Fleetwood Mac In NZ!

[vivfox]

Stevie Nicks praises NZ shows
By FELICITY ROSS - Taranaki Daily News
22/12/2009

Stevie Nicks reckons it was the perfect end to a year on the road.

The Fleetwood Mac singer said she was blown away by the crowd at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands during the band's two New Plymouth concerts at the weekend.

The venue, the fans and even the weather added something special to the band's last two performances of their 10-month long Unleashed tour.

Although band members declined to be interviewed in person, Nicks told the Taranaki Daily News via email the audience at the Bowl was "awesome".

"The crowd was mesmerising to me because they were so in to it and having so much fun," she said.

"Of course, that kind of crowd makes such a difference to an artist."

Indeed, her fellow band member Lindsey Buckingham agreed, citing Saturday's concert one of the top five in his entire career.

It was Nicks' second time at the Bowl and the weekend's concerts exceeded the entire band's expectation.

"The fans were great, the venue was great, and the Maori welcoming ceremony after the show was truly magical," she said.

About 36,000 fans filled the Bowl to experience the veteran rockers' still amazing act over the weekend.

While Sunday's concert was a stunner and significantly drier than Saturday Nicks said the persistent rain actually added to the ambience of the atmosphere.

"The rain was very dramatic and of course, we love drama!

"So I would have to say that it certainly lent itself to romanticism."

Although the shows were the last of the tour, the band did not plan anything special to sign off the past year. Instead, they played it by ear.

"You never know what is going to happen on the last show of a tour," Nicks said.

"You can never make any plans because emotions are high and a part of you is sad because it's ending and a part of you is glad because you have been on the road for a year. So you never know what is going to happen."

And people were not disappointed. While the Fleetwood Mac concerts were generally expected to attract a more mature crowd, people of all ages turned up in droves. It was widely speculated that the tour might be their last.

During Saturday night's concert Buckingham hinted at the possibility of another tour and maybe another album.

Nicks says although the band has not discussed the next move, it is not off the cards.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment...aises-NZ-shows

[vivfox]

Concert rubbish dismays cleaners
While the weekend's two Fleetwood Mac concerts blew fans' minds nothing blew away the sea of rubbish they left behind.

It took 15 volunteers from Girl Guiding Taranaki more than four hours on Sunday and five yesterday to clean up the piles of trash concert-goers left at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands.

"It was just a sea of rubbish," said Stefny Logan, the regional co-ordinator for Girl Guiding Taranaki.

"It was bad, it was absolute chaos. It is the worst I have ever seen it and it was covering the entire ground."

Girl Guiding Taranaki also cleans up other community concerts including Womad and Ms Logan said the filth left behind from the weekend was incredibly disappointing.

"We thought members of the public would have been more on to it," she said.

The group do the messy work as part of their fundraising efforts and Ms Logan says while they are pleased to get the opportunity from the New Plymouth District Council, they did not expect such clutter from a more adult audience.

"It was really sad that people hadn't picked up after themselves, and we are not talking about young people. We are talking about a more mature audience that went."

She says the crowd at Womad definitely pays more attention to the environmental impact and follows festival policy with more care.

"Over the weekend we lost count of how many black bags of rubbish we filled because we had to start emptying them. There were hundreds."


http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-dail...mays-cleaners/

[vivfox]

New lake seats get thumbs up from front row fan

By FELICITY ROSS - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 05:00 22/12/2009


Any doubts over the new seating platform over the lake at the Bowl evaporated during its maiden voyage at the weekend.

Fleetwood Mac fan Brett Stokell was one who took advantage of the controversial new seating at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands and he reckoned he had the best seat in the house for Saturday night's concert.

The New Plymouth man paid $320 for a front-row seat which he said gave him the best view at the venue.

"For that view I would have paid much more," he said.

"As far as I am concerned the closer the better."

In fact, Mr Stokell estimated he was only about a metre away from Lindsey Buckingham, who at one point sat down on the stage and checked out the audience with a big grin on his face.

"We could certainly feel the vibe and the band made good eye contact, it was just exceptional."

While some worried being seated so close to the stage and speakers would be deafening, Mr Stokell said the sound was perfect. "There was plenty of room and I liked the little bar they had there," he said.

Mr Stokell has been to plenty of concerts in his time but he had never been in the front row.

"The closest I had been was when I saw the Rolling Stones at Western Springs in Auckland and I was in the third row.

"That's what made Fleetwood Mac so special.

"Being a metre away from Lindsey Buckingham on the guitar, he was unbelievable."

One of the biggest concerns about the platform, which seats more than 1000 people, was blocking the view of those seated further back in the Bowl.

Mr Stokell said security guards would not let those on the platform stand up and dance until towards the end of the show.

"We didn't want to impede anyone's view but by the end of the concert security couldn't stop people from standing, there was too many of us."

He said the fact they had to sit down for most of the concert didn't ruin it.

"We just had a great time in our seats.

"I will be trying to get those seats again for the next concert at the Bowl."

