PRESS RELEASE: MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND HEADLINES "WE THE CHILDREN PROJECT"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Grammy Nominated: MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND 

featuring RICK VITO
to headline
 “WE.THE.CHILDREN. PROJECT’S ULTIMATE GRAMMY KICK-OFF PARTY”

-A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PERFORMANCE FEATURING THE CO-FOUNDER OF FLEETWOOD MAC, benefiting STAND UP FOR KIDS

Mick Fleetwood Blues Band featuring Rick Vito, Songwriting Contestants and Celebrity Judges helping homeless kids off the streets.

 House of Blues Hollywood January 28, 2010.

HOLLYWOOD- In efforts to raise awareness about the shocking statistics and unforgiving reality concerning homeless children in the United States, We.The.Children. Project has created a pre-Grammy event set to kick the New Year off with a charitable boom. This year’s hottest Grammy kickoff party will commence on January 28th 2010 at The House of Blues in Hollywood, CA. We.The.Children. 2010 will be the ultimate Pre-Grammy talent competition, and philanthropic gathering. While most charitable events are giving away up to 30% of their profits, We.The.Children. Project is giving away 50% of the proceeds donated directly to StandUp For Kids. The Pre-Grammy party will feature live music, dancing, and cocktails, A-List celebrities, Grammy Nominees and the Best of the best of the entertainment Industry will be in attendance. All ticket buyers will receive a copy of The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band featuring Rick Vito “BLUE AGAIN” DVD, which is scheduled to be released on January 26, 2010. An EXCLUSIVE private dinner will be held at the Foundation room for all celebrity participants including celebrity endorsers, host committee and judging panel, featuring Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar Wine with a special toast by Mick Fleetwood. Our creative environment will be a welcome space for songwriters, artists, and those who appreciate innovative efforts, to commingle.

The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band feat. Rick Vito is set to perform at the We.The.Children. Grammy kick-Off party. Mick Fleetwood, the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, is celebrating his blues heritage with his Grammy nominated band just days before he learns if he and his band will take home the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album. The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band features a tribute to the original Fleetwood Mac, the all-male blues band that started it all in 1967. Bringing together four stellar Blues and Rock musicians, Mick Fleetwood presents a band that is as current as it is nostalgic. At the front of the group is Rick Vito, veteran Bluesman and former Fleetwood Mac vocalist and lead guitarist. The band pays tribute to the Mac's early days, when it drew heavily on American blues music and produced hits such as "Albatross," "Oh Well" and "Black Magic Woman" (which was covered by Santana). The band also offers some essential blues covers in every show.

We.The.Children. Project has furthermore endeavored to offer both amateur and professional songwriters the chance to perform at the We.The.Children. Charitable celebration. The songwriting competition will begin accepting entries on November 2nd 2009 and will conclude on December 25th 2009, with the finalists performing at The House of Blues in Hollywood on January 28th for a panel of celebrity judges. More information about entering the “Write Your Song” competition can be found at http://www.wethechildren2010.com/

As we approach the holiday season, and the awards ceremony season in this coming New year, it is so important for the community to get involved and lend a hand to those who are less fortunate and in need. Over the last month, We.The.Children Project committee members have began a friendship with the StandUp for Kids non-profit charity. Founder,  Asal Masomi, comments that the partnership has, “…opened our eyes to the shocking statistics concerning homeless children in Los Angeles. There is an epidemic in the United States of children who are living on the streets, going hungry and sleep-deprived, on a regular basis. We have the resources and the opportunity to improve this situation, within the country, but more importantly in our very own backyards.”

We.The.Children. Project members have taken time out of their personal schedules to hit the streets in order to meet homeless children and they have much to report from their experiences. Several committee members took a trip to Venice Beach, CA where they met with children who were willing to tell their stories about their daily lifestyle. Many of these kids are spending their nights sleeping on the beach. They approach, not asking for money, but only asking for food and blankets to keep warm during these coming winter months. When offered any resources (food, clothes), the kids were always grateful and polite. They reported too, that they understand and believe that people look down on them as if they were criminals. But the reality is, their current living situations are often directly due to ‘family problems,’ often times implying an abusive family situation where these children felt their only option to end the abuse was choosing a life on the street. Executive director Viola Rock urges, “These kids are hungry, cold, lonely and scared- but they are intelligent, respectful, and talented. We need to get involved, to give them a helping hand.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to StandUp for Kids a non-profit organization. StandUp for Kids helps homeless and at-risk youths age 21 and younger tackle some of their everyday obstacles and work towards a life off the streets. StandUp for Kids further, supplies basic necessities such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene products, in addition to a wide array of services, including assistance with housing, education, vocational development, counseling, health and medical services, transportation and legal assistance. For more information about this organization visit their website at www.standupforkids.org.

We.The.Children. Project is a philanthropic for-profit business model that creates opportunities for communities to get involved with important issues relevant to the current economic situation and current world events.  The word “children” is a metaphor for all the people of our nation. We.The.Children. Project is a for-profit business model that donates 50% of all profits directly to the non-profit charities that they are partnered with. We.The.Children. Project has been inspired by the continued call for action by our Commander in Chief, Barack Obama. Their general philanthropic focus is to raise awareness and help aid the Children of Our Nation- including our nation's youth, the men and service women of the United States military, and those who are in deep need as a result of our current economic climate.

website: www.wethechildren2010.com.  

