manager of Ms. Christina Aguilera, who is struggling desperately with her new cd release. Though she is happy with the cd, it's the first failure of her career, and he's trying to rescue it with a (good) ballad-single, 'You Lost Me', but it may be too late. He's having to issue press denials that Aguilera's record label is totally freaking out; which, they probably are, and 'spin' why she's postponed her concert tour.
Mr. Azoff is slipping a little; in that it really isn't possible for Fleetwood Mac to be on the road in 2011, they have saturated the market, the concert industry is WEAK now, plus this biggie: the Stevie Nicks solo cd will not be released only to have her disregard it and get back on the road with Fleetwood Mac.
He's not Stevie's manager, I don't believe. Or Fleetwood Mac's. Correct me anyone, if I'm wrong.
In addition to his Live Nation endeavors, Azoff is Aguilera's manager, and he has to concern himself with her make-or-break November film release, 'Burlesque'. Advance word is good, that Christina and Cher are sensational in it, that it is a film along the lines of a 'Cabaret' and 'Chicago' and fortunately, not 'Showgirls'.
But things can go wrong, and Azoff will have his hands full the rest of the year with trying to rescue Christina's current cd release, 'Bionic' - and making sure there's a 'Burlesque' soundtrack agreement best for his client, Christina, while also pleasing Cher's savvy handlers. (She has 2 managers, Roger Davies and Lindsey Scott, the same 2 men who were behind several mega Tina Turner tours). They started managing Cher in 1999. Since then, she's earned well more than $100 million touring, some $60 million alone is from her current Vegas engagement, which will wind down soon, after a 3 year run.
No wonder Stevie wanted that same Vegas slot at 'Celine's Theater' at Caesar's Palace so badly.
You can already pre-order a coffee-table book of 'Burlesque' on Amazon.com, the film is opening Thanksgiving weekend, and it's gotta be a smash or Christina will be in serious trouble. (I'm told one hope is for Christina to receive an Oscar nomination for songwriting for one of her numbers in 'Burlesque', and another is that she may become a major film star). Irving Azoff has a lot to deal with.
There is also hope that Cher may make a big splash in the film and get a nomination for Best Actress; though, it's said Annette Bening already is expected to win the Oscar next year for an upcoming film in which she plays a lesbian. Very well, apparantly!
It may be Azoff somewhat fondly and foggily recalls the $60 million gross "success" of 'Unleashed' but, really, the tour very much underperformed to expectations, and with Nicks readying a solo cd release, no way is Fleetwood Mac going to be touring in 2011. Stevie will be, I believe. But, no Mac til 2012, I'm willing to bet.
I bet Irving Azoff is going to need a nice long rest in 2011!