FLEETWOOD MAC LIVE IN 2011

For the latest on Fleetwood Mac - Check the front page

UPDATED: DECEMBER 24, 2010
Mick Fleetwood confirms there will be no Fleetwood Mac tour in 2011... Full article and interview with Mick from Maui News here

UPDATED: NOVEMBER, 2010
Rumours... or Reports throughout the Fleetwood Mac fan community are beginning to circulate that Fleetwood Mac will indeed tour in 2011. July, 2011 specifically has been mentioned as the kick off point. How this will all be worked out or around Stevie releasing a solo album on May 3, 2011 and presumably touring - along with the confirmation that Lindsey is also releasing his solo album in May, 2011 is anyones guess...

Keep your ears to the ground people for any rumblings... Stay tuned!
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PLOTTING AN OUTING IN 2011.... CAN FLEETWOOD MAC AMONG OTHERS HELP SAVE THE CONCERT INDUSTRY - OR BETTER YET, LIVE NATION'S BOTTOM LINE?

LA TIMES

After noting during an investors meeting that ticket sales for the top 100 touring bands are down 12% this year, Live Nation Entertainment's major executives went on the defensive Thursday, blaming the press for "scaring" artists from touring and arguing that acts need to alter their pricing strategies.

The company's CEO, Michael Rapino, and executive chairman, Irving Azoff, painted a grim picture for the second half of 2010 yet noted that major artist tours, and a more customer-service-focused approach, were on tap for 2011.

Journey, Kenny Chesney, Neil Diamond, Van Halen and Fleetwood Mac were among the artists cited by Azoff as plotting outings in 2011.

Obviously it's all about the ticket prices otherwise why would there be such a huge drop in ticket sales this year along with all the cancelled shows and full on tours!... 

Read the full article on the LA Time Blog

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TICKET PRICES NEED TO COME DOWN BIG TIME!... You can configure it whatever way you want, throw in a free cd with the price of a ticket, create VIP packages, exclusive downloads, all that fun stuff - those are all great, but if the fan is ultimately feeling ripped off with the initial price of the ticket, never mind all the added fees, then these pricing strategies don't look all that appealing.  

Everyone involved with pricing from the top down needs to get on the same page fast to come up with a strategy to make it happen - or continue to see what is currently happening on the concert landscape - cancelled tours, discounted ticket offers to fill seats etc.. 

If the promoting companies weren't so beholden to their stock price and share holders, they could afford to weather a tough year or two and possibly be a little bit more flexible and creative with pricing.  But lets face it, Live Nation and other promoters are in it to make cash... BIG CASH, and any company listed on the stock market is always trying to beat their previous quarterly report... and the only way to do that is to suck even more money out of people attending shows - and that's fine, but with the increase in ticket prices, fees, concession prices, parking etc., the value needs to increase.  Why would anyone other then a die hard fan want to see the exact same show year in and year out?  I wouldn't especially if I was a casual fan.  I'd attend more shows if it was reasonable and I would bet that's the case with a lot of people.  Times are tough for a lot of people everywhere, people are very selective now where they spend there discretionary funds.  Gone are the days of spending your last dime on a show you've seen just a year,or a year and half ago - with pretty much the same setlist and nothing new on offer - there are more important things in life really.  

Acts need to either stay off the road for longer periods of time in order to make it seem like it's an event that they are back out on the road, or do limited engagements like Stevie Nicks is doing in August with only 5 shows.   Limit the number of shows yearly giving it an exclusive, big event feel, or play smaller venues... Fleetwood Mac since 1997 has toured twice - first in 2003/04, then they took a 5 year break and came back in 2009.  They played some huge shows in 2009 world wide, but if they had been out on the road playing the same set in 2007 & 2008 I doubt the tour in '09 would have been as successful.  If Fleetwood Mac do head back out on the road in 2011 will it be a rehash of what they played in 2009?  Partly yes, because they have so many hits that people will continue to want to hear so they need to include the staples, but they also have a deep catalog of music that's never been played live before both as a band and as solo artists.  How about trying something you've never played before, or something that's rarely been played?  Or, produce something new!  Acts like Fleetwood Mac need to keep producing new music and they need to perform it... Don't be afraid to see people streaming out for more beer or a bathroom break when you play your new stuff.... The ones that matter are the ones sticking around to see and listen to the new stuff - play to them.  If Fleetwood Mac decides to rehash 2009 then they better be prepared to play to even less then they did in 2009... 

The playing field for ticket buying needs to some how level out for your everyday fan too.  Pre-sale offers, exclusives before street date are all great if you have access, but if fans are feeling left out with no chance at good seats, then why bother.  Plus fans have gotten used to the fact that the ticket sellers put certain lots of tickets up for sale at the beginning, only to release equally good,or better seating as the days approaching showtime nears.  Many fans wait it out knowing they will get a seat in the first 10 rows closer to the show date - and sometimes at huge discounts.

It's simple, level the ticket buying playing field, lower the ticket prices, fees, merchandise prices, concession prices and produce new music and play it!  change it up!  Give the fans something other then the same old same old year in year out.  Do this and you'll fill the seats and in turn sell more ancillary items.

Just my opinion....