Contact:

We.The.Children. Project: 310.309.0962

http://www.wethechildren2010.com/

Director of Media Relations: Danielle Boudaghians - danielleb@wethechildren2010.com

Executive Director: Viola Rock Viola@ame-usa.com

Founder: Asal Masomi: Asal@WeTheChildren2010.com

Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Co-Manager: Jonathan Todd, JTodd@MickFleetwood.com.  The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band is co-managed by Jonathan Todd/Sabre Entertainment and Carl Stubner/Sanctuary Management Group

Jonathan Todd

JTodd@SabreEntertainment.net

Tel:  877.877.4787 x 707

Fax: 818.741.1120 Press Start/Send to Fax

www.SabreEntertainment.net

Today.... In 1974

On this day December 31, 1974

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks

joined Fleetwood Mac

FLEETWOOD MAC #9 ON POLLSTARS ANNUAL TOP 50 TOURS $54.5 MILLION

Pollstar has compiled its Top 50 Tours of North America for 2009 and, although there is no surprise as to who came in at No. 1, there were plenty of surprises just the same.

U2 surpassed all other tours by a wide margin, grossing $123 million in North America and selling more than 1.3 million tickets overall. It beat its closest competitor, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, by about $30 million.

Pollstar Top 50 Tours of North America:

#1 - $123 million - U2
#2 - $94.5 million - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
#3 - $88 million - Elton John / Billy Joel
#4 - $82.5 million - Britney Spears
#5 - $77.9 million - AC/DC
#6 - $71.1 million - Kenny Chesney
#7 - $69.8 million - Jonas Brothers
#8 - $56.9 million - Dave Matthews Band
#9 - $54.5 million - Fleetwood Mac
#10 - $53.4 million - Metallica

MICK FLEETWOOD HOUSE OF BLUES (HOLLYWOOD) JANUARY 28TH

Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood and his Mick Fleetwood Blues Band will headline the We the Children benefit concert January 28th at the House of Blues in Hollywood. Proceeds from the show, which comes at the start of Grammy Week in L-A, will go to Stand Up for Kids. Everyone attending the benefit will get a copy of Fleetwood's new D-V-D, Blue Again.

A DECADE OF FLEETWOOD MAC RELEASES (2000-2009)

A DECADES WORTH OF FLEETWOOD MAC

All releases are Rumours Era Members

and fall between 2000 - 2009

2000

CD - "The Divine Stevie Nicks" [Import] European Compilation - Released September, 2000

2001

CD - Stevie Nicks "Trouble in Shangri-la" - Released May 1, 2001

DVD-A Fleetwood Mac "Rumours - Released May 29, 2001

2002

DVD - Mick Fleetwood "Two Sticks and a Drum" - Released October 8, 2002

CD - Fleetwood Mac "The Very Best Of" - Released October 15, 2002

2003

CD - Fleetwood Mac "Say You Will" - Released April 15, 2003

DVD - Fleetwood Mac "Tango In The Night" - 87 Concert Released on DVD October 14, 2003

2004

CD - Fleetwood Mac "Fleetwood Mac" Remastered Edition - Released March 23, 2004

CD - Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" Remastered Edition - Released March 23, 2004

CD - Fleetwood Mac "Tusk" Remastered Edition - Released March 23, 2004

DVD/CD - Fleetwood Mac "Live in Boston" - Released June 15, 2004 (US) July 19 (UK)

CD - Christine McVie "In The Meantime" - Released September 7, 2004

DVD - Fleetwood Mac "Destiny Rules" - Released September 14, 2004

CD - The Mick Fleetwood Band "Something Big" - Released September 28, 2004

2005

DVD - Lindsey Buckingham "Soundstage" - Released November 8, 2005

2006

CD - Lindsey Buckingham "Under The Skin" - Released October 3, 2006

2007

CD/DVD - Stevie Nicks "Crystal Visions" - Released March 27, 2007

2008

DVD/CD - Lindsey Buckingham "Live at Bass Hall" - Released March 25, 2008

CD - Lindsey Buckingham "Gift of Screws" - Released September 16, 2008

CD - The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band "Blue Again" - Released October 28, 2008 (Europe)

2009

CD - Stevie Nicks "The Soundstage Sessions" - Released March 31, 2009

DVD - Stevie Nicks "Live in Chicago" - Released March 31, 2009

CD - The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band "Blue Again" - Released March 17, 2009

CD - Fleetwood Mac "The Very Best Of" - Released October 19, 2009 Reissue (Europe)

STRIPPER SHARES PENTHOUSE FLOOR WITH STEVIE NICKS AND MICK FLEETWOOD

A pearlier weekend in New Plymouth

Stuff.co.nz

I'd booked one of three penthouse suites at The Waterfront - perhaps Taranaki's most luxurious hotel, where you can watch the waves rolling in off the Tasman Sea - ahead of my stage shows at Crave Club on Friday and Saturday night.

