Ridgefield review

[Buddy]

Great concert tonight. The new songs are wonderful live. I especially loved Illumination and End of Time. I was happy Sorrows was included in the setlist and was my favorite of the night. The band was tight and I really liked their three part harmony...sometimes four part harmony ( It looked like Walfredo was singing too). Lindsey was getting lots of love from the audience. He mentioned that the audience was making a lot of noise for such a small venue. I had a hard time staying in my seat especially when the full band played Second Hand News but stay in our seats we did until GYOW. Then the rush to the stage.

I've been to the Ridgefield Playhouse many times and security there is usually very tight to include security sitting in front with little lazer lights who shined (and blinded) any one who took out a camera or cell phone and most of the people around them! I didn't see any of that tonight and it looked like there should be plenty of up loads on Youtube. I didn't see any security turning people away from standing at the stage either. It just took the crowd awhile to get up there.

Someone shouted out a request of a new song. I didn't hear what the request was but Lindsey said he was getting that request a lot and that they hadn't practiced it to perform but he would go back to his hotel and work on it with his guitar. Anybody hear what that request was?He played a couple of bars from it but I couldn't make it out.

As for the hair....
I have been a LB fan since the first FM tour in 1975 and I think he is still an incredibly beautiful man but the hair tonight looked like he stuck his head out the window of the car all the way to the venue! Ha Ha!
I love you Lindsey!

[elle]

Originally Posted by Buddy

Someone shouted out a request of a new song. I didn't hear what the request was but Lindsey said he was getting that request a lot and that they hadn't practiced it to perform but he would go back to his hotel and work on it with his guitar. Anybody hear what that request was?He played a couple of bars from it but I couldn't make it out.

i didn't quite hear what the guy said but think it was Rock Away Blind. what he played sounded like it to me.

[DavidMn]

This guy is an absolute ironman. I have no idea where he gets the energy to do this back to back night like he does, but whatever it is, it works!

[Amlyn]

Originally Posted by elle

i didn't quite hear what the guy said but think it was Rock Away Blind. what he played sounded like it to me.

It was definitely RAB. The guy next to me shouted it out at the stage. Lindsey looked down and said something about not getting that down yet and I yelled out, play a little bit and then did the little bit thing with my fingers and then he played maybe 3 seconds of it.

I had an amazing time! My first Lindsey solo show and will absolutely not be the last. I don't know how he does it. He seems more energized at the end of the show than the beginning. LIke Buddy said, he was really feeding off the crowd and I do wish that there was more of an attempt to stand during the songs, not just after.

I knew Lindsey was one who sweat during a show, but man, he could bottle that stuff and sell it. Why does he insist on wearing a leather jacket when his shirt is soaked and I mean soaked. At one point he leaned over me and I will admit I was the slightest bit skiived...but that moment passed once again realized i was inches away from this guitar god.

Oh....did anyone notice that he completely flubbed the lyrics to Stars? I was so dissapointed cause that was one of the songs I was looking forward to hearing live cause I enjoy it live much better than the recorded version. He keep repeating the eyes/prize verse and I don't think he ever said the analyze/apologize verse. I was a tad dissapointed. I turned to my friend and said, I think he just pulled a Stevie.

And I noticed him looking down at the lyrics for Turn in On. I thought it was cute how he was trying to not be so obvious.

I took a few pics with my phone but nothing worth sharing. HOpefully others will surface. And I agree security seemed nonexistent...at least to me.

Anyway, I had a great night with one of my best friends and both ledgies I met for the first time tonight and those who already feel like good old friends. Hope we get to do it all again soon!

[Nico]

Originally Posted by Buddy

As for the hair....
I have been a LB fan since the first FM tour in 1975 and I think he is still an incredibly beautiful man but the hair tonight looked like he stuck his head out the window of the car all the way to the venue! Ha Ha!
I love you Lindsey!

I'm sorry, your review was so great and don't mean to focus on this but it was so cute. Yes, LB's hair is HIGH. My aunt mentioned this to me and wondered if it was some kind of an accident (she's from another country/older/had no idea who Lindsey was prior to show). He's, um, experimenting with this new phase of his hair's life and I guess it'll just have to be what it is. He still looks SO AMAZING and has the energy, as DavidMn said, that just astounds. He is like a 20-something up there. People get tired enough just dancing to three or four songs, and that man is up there giving it his all for nearly 2 hours. I just love him.

