Fleetwood Mac with Christine back is amazing

I was also at that show. I saw them several years ago without Christine and really wasn't that interested in seeing them again, but my wife loves them and had never seen them, so I bought tickets. I'm glad I did! The show I saw without Christine was fine, but this one with her was so much better. I love her songs that were added into the setlist, but more than that, I think her voice in the harmony blend is extremely important in the classic Fleetwood Mac with Buckingham/Nicks era. It just isn't the same without her.

 

I saw the Portland show, and even 500 feet away I could tell that Lindsey was the weak link. I think he would be a difficult person to deal with on a personal basis.

 

You don't think he was screwing around but had to apologize for good measure? He does have that kind of sense of humor. I can remember my mom blasting "Rumors" down the street and singing at the top of her lungs in the car and I was thinking "they aren't as good as The Beatles but there's something there", that was at the wise old age of 8. I've followed them as a well wishing fan from that point forward and am so glad they're all back together and bringing joy to the longtime and rabid fans. I've felt for a long time they have one of the best rhythm sections around, add to that the best two female vocalists in any band...except maybe ABBA?.............and a guitar god such as Lyndsey....and you have a band that is definitely in the "gift" category. I've since gone back and visited their discog and wow! They were studs from the start with a little slip up before Nicks/Buckingham came aboard and the rest is history. Hard to believe they're in their 60's and 70's, I'm whipped on a daily basis it seems and nowhere near that age.

 

Tonight was my first Fleetwood Mac concert and I absolutely loved it!

It seemed like everybody was at top notch, especially Lindsey Buckingham. He was jamming out like there was no tomorrow and it got everyone's attention. Honestly though, I couldn't imagine running that show without Christine McVie; her presence is well needed in order for them to have a great show.

 

She is the one that was the constant that held FM together between the time she joined and the time Lindsey Buckingham joined.
I her songwriting is great and her singing and voice are very pleasent. Without her FM wasn't FM. I much prefer what she does for the band that Stevie Nicks.

 

I just watched that Today Show performance since Little Lies is one of my favorite FM songs, and it was embarrassingly horrible, I thought. I bailed half way through. Christine sounded awful and looked pretty ragged. Sorry, but I calls em like I sees em.

 

Saw Lindsey on Tavis this week and he said he and Christine are working together on songs for a new album.

 

Not many sound good in that context, it was cold and the acoustics are pretty bad. I liked the rhythm section and overall not a bad performance.

 

It's give and get with him. He put their sound together but maybe he takes it all a bit too serious and can't understand why the others don't feel the same. After "Tusk" he was jousting with the rest of them over whether to make Say You Will a double cd and you can tell they felt a little burned the first time and just wanted to make a good album that would help launch a tour where the money was. I guess you can call it dedication but where he falters is when he expects everyone else to feel the same.

 

I saw Fleetwood Mac three or four years ago for the first time ever (sans Christine). I went because I've always wanted see them and thought it might be my last chance. They were good, but I remember feeling that it just wasn't quite what I was hoping for. Anticlimax of sorts.

Back in October I saw them again, this time with Christine. I don't really know how to explain it, but it was amazing. They sounded fresh, solid, brilliant. The production and lighting was state of the art. Christine sounded absolutely wonderful. I've already bought a ticket for the show when they come back in February. Can't wait!

 

Christine's presence is required in this band for me. Her contribution to their sound is huge.

 

The Buckingham-Nicks infusion into Fleetwood Mac is one of those experiments that went right. I don't think is was ever an easy collaboration for any of them. I personally really liked the Bob Welch era as well. Christine McVie is and was an essential part of that band for many years. Without her is like a machine not running on all cylinders. You may get from point A to B, but the ride won't be as smooth.

 

when i saw them at the forum last month christine did not sound out of tune at all....she just wasnt as loud as i hoped...she was a bit quiet sounding. not nearly as bad as that today show. also the light show and background screens are amazing in the actual concerts.

 

How could the guy that created that sound be in any way a weak link? The guy is one of the, if not the, most amazing guitarists to ever live.

 

You can tell on the Bob Welch era stuff that she wasn't a loud singer. She has a soft and airy sounding voice.
Which is one of the things that makes her singing very appealing.

 

The Today Show is tough because it requires people to play at 6:00 in the morning, and rock stars are by and large nocturnal creatures. I remember Lennon's complaint about The Twickenham sessions being that they were required to be there for shoots at 9:00 am and that no one can play rock and roll at 9:00 am.

 

Yep, and you know, it really doesnt tick me off about the prices. If it was most likely my last go around Id go for the gold too. I dont blame the Stones or whoever asks these prices.