"You're not the only celebrity in town this weekend," confided the bell hop as I made myself at home. He revealed the other two penthouse suites were occupied by Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and the other members of Fleetwood Mac, who were in town for a sold-out show which was estimated to have pulled in over 18,000 people to New Plymouth.

Like myself, Fleetwood Mac are obviously used to the late-night lifestyle, because at the end of my working "day" as I was winding down at about 4.30am, I could quite clearly hear them through the hotel walls.

Full Article

BLAST FROM THE PAST - STEVIE NICKS IN JEANS AND TOP HAT 1975

Cool shot of Stevie from Johnstown, PA 1975

Photo by: Tinahay Gallery | Slide Show

MICK FLEETWOOD NEW YEAR'S EVE IN MAUI

New Year's Eve 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

The best New Year's Eve on Maui, w. the Mick Fleetwood Band in Mala Wailea's main dining room! Champagne toast at midnight! Limited menu available in the lounge.

Website

Reservations

FLEETWOOD MAC TOP 5 IN NEW ZEALAND

FLEETWOOD MAC'S "THE VERY BEST OF" moves up a spot to the 5th position on New Zealands Top 40 Albums Chart in the wake of Fleetwood Mac's two big tour ending shows in New Plymouth on the 19th and 20th this month.

NOV 16, 2009 - #9
NOV 23, 2009 - #7
NOV 30, 2009 - #7
DEC 7, 2009 - #12
DEC 14, 2009 - #11
DEC 21, 2009 - #6
DEC 28, 2009 - #5 (certified platinum)

MICK FLEETWOOD "BLUE AGAIN" DVD - RECORDED LIVE IN LONDON

Mick Fleetwood, the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac is celebrating his blues heritage with Blue Again, a stellar Live DVD Companion that follows the GRAMMY NOMINATED, chart topping CD of the same name.

Recorded Live in London, Mick Fleetwood revisits the blues and the blues-oriented classic songs of Fleetwood Mac by teaming up with with guitarist and lead vocalist Rick Vito, bassist Lenny Castellanos and keyboardist Mark Johnstone. This powerhouse blues project features versions of early Peter Green-penned hits such as 'Black Magic Woman,' 'Albatross' and 'Rattlesnake Shake' as well as original material composed by Rick Vito (with a rollicking version of Elmore James' 'Shake Your Moneymaker' included for good measure).

Produced by Mick Fleetwood and Rick Vito, BLUE AGAIN DVD was recorded live in London in February of 2008. The immaculate recording gives the songs a vibrant, modern immediacy which transcends easy nostalgia. Says Mick in the liner notes: 'Over my career I've been called a pop star and a rock star, yet in my inner heart, I will always be part bluesman. On my journey from blues to a life of rock n roll, I've always remembered where I started.' BLUE AGAIN is both an original musical tour de force and a respectful tribute to Fleetwood Mac (in the midst of celebrating their 40th Anniversary), initiated by the sole member of the band to be in every incarnation from the beginning.

Tracks:
1. Fleetwood Boogie
2. Oh Well
3. Streamliner Blues
4. Looking for Somebody
5. Medley - Rollin Man /Bayou Queen
6. Eyesight to the Blind
7. Love That Burns
8. Red Hot Gal
9. Rattlesnake Shake
10. Black Magic Woman
11. The World Keeps On Turning
12. Black Crow
13. When We Do the Lucky Devil
14. Medley - Passage East / World Turning
15. Shake Your Moneymaker
16. Albatross
17. Homework
18. Stop Messin' Round

Pre-Order The DVD at Amazon - Due for release in late January, 2010.

ON TOUR FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 2010 IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

For More information on The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito and to stream the "Blue Again" album please visit these websites.

MickFleetwoodBlues.com  (Media, Press, Booking Info)
MickFleetwood.com
429 Records

FLEETWOOD MAC GROUP HUG ENDS UNLEASHED TOUR

Fleetwood Mac

New Plymouth, New Zealand

December 19 & 20, 2009

Photos by: Lathkill96

Gallery | Slideshow

THE VERY BEST OF FLEETWOOD MAC (UK AND AUSTRALIAN CHARTS UPDATE)

UK TOP 75 - Week of December 28th:
"The Very Best Of" is down two positions to #23 in the UK.

UK TOP 75 CHART RUN (2009 Best Of Version):
Week 1 #6 Debut
Week 2 #10
Week 3 #12
Week 4 #15
Week 5 #26
Week 6 #29
Week 7 #31
Week 8 #25
Week 9 #21
Week 10 #23

AUSTRALIA:

ARIA TOP 50 CATALOGUE ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 28th:
"The Very Best Of" notches another week at No. 1 on the Australian Top 50 Catalogue Charts. Total weeks on the Catalogue Chart = 7.

ARIA TOP 50 ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 28th:
Fleetwood Mac's "The Very Best Of" drops to #25 on the chart. Total weeks it's placed non-consecutively on the chart = 103

ARIA TOP 50 PHYSICAL ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 28th:
"The Very Best Of" drops down to #22 on the Physical Albums Chart. Total weeks it's placed non-consecutively on the chart = 108

Fleetwood likes to spend his time with the reds and the blues

Fleetwood Mac's drummer has bluesy side project
SIMON COLLINS, The West Australian

When he is not touring with Fleetwood Mac, drummer Mick Fleetwood likes to spend his time with the reds and the blues.

