Rehearsal Setlist Thoughts

[mpoday]

Some thoughts on the setlist. I'll be going to the Worcester show, and I know I'll have a great time, but this setlist is rather disappointing.

Of the new songs, where are Red Rover, Steal your Heart and Thrown Down? These are among the strongest of the new songs, while Come and Running Through the Garden are among the worst.

Of the old songs, so many of these are way overplayed. Honestly, has rhiannon been sung good since '77? It should have been retired long ago. Similarly, I don't need the 7 minute GYoW "encore" version. If it has to be played (and it probably does), why not just stick to the cd version, and cut out the overextended solo? This would also allow another song to be put in. I realize that they have to cater to the masses to some extent, but why has this line-up largely ignored so many of their great underplayed songs? However, Never Going Back Again and Beautiful Child are welcome additions.

I will contrast what this tour is likely to be with another that I am familiar with: Springsteen. He and the Mac have followed a similar path, reunion tour in '99, new album in '02. I've seen 3 shows on these two tours (plus tix to Foxborro this summer) and each show had a varied setlist, with numerous rarities. Over these two tours I would guess that at least 100 different songs were played by Bruce. I simply do not understand why FM refuses do this. I have yet to see anyone disappointed at the Bruce shows I went to.

My suggestions (I'm aware they will never happen):

Cut Rhiannon for Seven Wonders

Cut Come for Red Rover

Cut Stand Back for I Miss You (TISL, Buckingham was a guest on this song)...if Stevie MUST do a solo song

Cut I’m So Afraid for Tango in the Night (similar songs, yet Tango is never played)

Do Big Love full band, or drop completely. Impressive yes, but we’ve all seen it and have the DVD.

Cut Eyes of the World for Second Hand News (yes this substitution was made on the reunion tour, but SHN is the far better song)

Cut Silver Springs (again, great song, but been there, done that) for Twisted (soundtrack version, Stevie’s solo version is weak)

Cut Don’t Stop. Honestly, the worst song on Rumours, should have been dropped long ago, certainly has no place without Chris. Replace with rotation of Frozen Love, Races are Run.

Alternate GyoW with Blue Letter.

Cut anything to play Storms EVERYNIGHT.

Cut Running through... for Thrown Down

Cut Come for Steal your heart

Finally, if you aren’t part of FM, get off the stage. I would rather have Stevie and Lindsey’s vocals (as raw and limited as they may be), than have them lost in the background vocals. Same with instruments, is a second percussionist really necessary? I understand that there has to be a second guitar player, and without Chris someone else has to do keyboards, but excluding those two everyone else should be gone.

Mike