[GoldDustWoman22]

Ok Lindsey was incredible! I definitely had loads of respect for him before I went to see him live. But I'm telling you after you actually go to see him live...well it's really hard not to fall in love with him. The songs that I knew were amazing and the few songs I didn't know were still so great! His energy is certainly contagious. The crowd feeds off of him and vice versa. He seemed to be pretty happy about the crowd's enthusiasm last night. He definitely had a way of making a connection with his audience...he really does sing to you. And his blue eyes are even more incredible in person...I am so in love with this man. Thanks for the towel Lindsey

[london]

What a show last night!!! Mr. Buckingham has amazing energy and truly is a musical genius. Every note has stayed with me and each was performed with absolute perfection. The set was a brilliant mix of old and new solo songs as well as beloved Mac classics. Lindsey's masterpiece, ISA, was performed right in front of us and literally moved me to tears. Powerful, indeed. If the evening ended then I would have been completely content, but the best was yet to come as both my husband and myself had the good fortune of strumming Lindsey's guitar during GYOW. Knock-out moment during an incredible evening!!!

We met ledgies elle and Amlyn before the show and had a good time at dinner. Thanks for the memories!

[london]

Originally Posted by GoldDustWoman22

Ok Lindsey was incredible! I definitely had loads of respect for him before I went to see him live. But I'm telling you after you actually go to see him live...well it's really hard not to fall in love with him. The songs that I knew were amazing and the few songs I didn't know were still so great! His energy is certainly contagious. The crowd feeds off of him and vice versa. He seemed to be pretty happy about the crowd's enthusiasm last night. He definitely had a way of making a connection with his audience...he really does sing to you. And his blue eyes are even more incredible in person...I am so in love with this man. Thanks for the towel Lindsey

Awesome that you got his towel! I was up front and wondered who the lucky soul was that he handed it to.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Amlyn

I knew Lindsey was one who sweat during a show, but man, he could bottle that stuff and sell it. Why does he insist on wearing a leather jacket when his shirt is soaked and I mean soaked.

Yeah, what is that? Wear it to open the show and then take it off after the first number. He must just like to sweat.

Michele

[Nico]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yeah, what is that? Wear it to open the show and then take it off after the first number. He must just like to sweat.

Michele

Or perhaps he's self-conscious about wearing just the t-shirt and jeans nowadays? I didn't pay close enough attention, but is his shirt short enough that when he lifts his guitar he shows a little flesh? Maybe he's not as comfortable doing that, who knows...he's in great shape anyway, though maybe not quite as skinny-skinny as he's often been.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Nico

Or perhaps he's self-conscious about wearing just the t-shirt and jeans nowadays? I didn't pay close enough attention, but is his shirt short enough that when he lifts his guitar he shows a little flesh? Maybe he's not as comfortable doing that, who knows...he's in great shape anyway, though maybe not quite as skinny-skinny as he's often been.

Yeah, in the past I've gotten a look at his tummy when he raised the guitar over his head.

Michele

[elle]

Originally Posted by london

We met ledgies elle and Amlyn before the show and had a good time at dinner. Thanks for the memories!

ok, i'm back home. for those who have heard my traffic horror story driving up to NY (over and over, i know...), i'm happy to report it took just a bit over 5 hrs and no traffic to get back.

london and Amlyn - it was really great to meet you and others with you! and WelshWitchPMD - always love seeing you

just a quick review since i'm a bit tired and others have already given you the flavor of ridgefield, so i'll roll both westhampton and ridgefield into one review.

westhampton - i was going to get there early and meet w/ Sahara and Steve to see whether we can catch lindsey and the band before the soundcheck. i won't tire you out with NJT and NYC traffic reports, but lets just say driving around there on the rainy friday afternoon spells disaster = hrs of traffic jams. so i barely made it and was late for the concert even though i left DC at 10am. i came in during trouble. westhampton is a great miniature venue - i was at the entrance waiting for trouble to end to get to my seat and was surprised to see lindsey almost right in front of me - that's how small it is. lindsey and the band were great and audience was into it, but a bit tame. there were several girls dancing to almost every song, but it was almost like people were afraid to get up or go near the stage. finally when GYOW started i grabbed Steve and one of the girls dancing in the front rows and pushed them upfront (girl kept thanking me later - she said she didn't know we can actually go upfront; she also got a hug from LB after the show - he really notices everybody in front of him in the audience). so there were only maybe 10+ people dancing in front of the stage during GYOW and TIO, when suddenly i noticed Sahara there at the other end of the stage (we never met before) - felt almost like ledgie fraternity upfront there at the stage! it was also Brett's bday so the whole audience sang "happy birthday Brett Tuggle" and Brett and LB seemed pleasantly surprised that people knew his name!
i have to say the songs i probably liked the most in WH were the songs i normally complain about - Stars, Sorrows. other songs that i love i spoiled a bit by singing them so couldn't really get the experience of really hearing them. and liked Turn it on a lot in WH - LOVED it in ridgefield! TIO is at such a perfect place in the set.
so that's it, Sahara, Steve and i had our little international LB fan gathering after the show and closed some bar on the main street - loved the bartender who let us stay way after the closing time.