The reds are the wines he has blended with California's Langtry Estate and Vineyard for the past eight years, and the blues are of the 12-bar variety found on the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band's latest album Blue Again.

A Grammy-nominated return to his roots, the album draws on the British blues sound of the original Fleetwood Mac, formed in the late 60s by Fleetwood and gun guitarist Peter Green. Bassist John McVie soon joined to add the "Mac" part of their moniker.

Chatting during the Mac's recent Australian tour, the English-born musician says his Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar range has overcome the usual snobbishness directed towards celebrity labels and is making serious inroads into the US market.

"I love it. It's hard work and it's been a lot of fun," Fleetwood, 62, says from the Hyatt Hotel. "I'm not a big technician, like my playing, but I come from the heart and fortunately we're getting really well written up."

While there was little time for the giant drummer to sample some local wines during the Fleetwood Mac tour, he hopes to do some serious "research" when he returns for some east coast shows with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band in February.

Fleetwood's fifth "solo" release since 1981, Blue Again features guitarist/singer Rick Vito who toured with Fleetwood Mac from 1987-91 when Lindsey Buckingham left the band.

The blues side project is a chance for Fleetwood to reconnect with the traditional sound of the 60s British blues movement as well as the origins of his legendary pop outfit.

"I'm a blues player and that's certainly me and John (McVie) - we came out of that whole blues movement. It's just something I've always loved to do," Fleetwood says. "To focus on that has been a thrill and getting back to playing blues and really addressing some of the original Fleetwood Mac material is a joy."

The Hawaii-based musician and vintner enjoys changing gears between the precise stadium shows of Fleetwood Mac and the looser, smaller performances of the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band.

"When Fleetwood Mac get out and grind the big wheel and get it going, it's sort of hard to stop which is good because . . . there's plenty of bums on seats," he says. "I love to play (with the Mac) - every performance is a joy.

"But you're aware of a lot more pressure just by the fact you're representing a musical franchise. You've got to be on the spot at the right time."

Meanwhile, the blues band affords him a chance to jam and have some fun with 12-bar blues. "There's more freedom for an old fart like me to mess around," he laughs.

The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band started with loftier aspirations than winery tours and bar-room jams. When he and Vito planned the project two years ago, they wanted a reunion of the original Fleetwood Mac members at London's Royal Albert Hall. While he managed to convince former slide guitar player Jeremy Spencer, who left the band in 1971 to join a Christian cult, to perform, the event hinged on the presence of Green.

The guitar great has battled schizophrenia for most of his life and got the "heebie-jeebies" not long before the show, forcing Fleetwood to cancel the event. Green still has a strong presence on Blue Again. Half the songs on the album were penned by him, including Black Magic Woman, Albatross and Rattlesnake Shake.

While the blues band gigs are always fun, Fleetwood says that the Mac's current greatest hits tour - which stopped by Perth for two epic concerts this month - has been one of the most enjoyable in the legendary band's long history.

He says that without a new album to worry about, the two odd couples of the Mac - himself and McVie; Stevie Nicks and Buckingham - have somehow managed to tour without burning out.

A clear sign of a rare healthy passage for Fleetwood Mac came when Blue Again landed a Grammy nomination for best traditional blues album and Nicks was only beset by mock envy.

Fleetwood chuckles: "Stevie congratulated me and said, 'Well, I didn't get a Grammy nomination for my solo album'."

Blue Again is out now.

CAN DON HENLEY AND STEVIE NICKS WORK TOGETHER?

Can Don Henley and Stevie Nicks Work Together on an Eagles and Fleetwood Mac Tour?

December 27, 2009 by Ron Hart Ron Hart
Associated Content

Will Don Henley and Stevie Nicks share the stage, and the limelight, as the rumored Eagles and Fleetwood Mac co-headlining classic rock tour seems to be close to official? As Henley and Nicks are the most recognizable names and faces in their respective 1970's rock super-groups, the two share a history that somehow manages to be both shrouded in mystery and well publicized.

Probably the most difficult aspect to putting together a concert tour like this one is not logistical in nature. Though logistics can be a challenge, the biggest obstacle can be the egos involved. Who exactly is the bigger group, the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac? Who will close the show? Are more Eagles fans or more Fleetwood Mac fans coming? How will this affect the dynamic between the principals in the two groups?

Now, throw in the fact that Don Henley and Stevie Nicks had an on again and off again love affair during the late 1970's and into the early 1980's, and you have an even more complicated situation. While both are quite a bit older now, romances from the past often are hardwired in people's psyche. To further complicate matters, Nicks was involved in no less than three of the other participants in this mega concert tour: Lindsay Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac, and Joe Walsh from the Eagles.

If this all seems to add up to a potentially tenuous situation, here is one more thing to consider. Don Henley, in an GQ article from the early 1990's, told the world that he believed Nicks became pregnant by him, aborted the baby and named the unborn fetus Sara. Henley shared that he believed Nicks then wrote one of her most famous songs, Sara, and dedicated it to the Henley sired love child that would never be.

