Monday, July 01, 2013

Review: Fleetwood Mac Live in Portland "band was fired up and totally engaged"

FLEETWOOD MAC LIVE
PORTLAND, OR - ROSE GARDEN
JUNE 30, 2013

Photo by Megan Deans
Fleetwood Mac at the Rose Garden
BY Ned Lannamann
Portland Mercury

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Last night, four members of the Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac played the Rose Garden, offering their biggest hits and some (relative) obscurities as well. It was a great show that didn't ever feel like a routine retread through past glories—the band was fired up and totally engaged for over two and a half hours. They opened with perhaps the greatest one-two-three punch a band could ever pull off: "Second Hand News," "The Chain," and "Dreams," wasting no time whatsoever in getting to the hits.

Lindsey Buckingham held down stage left, almost overly eager to prove his guitar ability. He shredded all night long, with highlights in his now-mandatory solo rendition of "Big Love," and the lengthy face-melting solo during "I'm So Afraid." He whooped and barked at the crowd, as animated as a man without have an eightball shoved up his nose could possibly be. (Oh, wait...) He played to the back row, as if he still had something to prove—when Buckingham's magnum opus Tusk met with some resistance in 1979, it must have put a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, which he still seems to be working out.

Stevie Nicks, meanwhile, was the soul of the show, departing the stage for the numbers that weren't hers but providing a great visual focal point while she was onstage. Dressed in her trademark black chiffon skirt and an array of shawls, she looked amazing and sounded excellent, even as she elected not to reach the high notes in "Dreams" or "Rhiannon."

Continue to the full Review at Portland Mercury

SAD ANGEL
WITHOUT YOU INTRO
GOLD DUST WOMAN
THE CHAIN
WORLD TURNING
SILVER SPRINGS Love that she takes a little stroll mid song around the stage... then back to the mic, spins around a few times...then continues on with the song.  Noticed the last few shows, she's really moving around a LOT on that stage, not just sticking to her little area... Great to see!
CLOSING THOUGHTS You know, every time I see them talking especially at the end of the show, and especially with Stevie's delivery, it sounds so final, like this is the last time... Years ago, they used to say "see you next time" or something to that effect... Not this time.

2 comments:

Kristen said...

I don't like that eightball comment much, NED.

Anonymous said...

I was at the show,and got to meet Mick it was all an awesome time.He could not have been more personable, and was talking to us as if we had been friends that hadn't seen each other in a long while and were just chattin it up. I think the whole VIP experience was well worth it considering I got a very good 4th row seat, I got to meet and get a pic with him, got stuff signed,I got to talk with him, and got to see what it was like from the band's stage perspective (sounds silly but still get chills esp. just being on stage)!!!The concert was outstanding and lasted for about 2hrs. and 45min.!!! The band still sounds awesome, and I can tell you that as good as some of the posted videos have been, none of them do justice to what I witnessed!!! I can also say that even though I could have listened to them all night long, I left with an extremely satisfied heart and mind(and a tired body, sore hands,and sore throat but I did not care)!!! About the only thing that could have mad the experience even better was if I would have been able to meet the rest of the band (esp. Stevie and Lindsey), if such an option would ever be available I'm sure it would cost an arm and a leg but I would gladly pay it if I would ever get the chance!!! In closing I also have to say it is remarkable how young the band feels for as long as they have been doing this; and to rebuke some previous posts I have seen on here they did not look like a band that was up there phoning it in (quite the exact opposite)!!!

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