on to ridgefield. you heard it / read it all already in the messages above, so i'll just say - westhampton was great, but ridgefiled was just spectacular!! crowd was great and LB+the band were feeding off the crowd and adoration like crazy - it's a great small venue in some old school, you can barely find it - but wow! LB commented people are making a lot of noise for such small place - that he feels like he's back at some arena w/ FM! and it showed - as others had already said, he was loving it and was really on fire - tons of people on the stage at the end of ISA, everybody else standing all the way through the end, and jumping up and down, LB high-fiving people left and right and letting everybody strum his guitar. he makes a great eye contact with people and every person really feels like he's playing just for you. GoldDustWoman22 - loved it how he deliberately looked through the crowd teasing and selecting who he'll give the towel to, and he totally picked you (i won't comment further, but have to say you look a bit like very young SN). TIO was great, and it seemed like everybody was singing along with Treason. even SWS that i don't particularly love as a closer was spectacular yesterday. tons of people waited in the back by the buses after the show, and Neale and Brett chatted with people for a long time. finally Walfredo and LB came out shielded by the security and walked fast to the bus, no m&g last night - looking at Nico's Pitt review, i think LB stops for smaller crowds, but just walks by really fast when there's too many people. can't find a fault with that - especially since they were immediately on to Boston which will be their 4th show in a row! (i did manage to give Walfredo my list of what i'd love to hear in one of the upcoming shows (it's a long list... - but i'd be eternally grateful if i'd get to hear any one of those songs during encore) - he didn't know what the h* i was giving him and probably threw it in the trash first thing after he entered the bus . btw, love Walfredo - he's such a cool and incredibly nice guy to meet (loved his singing along to Treason!) - when he saw us before the show he was like - hey you guys drove all the way over from WH?!?!?! and i do think Walfredo especially is a really good influence on LB, musically. maybe i'm just imaging things, though. oh, and i'll let london tell you all an anecdote about the little walk that some rock star took around the block before the soundcheck - if she feels so inclined - it's not my story to tell.

so, have to say - this was definitely worth a trip - lindsey is unbelievable - amazing guitar, best voice he ever had, amazing and infectious energy; the band is great - both sublime and rocking as needed; and seeing this show just once is definitely not enough. even though the setlist is the same (so far, hope RAB will make it's way into it soon - and although i have a special fondness for Love minus zero i know that won't happen!), the feeling and the performance is different every night - and everybody seemed to even love lindsey's little speeches introducing the songs (even sounded fresh to me, however unbelievable that seems!).

after reading all other reviews for shows so far and talking to people before and after shows this weekend, i think ridgefield was by far the best one so far - and i am really really happy that i got to be a part of it!!

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

Or perhaps he's self-conscious about wearing just the t-shirt and jeans nowadays? I didn't pay close enough attention, but is his shirt short enough that when he lifts his guitar he shows a little flesh? Maybe he's not as comfortable doing that, who knows...he's in great shape anyway, though maybe not quite as skinny-skinny as he's often been.

i think he must have already lost some weight since the tour started - he looked really skinny yesterday - he's such a tiny lithe guy, and looks soooo large radiating music and energy up there on the stage!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

TIO was great, and it seemed like everybody was singing along with Treason.

This is quite a surprising (and welcome) phenomenon.

Thank you for these great reviews of the 2 shows.

Michele

[elle]

Originally Posted by Amlyn

I took a few pics with my phone but nothing worth sharing. HOpefully others will surface. And I agree security seemed nonexistent...at least to me.!

yes, i'd say it's definitely the venue policy and not lindsey's. venues just blame it on him - b/c why would he have a completely opposite policy every single night? in westhampton, nobody was allowed to film, they immediately stopped whoever tried. in ridgefield, i felt like many people didn't have cameras (maybe they heard about this policy venues blamed on LB?), but there were still many many people filming and taking photos.