In subsequent years, Stevie Nicks made it clear that she was not at all happy with Henley's statement to the world. While she did not deny being pregnant with Henley's child, she apparently was very unhappy with Henley for sharing it in an interview with a national magazine.

Certainly, it appears that through the years Henley and Nicks have patched things up. In recent years, they have performed on stage together, most notably during a mini-tour without the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac in which both performed alone and together.

While both Henley and Nicks became solo stars in their own right, neither became nearly as big as they were with the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac respectively. So while a small solo tour with the King and Queen of 1970's Southern California rock seemingly went well, an Eagles and Fleetwood Mac pairing will have a lot more attention and will represent a lot more at stake.

Both groups have had more than their share of internal drama, but as they bring them together to sell out football and baseball stadiums across the country, it will be very interesting to observe their on stage dynamic (if they perform together), and any offstage drama that may leak out to the world at large.

While both Henley and Nicks are total professionals, and as each are nearing the point of senior citizenship, it is unlikely that any real 'dirty laundry' will be exposed. And for his part, Henley is now a married man. But if the interpersonal relationships again get emotional or complicated, it will be interesting to see how it might effect the tour and the product on the stage.

PHOTOS: Fleetwood Mac Live in London October 30, 2009

FLEETWOOD MAC - LIVE IN LONDON

OCTOBER 30, 2009 - WEMBLEY ARENA

Photos by: theothermichaeljackson (Gallery | Slideshow)

FLEETWOOD MAC: THEIR FINAL MOMENTS ON STAGE IN NEW PLYMOUTH

FLEETWOOD MAC

NEW PLYMOUTH, NEW ZEALAND

BOWL OF BROOKLANDS

DECEMBER 20, 2009

Photos by: hejiranyc (Gallery | Slideshow)

FLEETWOOD MAC/STEVIE NICKS BACKUP SINGER RELEASES CD

JANA ANDERSON "NEVER SAY NEVER"

Backup singer for Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks on her solo tours - Jana Anderson has just released her new CD "Never Say Never". Jana's many recording accomplishments include recording with Prince & Don Henley and she also appears on Fleetwood Mac's "Live In Boston" DVD/CD, Stevie Nicks "The Soundstage Sessions Live in Chicago" DVD/CD. Not only has she toured with Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks on her solo tours, she's toured with Don Henley and Jewel.  You can check out and buy her CD at CD Baby

PHOTOS Fleetwood Mac Live in Sydney, AU December 8, 2009

FLEETWOOD MAC

ACER ARENA - SYDNEY AUSTRALIA

UNLEASHED TOUR - DECEMBER 8, 2009

Photos by: Joanna Von K (click HERE for the Facebook gallery)

Thanks Joanna!

BIG JUMP ON NZ ALBUMS CHART

FLEETWOOD MAC'S "THE VERY BEST OF" jumps 5 spots to #6 this week on New Zealand's Top 40 Albums Chart for the week ending December 21, 2009.

NOV 16, 2009 - #9
NOV 23, 2009 - #7
NOV 30, 2009 - #7
DEC 7, 2009 - #12
DEC 14, 2009 - #11
Dec 21, 2009 - #6

(REVIEW) NEW PLYMOUTH - FLEETWOOD MAC

The Case for a Mac Attack

Review by: Judge-Jury

Mick brought a big set of drums and slim, attractive backup singers who dressed like Matrix refugees. Lindsey brought a large selection of guitars and an Art Garfunkle look. Stevie brought her portable wind generator, her tambourine and a few hundred outfits. New Plymouth brought the rain – especially for the concert.

Yup, basically as soon as Fleetwood Mac hit the stage (and the DomPost was there - the photo is theirs), the rains decided to join in the fun (ironically, the Sunday show, which was always meant to be wet, ended up quite dry - apparently). The rains played coy as we claimed our spot on the grassy hillside in New Plymouth’s Bowl of Brooklands, and they stayed away through the country and western warm up act (from Lyttleton!) though they may have been fighting queues to get food and t-shirts, but then they came back with a vengeance for the main act. But that didn’t really seem to bother anyone.

Even me, and I detest getting wet. We were lucky to have claimed a spot that was somewhat shaded by a tree, though still on the gentle slope in front of the stage rather than on one of the more precipitous banks around the venue. Our view of the stage and the screens (once everyone stood up) was incredible, and then of course there was the music itself.

I do not claim to have particularly distinguished music taste, as I know my preferences are fairly middle of the road. But everyone at the audience, from the nearby chain smokers to the nearby potheads, from the sensibly dressed women with wine in their hands to the rough and tumble buzzcutted lads with their ciggies and beer, and from those who remembered the 60s and 70s to those who barely remember the 90s, the entire crowd were thrilled to see this group, and revered the music they performed.