Architect Terry Boon, who has had a long-time involvement with the Bowl, also gave the platform the thumbs up.

Although he was initially dubious about the design, Mr Boon took a seat on the platform on Friday and said that it was fantastic.

"I think it looks really good and I'm thrilled it worked so well at the concerts," Mr Boon said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-dail...-front-row-fan

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by vivfox

"You can never make any plans because emotions are high and a part of you is sad because it's ending and a part of you is glad because you have been on the road for a year.

Sigh. Just to see them taking that last bow. So, magical it must have been.

Michele

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Sigh. Just to see them taking that last bow. So, magical it must have been.

Michele

[badanimals87]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

It looks like Stevie is pulling out some more of the old stage clothes. Is that jacket she is wearing the same she wore in the Red Rocks video and this photo from the Tango Tour?

[vivfox]

Visitors and band sing volunteers' praises
By MATT RILKOFF - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 05:00 23/12/2009
Volunteering has never been so cool.

The volunteer programme put in place for the Fleetwood Mac concerts has won the praise and respect of the band and visitors alike.

The 150 red T-shirt wearing volunteers took up strategic positions around the airport, city and the Bowl of Brooklands during the weekend and proved a big hit.

So much so the Fleetwood Mac members had even asked for several of the T-shirts for themselves.

Council venue manager Jenny Mills said the volunteers had come up again and again in the comments made by visitors.

"And it was all positive," she said.

Which might not be a Taranaki exaggeration.

Volunteer Kathy Glass had the task of asking visitors for their opinion on what New Plymouth had to offer.

Not only did she enjoy the experience but the results showed they did too.

"Well, I haven't seen the totals for everything but what I saw was mostly four out of fives for everything," she said.

That's the same as 80 per cent, or an "A" if you use old academic grades.

As well as being delivered lunch or dinner on each day they worked, volunteers were thrown a thank-you meal by the New Plymouth District Council on Monday night.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-dail...nteers-praises

[fringed n fab]

Originally Posted by badanimals87

It looks like Stevie is pulling out some more of the old stage clothes. Is that jacket she is wearing the same she wore in the Red Rocks video and this photo from the Tango Tour?

I was thinking the same thing too when I saw that coat. Stevie wears so many layers sometimes, it's hard to tell. Or it could be some sparkle fringe made around that particular coat she has on (NZ) pics

[daniellaaarisen]

This thread has left ME speechless. I need to see documentation of this cheek-kiss.... I simply cannot believe that is real. My mind would explode if I let myself believe it.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

This thread has left ME speechless. I need to see documentation of this cheek-kiss.... I simply cannot believe that is real. My mind would explode if I let myself believe it.

Alas, it did happen. And, life has played yet another cruel joke on us by a video of it not surfacing on youtube. Doesn't anyone believe in Santa Claus anymore??

I'm not astounded by the kiss though - just the way it happened. Too funny! And, seeing and hearing Stevie's reaction to Lindsey's intrusion and blatant pda would just be the icing on the proverbial Gypsy cake.

A big shout out too to Ms. Nicks for being all transparent with this autobiographical tale. It rocked like San Fran in '69.

[wheart]

Originally Posted by fringed n fab

I was thinking the same thing too when I saw that coat. Stevie wears so many layers sometimes, it's hard to tell. Or it could be some sparkle fringe made around that particular coat she has on (NZ) pics

I'm pretty sure it's the same Red Rocks/Tango coat. It's her warm "rock and roll coat" that she busts out when the mercury dips below 70 degrees LOL. She wore the same one for the Jones Beach show during the CV tour when it was very cold, windy and wet. She also wore it at Jones Beach for the 04 show of the SYW tour. "Tis truly fabulous (If I do say so myself...)

[fringed n fab]

Originally Posted by wheart

I'm pretty sure it's the same Red Rocks/Tango coat. It's her warm "rock and roll coat" that she busts out when the mercury dips below 70 degrees LOL. She wore the same one for the Jones Beach show during the CV tour when it was very cold, windy and wet. She also wore it at Jones Beach for the 04 show of the SYW tour. "Tis truly fabulous (If I do say so myself...)

Very well could be. I can't tell though if she's wearing it under, or over that coat with the white fur/feathers around it?

[badanimals87]

Originally Posted by wheart

I'm pretty sure it's the same Red Rocks/Tango coat. It's her warm "rock and roll coat" that she busts out when the mercury dips below 70 degrees LOL. She wore the same one for the Jones Beach show during the CV tour when it was very cold, windy and wet. She also wore it at Jones Beach for the 04 show of the SYW tour. "Tis truly fabulous (If I do say so myself...)

I agree...fabulous it is.

At the 1/4/00 HOB show in LA she wore a kickass brown coat/jacket with fringe going down the underside of the sleeves but I haven't seen any photos of her wearing it. Does anyone know the coat/jacket I'm referring to? I believe she wore it for Whole Lotta Trouble if I'm not mistaken.