offical long-winded Jacksonville Review!

[mylittledemon]

Ok so here's the skinny on the concert. As far as I can tell, this was the set list: The Chain, Dreams, I Know I'm Not Wrong, Peacekeeper, 2nd Hand News, Say You Will, Never Going Back Again, Rhiannon, Come, Sara, Big Love, Landslide, Say Goodbye, Red Rover, Beautiful Child, Gold Dust Woman, I'm So Afraid, Tusk, Stand Back, Go Your Own Way, World Turning, Don't Stop, and Goodbye Baby.

My girlfriend Stephanie and I left Orlando around 3pm and got into Jacksonville at about 5:30. We went to make sure we could find the venue, which was nice little excursion! We found the arena and backtracked to an IHOP for a bite. We got back at the venue around 7-ish and they started letting people in. So I sneakishly hid my camera in the small of my back and walked in without any issues! I ran for the merch table, but sadly, the shirts were outrageously expensive so we skipped out on that.

We took our front row seats directly in front of Lindsey's mic. I was amazed at how close we actually were. When the shock wore off I began talking with a nice gentlemen next to me named Jeremy and his new girlfriend Chris, who was all decked out in the "Stand Back" cape of old and some Gypsy-like suede boots. They were very nice and we talked about seeing the band on past tours (which I have not!). About 7:30 or so, a woman and her daughter decided to come stand RIGHT in front of our seats. I asked security to ask them to move considering I should be able to stand directly in front of my own seat. Evidently this woman did a lot of haggling with security because for some reason they allowed her to stay there. She had on a black StevieNicksChain t shirt, so whoever it was you know what you did (me being a little vindictive!)... Chris had the same thing happen to her, and she told these two girls "Umm...are you sitting here? Because if not you need to move it." I laughed at her ballsiness.

Finally the crickets started at about 8:25 or so and the band took stage around 8:30. The Chain was pumping! I think Mick hit the kickdrum about 30 times before Lindsey riffed his signature intro lick. I snapped a couple of photos during this song (as its my favorite) and I was lucky enough to watch Lindsey's fingers tear up this song! I also finally realized how amazingly small the Turner 1 guitar is! It's so slim and looks very lightweight. John's bass line before the guitar solo gave me goosebumps. It was so deep that we could feel it in our chests! After welcoming Jacksonville they went into Dreams. Stevie's voice was little rough (I think she was sick) but it didn't bother me any. Lindsey's guitar work on this song was great to watch. Mick was having a good time with this one. He had his eyes closed for half the song, relishing his tight snare hits, and probably remembering days past.

I think "I Know I'm Not Wrong" was a highlight of the setlist for me. I'm obviously a huge Lindsey fan, and thus a huge "Tusk" fan. I don't think the band has ever performed this live but they played their hearts out. Everyone was enjoying it, even John was all smiles. Lindsey was smoking his guitar at the end while Stevie was singing "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-BA!" along with the harmonica like chorus. My girlfriend was quick to ask what song THAT was, I just smiled and shook my head.

It was time for Peacekeeper and Lindsey quoted one of my favorite things he's been saying on this tour, "Someone once said when love is gone there's always justice, and when justice is gone, there's always force. This is Peacekeeper." Everyone seemed to be glad that they brought Say You Will back to setlist. It does make sense, it is the title song to the tour they are promoting! Stevie did her little dance with Lindsey during the guitar solo and they got so close they should've just kissed.

Never Going Back Again, always a favorite of mine was a pleasant surprise. I think Mick enjoyed this was more than anyone as he was wagging his tongue quickly along to the beat. The crowd up until this point was noticeably dull but the band quickly hit the opening chords of "Rhiannon" and I think I heard the whole arena yell in approval. Stevie sounded great on this song as always.

Stevie left the stage after much applause and Lindsey went into his creepy opening riff to "Come." He was eyeballing a few girls on the front row and I told my girlfriend to reach out at him. He twirled his finger over her head a couple of times I think. I also noticed on this song something I don't think anyone else did. I'm positive that Lindsey was singing "Thought that our harmony was the new harmony, no it was a little too strange, IN THE beeddddddd.....oooohhh....oooowwwww" I asked New York Nick (a nice gentlemen who stood behind us) and he said he heard the same thing. Lindsey kicked in a killer solo after he yelled the words "Dig it!" I don't think I've seen him more maniacal onstage. He was beating his guitar with a primal fury! At the end of stroking the guitar neck he flung his guitar across the stage floor.