And the devotion was not misplaced. If we were worshippers of the band, Stevie Nicks was the high priestess, and her every word was met with a hush that poor Lindsey Buckingham never got during his pronouncements. But then, his words were not his most impressive contribution: I was almost ready to call CYFS, with the way he abused his wee guitar. The whole crowd sang along to the major hits, but stayed respectfully quiet as Ms Nicks performed her slower songs. I did not think she would perform “Landslide”, which is one of my favourites, so I was pleasantly surprised then it began, and while the Dixie Chicks version is incredible, the performance by just Ms Nicks and Mr Buckingham doing a guitar solo totally blew my mind. Others got more worked up over the other “surprise” inclusion an 80s effort (the name of which escapes me), which gave Ms Nicks yet another chance to change her outfit and twirl around the stage. They never did get around to playing “Seven Wonders”, which is one of my favourites, but with songs like “Gypsy”, “Rhiannon”, “Go Your Own Way”, “Say You Love Me”, “Sarah”, and “Don’t Stop” all performed amazingly, I really didn’t end up caring.

I seem destined to always enjoy major concerts in the rain (like Bowie), but New Plymouth’s rain was nowhere near as windswept and driving as the Wellington version (wimps). The band were very complimentary about the audience’s staying power and even started 15 minutes early, though they still expected two encores rather than just having one big finale set. But when one of those songs contained an incredible drum solo by Mr Fleetwood, when he earned his genial giant reputation by getting the audience somewhat involved (though he was hard to understand through all the sweat and energy he was putting into his efforts), then its really hard to feel annoyed.

And who am I to quibble or complain? The show was absolutely incredible. Leaving the event turned out to be a slip slide health hazard, and people were screaming animal calls rather than attempting to murder the songs we had just heard performed so expertly (a la “Roxanne” at the Police concert), but, sodden as I was, I left with a (potentially second hand pot fuelled) buzz that I still feel somewhat with the distance of time and space. It was a totally worthwhile experience, and one of the greatest pre-Christmas presents I could ever have wished for.

Verdict: Legends came to life in the ‘Naki and Fleetwood Mac did not disappoint. Should they come back again (as they promised to do), or Stevie tour solo again (I still kick myself for missing her last tour), I will have to make a pilgrimage to wherever to experience their magic again. 7 Wonders out of 7, no matter the weather.

CONTINUE TO FULL REVIEW

SLIM CHANCE OF GETTING UP-CLOSE TO FLEETWOOD MAC

RARELY seen in Taranaki, the ways of the famous were in full force for Fleetwood Mac’s weekend visit.

By MATT RILKOFF

Taranaki Daily News

Arriving on a jet bigger than the passenger planes that service the region, the band was met on the tarmac by four silver Mercedes Benz sedans, a Porsche Cayenne SUV and four Toyota people movers. While the big stars, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie, jumped into the flash cars, the lesser members of the entourage filled the Toyotas.

Fans and the two media representatives were kept behind a fence more than 50m from the action.

This put the rockers out of earshot and better seen through a photographer’s long lens. When the convoy did leave the airport several of the band covered their faces lest the fans with their aimand-shoot cameras and the one newspaper photographer caught a picture of them through the tinted windows of their fastmoving cars.

The level of secrecy was not appreciated by some, who were quick with tales of Billy Connolly and Tom Cruise mixing with the locals with little pretension when they visited. At the Saturday concert the was one of just a handful of news organisations attending.

The reporter was allowed in for the whole concert but the photographer had just the first three songs to snap his pictures before being escorted to the gate.

On Sunday no media passes were issued, despite requests for at least two for this newspaper.

‘‘They feel the media were there on Saturday and no media are going to be allowed on Sunday,’’ said media liaison Leesa Tilley.

Other requests were just as fruitless. No face-to-face interview was granted though several questions were allowed to be posed via email. The response came in the same manner a day later.

Where the band was staying was kept a secret with no-one involved in their visit allowed to divulge that particular piece of information.

One cheeky question to that end was met with an icy smile and the cliche ‘‘then I’d have to kill you’’ from the head of the Wellington security firm looking after the group.

However, the question did not remain unanswered for long. When his back was turned, one of the locals whispered ‘‘The Waterfront’’.

Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham put the Saturday concert in his top-five and everyone else seemed to enjoy themselves but that did not convince them to stay longer than they had to. The band flew out of New Plymouth at 11.30pm on Sunday night, less than one hour after the final concert and 31.5 hours after arriving.

Concert rubbish dismays cleaners

FULL ARTICLE

FLEETWOOD MAC'S STEVIE NICKS & MICK FLEETWOOD PHOTO WITH KANOHI KITE KANOHI

MAGICAL NIGHTS TOP BAND'S EXPECTATIONS
Taranaki Daily News

Stevie Nicks reckons it was the perfect end to a year on the road.

She said she was blown away by the crowd at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands during Fleetwood Mac's two New Plymouth concerts at the weekend.

The venue, the fans and even the weather added something special to the band's last two performances of their 10-month long Unleashed tour.

Although band members declined to be interviewed in person, Nicks told the Taranaki Daily News via email the audience at the Bowl was "awesome".

"The crowd was mesmerising to me because they were so in to it and having so much fun," she said.

"Of course, that kind of crowd makes such a difference to an artist."

Indeed, her fellow band member Lindsey Buckingham agreed, citing Saturday's concert one of the top five in his entire career.

It was Nicks' second time at the Bowl and the weekend's concerts exceeded the entire band's expectation.