Theyve been around for 30 something odd yrs, plenty of chances to have seen them for 15-25 bucks or less. I think theyve earned the right to go out making some big bucks. Its not like I have to go see them. 'Course I saw bands like Stones, Who, Skynryrd, Eagles etc when no one thought theyd still be playing in 15 yrs much less 30 yrs later.

About the only person who can grab my money in three figures now is Dylan. I paid 300$ for front row and would probably do it again. Maybe. maybe.

 

I pay the prices because I want to go, but I've never seen a rock show in my life, with the exception of a multi-day festival, that was worth more than 80 dollars. The Stones' prices are an embarrassment and, at least for me, taint the band's image and legacy.

 

Fleetwood Mac live was always a lot rougher and not as pitch-perfect as the studio recordings. Try and watch this performance from the Tusk era and then you may think differently.

 

That's not what I was commenting on. FM live in 1980 doesn't have anything to do with the Today Show appearance and Christine's performance in particular.

 

I appreciate that stance. I guess I start thinking about how much I would pay to go back in time to see the Beatles etc and wonder how much many would pay to see the Stones when they no longer exist. Of course I realize the Stones of the 00's and the 60s prime Beatles are not really a fair comparison. But still, one day, it will be over completely and no amt of money will transport one to the Rolling Stones show. Nor Fleetwood Mac.

But, yeah, ouch. No way Id pay four figures. Ive seen all the groups that still perform. Many times over, for most. Guess my RnR concert days are long gone. Only the ABB remained. It will soon be too late for them also. Ahh well, it was a good run

 

Christine did sound pretty lousy on the Today Show appearance, but that's to be expected as she had just started playing out with them again, not to mention at an abridged outdoor performance in cold weather. I snagged a couple o'nosebleeders for their Ft. Lauderdale gig last Friday and paid particular attention to her voice. Now that she's had time to get back in the groove, she sounds at least 90% as good as she did in the '70s; I was really impressed with her performance. Great show all around, quite happy that my first (maybe only) FM gig coincided with her long-awaited return.

 

When I hear songs sung by Stevie or Lindsey, sure it sounds like Fleetwood Mac but it could also be Stevie solo of Lindsey solo. When i hear Christine sing, it's Fleetwood Mac plain & simple. So for me she's the sound of FM.

 

I get cranky about ticket prices for the top classic acts, but I partcipate in it so I'm at least a small part of the problem. And I'm very happy I saw the Stones the last time around. And I don't regret the Mac show--it was very good.

But, just one more real quick OT story, on the train home from the Stones, I struck up a conversation with a woman probably in her late 50s or early 60s who paid 1500 for her ticket, and she had lived in the Bay Area her whole life and said she'd seen the Stones almost every time they came to the area. And, you know, clearly it's her decision to buy a ticket to the show and a ticket that expensive, but I still couldn't help but think the band was gouging their superfans. Like it's not just the wealthy buying those tickets, it's long time fans that obviously feel compelled to be as close to the action as possible.

 

I saw them last night at Madison Square Garden. It was my first time seeing them as I only recently started really getting into FMac. My timing was right since Christine is now back in the band. Some impressions...

1. They sounded great.
2. Setlist is packed wall to wall with hits. The only big song they didn't play was "Sara".
3. Audience was a lot younger than I expected. There were fogies, sure, but plenty in their 20-30's. Some of this might be due to American Horror Story. A gaggle of kids behind me were going crazy when Stevie mentioned AHS. I don't know what their involvement is with the show but it's made quite an impression.
4. Mick did a several minute drum solo while the rest of the band left the stage during the encore. It seemed a bit unnecessary and showoff-y but ok.
5. They talked A LOT. Lindsey gave a very rambling intro to "Big Love". And while Stevie was telling a long story about, I think, "Gypsy", Lindsey sat on his monitor and was talking with some younger fans in the crowd, even signing autographs. He must've known he had the time to do so. Once the show was over, Stevie came out and told the story of Christine returning. Then after that, Mick came out and gave an extended thank you speech. I've never seen such a long winded goodbye.
6. Stevie is still a Goddess. Lindsey is amazing guitarist. Mick is a ham. Christine is steady and cool. John seems content to hang in the background and he was the only one not to speak.
7. "Tusk" and "Gold Dust Woman" were standouts.
8. Stevie's dog was there being carried around by an assistant or someone.
9. From where I was sitting on the side of the stage, I could see that Stevie had a "monitor" with all of the lyrics and cues. Some of the cues were
*go behind John for cape*
*go to tent for Rhiannon cape*
*Christine intro - my musical family*
*intense silence* (haha)

So, the show isn't much for spontaneity (as I'm sure most big tours aren't), but it is a well oiled machine and was a lot of fun. I'd see them again.