Stevie came out after Come and was wearing a beautiful red shawl and had a rose in her hair. The opening piano to Sara gave me chills and her vocals were pristine. It was truly amazing to see this one live. I've always loved the song, and this was part of the reason I chose to see them on this leg of the tour. She sang the last few lines into Lindsey's microphone just like in the "Tusk" days! She and Lindsey locked looks at the ending of the song, as he played the final guitar notes. I think Stevie was pleased that the crowd was glad she brought Sara back.

Big Love got the crowd in a frenzy. Stevie dedicated Landslide to "the most beautiful sunrise she'd ever seen in Jacksonville and our beautiful city." Say Goodbye was hauntingly beautiful, and very sad my girlfriend noted. Keep in mind, she's not really fan persay, more forced into going because of my obsession. Red Rover highlighted Lindsey's unique guitar skills and his use of vocals and guitar to do all the work. Taku Hirano (the percussionist) and Mick came out and sat on these small beat boxes. They had small holes in them, almost like large blocks of swiss cheese. They patted on them lightly for the background thump needed for the song. Guitar enthusiasts would note that Lindsey did NOT use a capo on this song. Probably some odd tuning he came up with I'm guessing. I didn't care for the song before, but now I have an appreciation for the song because of the performance.

Stevie talked to the crowd about how it was a songwriter's dream to be able to pull a song out of the archives like "Beautiful Child." Her voice was beautiful and a lot of people surprisingly sang all the words. Stevie then rocked out with "Gold Dust Woman" and the crowd was clapping and yelling as they heard the opening guitar chords. John's signature bass line after the first verse had Stevie shaking her hips at him. He smiled in rebuttal. Stevie built us to a frenzy at the end of the song by standing in front of Mick's kick drum. She waved her gold shawl back and forth while Mick pointed his drumstick at her in some kind of rock-goddess homage.

Lindsey then belted out one of my favorites, I'm So Afraid. He was in good form on this one and I noted he played that signature riff between verses three times before the solo. He went to the left side of the stage and tore up his guitar for a couple of minutes. At the end of the song, he pulled his guitar in close to his chest and hugged it! The distorted howling and flashing lights signaled that Tusk was starting. Lindsey brought out for the first time I've ever seen, a white Fender Strat for this version. I think it gives him that hollow, but dry clean sound he needs for that riff. Lindsey stomped across the stage in some kind of primative ritual. At one point he went and "tusked" John by hanging on him. Lindsey then pulled the guitar off his back, flung it to the right side of the stage, and began "boxing" with Stevie. After their "fight" they embraced and hugged for the remainder of the song with had the crowd smiling and clapping. He howled into the mic at the end like a coyote and backed up slowly away from the crowd into the dimming stage lights.

Taku had a small percussion solo which intro-ed Stand Back. As soon as the synth riff started everyone was going crazy. I noticed many of the young women around me dancing to this one. Stevie did her awesome "Stand Back spin" during Carlos Rios' guitar section. He's a great guitar player as well, but a bit lost in the mix I thought. He was all smiles though and enjoyed himself.

"Go Your Own Way" was probably the only song that everyone knew the words too. Lindsey got down into the crowd and was literally four feet from me!! He fretted the chords while the lucky fans closeby got to play the strings. His solo at the end was fantastic, and had that distinct tone of his I've always loved. At the end I motioned for him to come and sign an 8x10 photo I brought. He nodded "ok" and mouthed that he would come back.

We waited for the encore and the whole band came out after 3 or 4 minutes for a killer version of World Turning. I noted that Lindsey played almost the whole song using only his thumb to pick. Mick then had his frenzied drum solo asking the crowd if we were ready for some "hanky panky!" We all laughed and I laughed even harder when I saw some fans getting unintentionally wet from Mick's flying saliva. Lindsey sat on the side of the stage during the solo and I waved a "rock on" sign using my hands at him and he smiled and nodded back. Don't Stop sounded pretty good considering we were all missing Christine's warm vocals. They quickly sang "Goodbye Baby" and John, Mick, Lindsey and Stevie formed a line and bowed a few times, thanking the crowd.

At the end Lindsey came to the edge of the stage and signed the photo I had brought, and as he handed it back to me I grabbed his right hand and shook it and said "Thank you Lindsey." He nodded with a smile and said "you're welcome." Unfortunately a very drunk girl slammed into me from behind trying to get to Lindsey, and my hand smeared the still-wet ink all over the photo...and it was ruined. I could say some nasty things, but nevertheless I had the experience of it! This was without a doubt the best thing I've ever experienced in my life. As Jeremy said at the beginning of the show as I sat next to him..."Being on the front row is like heroin, once you get addicted, you won't settle for anything less after this." In a weird way, he was right, I don't think I will. And on final note, 24 hours later, my ears are still ringing. And people say Fleetwood Mac isn't a loud, rockin' band...