"The fans were great, the venue was great, and the Maori welcoming ceremony after the show was truly magical," she said.

About 36,000 fans filled the Bowl to experience the veteran rockers' still amazing act over the weekend.

While Sunday's concert was a stunner and significantly drier than Saturday Nicks said the persistent rain actually added to the ambience of the atmosphere.

"The rain was very dramatic and of course, we love drama!

"So I would have to say that it certainly lent itself to romanticism."

Although the shows were the last of the tour, the band did not plan anything special to sign off the past year. Instead, they played it by ear.

"You never know what is going to happen on the last show of a tour," Nicks said.

"You can never make any plans because emotions are high and a part of you is sad because it's ending and a part of you is glad because you have been on the road for a year. So you never know what is going to happen."

And people were not disappointed. While the Fleetwood Mac concerts were generally expected to attract a more mature crowd, people of all ages turned up in droves. It was widely speculated that the tour might be their last.

During Saturday night's concert Buckingham hinted at the possibility of another tour and maybe another album.

Nicks says although the band has not discussed the next move, it is not off the cards.

(VIDEO) LIVE IN NEW PLYMOUTH: FLEETWOOD MAC "GO YOUR OWN WAY"

B0WL OF BROOKLANDS, NEW PLYMOUTH, NZ

CHART ROUND-UP: FLEETWOOD MAC "THE VERY BEST OF" UK AND AU

Fleetwood Mac's "The Very Best Of" double disc release this fall is hanging on through the holidays.

THE UK:
UK TOP 75 - Week of December 21st:
"The Very Best Of" is up four positions to #21 in the UK just shy of re-entering the top 20.

UK TOP 75 CHART RUN (2009 Best Of Version):
Week 1 #6 Debut
Week 2 #10
Week 3 #12
Week 4 #15
Week 5 #26
Week 6 #29
Week 7 #31
Week 8 #25
Week 9 #21

AUSTRALIA:

ARIA TOP 50 CATALOGUE ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 21st:
"The Very Best Of" notches another week at No. 1 on the Australian Top 50 Catalogue Charts. Total weeks on the Catalogue Chart = 6.

ARIA TOP 50 ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 21st:
Fleetwood Mac's "The Very Best Of" moves up to #16 on the chart - a new peak postion for the cd. Total weeks it's placed non-consecutively on the chart = 102

ARIA TOP 50 PHYSICAL ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 21st:
"The Very Best Of" moves up to #16 on the Physical Albums Chart - a new peak postion for the set. Total weeks it's placed non-consecutively on the chart = 107

ARIA TOP 50 DIGITAL ALBUMS CHART - Week of December 21st:
"The Very Best Of" slips 3 places to #20 after debuting last week at #17 on the Top 50 Digital Charts.

(REVIEW) FLEETWOOD MAC NEW ZEALAND + THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY

Gig review: Fleetwood Mac

New Plymouth, New Zealand

1st Show Saturday, December 19, 2009

by: Simon Sweetman

The Dominion Post

Fleetwood Mac had fans in raptures at two sold out shows in New Plymouth over the weekend. Reviewer Simon Sweetman was there.

From late-60s British blues band to mid-70s American soft-rock superstars, Fleetwood Mac have evolved and endured, the sound almost taking a back seat to the soap-opera antics of the band members.

Inter-band relationships and affairs, along with drug and alcohol abuse, have, somewhat ironically, been the glue for this band, providing material for many of the classic songs.

This version of the Mac features original rhythm section John McVie (bass) and Mick Fleetwood (drums). Out front are Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, the singer-songwriters who in the mid-70s took the band to the top of the charts and helped in creating one of the greatest-selling albums of all time, Rumours.

Christine McVie declines the invites to tour the hits these days. Her songs Don't Stop and Say You Love Me were played here, however.

The band began with the lively burst of pop that is Monday Morning, the opening track from the eponymous 1975 album. The audience stood strong as the rain came in, and were treated to The Chain and Dreams, an early one-two punch.

Buckingham owned the stage, stalking with his guitar, low-slung, crouching, peeling off piercing runs of notes, squalling solos that enthralled.

If he was occasionally too intense with his between-song banter detailing the emotional connections – something lost on parts of the audience, there to drink first and listen to the six radio hits they knew – then he certainly saved face with his powerhouse solo acoustic take on Big Love, transformed from the Tango in the Night version.

By the time the set-closing anthem Go Your Own Way was ringing out, Buckingham was receiving healthy ovations for every guitar solo.

Nicks, ever the beguiling performer, manages, still, to very much become the song she is singing – to morph into a character that embodies the white witch of Rhiannon; that is the "poet in my heart" of Sara; that is the Gypsy.

Her tour-de-force moments were Gold Dust Woman and the final encore, Silver Springs. An always tender moment in a Fleetwood Mac show is when Nicks sings Landslide; the emotional journey that she and Buckingham have provided for generations of listeners and for themselves seems to be summed up in the lyric.

John McVie was the quiet rock, as ever, pushing the songs forward with his bass playing, receiving huge applause for the exploratory line that propels The Chain, the concert's first of many truly awesome moments.

And Fleetwood, a towering presence behind the kit, got to show off a touch of his possible madness as he chanted near-gibberish around a drum solo at the end of World Turning.

Leave a comment and read other comments here

Fleetwood Mac: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
by: Simon Sweetman
Stuff.co.uk

While the big stars, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie, jumped into the flash cars, the lesser members of the entourage filled the Toyotas

It's an amazing story, or set of stories.

On the drive back - yesterday afternoon - we chatted about some of the stories connecting the band; about the Peter Green years and then on to the involvement of Bob Welch and then the "classic lineup". I even have time for the album they recorded called Time.

But I do not have a lot of time for idiots in crowds. And I was reminded of why I hate open-air concerts in New Zealand.

The venue, oversold from what I could tell, was stripped of its unique selling-point: the pond in front of the stage was crudely/cruelly boarded over with a platform to house some seats so that people can be packed in (can anyone say Concert Cave Creek?) There was also a couple of eyesore mini-grandstands jutting out like the back-ends of a bogan mullet, flanking the front of the stage, rendering large patches of the banks useless.

You either queue up early - or you fight for your patch of land. If you do get there early you have people push in and end up on your turf anyway.

All of this should be okay - not ideal but okay - but in among the picnic baskets and recyclable bags filled with cushions and blankets, people forget to pack any sense of humility. And to save on space most tend to not bother taking along any dignity.

I will never, as a music fan, understand how people can choose to spend $120 on a ticket and stand there talking, hooting, laughing, being annoying until the three or four radio megahits are played. And I will also never understand why people pay so much money to go to these shows - including petrol or flights and accommodation as well as ridiculous booze prices - to get written off and not really remember anything but the obvious songs.

I didn't want Fleetwood Mac to play Don't Stop. I don't need to hear that song ever again.

But you know they will - and that's fine. You take it because you know you are going to get Silver Springs and Oh Well (a tribute to the old blues band); you know you are going to get Rhiannon and The Chain. I don't mind some of the big-big hits; I'm not being a snob. Go Your Own Way is probably as overplayed as Don't Stop. It's a far better song though.

Stumbling and tumbling around the crowd of apparently 18,000 people (according to this) were, presumably, no fewer than 987 women between the ages of 35 and 17 named Rhiannon - just waiting for the moment to yell "this is MY song"; their mothers there too, hoping for Landslide for the chance to yell "this song is about MY life" and far too many females dressed in leather and lace - with only the lace being removable - unaware that Gypsy is anything other than a Fleetwood Mac song (one of the ones to singalong to) and that Cougar is a type of pre-mixed bourbon-drink.

Before you write in calling me a killjoy, I am all for people having a good time. I think it's great to be part of a crowd that is having a good time - I enjoyed Don't Stop more than I thought I would on Saturday night because all around me people were partying, wrapped up in a song that everyone knew.

It's the aggression and agitation I cannot stand. That - and the absolute idiocy.

This was similar to any of the shows I have reviewed at Hawke's Bay's Mission vineyard. A place where they could put a guy on stage with a lawnmower and you would still have a paying audience pouring in with chilli-bins. "Mow another strip Trev; classic! Absolutely classic!"

We cannot stop these people from buying Dai Henwood's new CD/DVD. We cannot stop them from cackling at Bro Town. We cannot stop these people from playing Fat Freddy's Drop at a BBQ or for calling the first Norah Jones album jazz.

But we should not have to rub elbows with them on the way in and out of a poorly designed park in a mad rush.

Outdoor concerts are gross.

The venue takes a hammering with cans and bottles being biffed; food and rubbish everywhere. People are rewarded for hooligan behaviour because articles are written saying the show was well supported; the city will apparently benefit from the cash injection/s. It reduces good music to the base level of being background drinking sounds for The Brains Trust.

It's insulting - to the real fans and to the band.

It rained the whole way through the concert - that cannot be helped. It made me wonder, though, if the people behaved worse because of it, or should I have been relieved? Maybe if it was a sunny day there would have been more drunken goons with no idea, no taste and no real business being there.

I vowed, as I spent 45 minutes in a near standstill trying to leave what had been an amazing musical performance, that I would never go to an outdoor show at a vineyard or natural amphitheatre ever again. Of course it's not true - it's an occupational hazard that I will have to (continue to) endure. But I'm getting close to picking the venue as being almost as important as the act. I will probably always make exceptions - I really wanted to see FlDrunken Boganseetwood Mac and it was worth it to me to travel there, pay to stay, pay for tickets - but if I can help it I will be sticking to seated stadium shows and indoor events.

People are idiots. And it's a shame.

What do you reckon? Over the top? Or do you agree? Have you had gigs ruined for you by drunken jerks? Or do you think that if you pay the money you get to, within reason, do what you want?

And were you at Fleetwood Mac this weekend? What did you think? Did the rain dampen your spirits? Or could nothing stop the Mac attack? Or were you disappointed by the music? Maybe they only played Rhiannon and Don't Stop once each and that bugged you? (I heard someone yell "play Rhiannon again!")

What are your thoughts on this weekend's Mac show? And/or on outdoor shows in general? Do our crowds embarrass themselves? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

CONTINUE TO FULL STORY