REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac: A Huge Surprise!

by John R. Kasich

BigHollywood

My friends know that I get juiced up to see a really good concert. Last night in Columbus, however, I walked into Nationwide Arena for the Fleetwood Mac show not really sure if I wanted to be there. I went in with low expectations. I knew that Stevie Nicks is an icon and that Mick Fleetwood is a great drummer, but I still did not have high hopes going in. I’ve seen too many bands who are past their prime simply go through the motions, while charging big bucks just to get into the building.

All that I can say is that I was wrong. It was a humble performance — the band refused to rest on their laurels. They played with full emotion, letting it all out and the crowd responded accordingly. The band had three encores and I still wish they had come out just one more time. This wasn’t another nostalgic performance — it was a perfect rock show.

Most impressive was Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar performance. Throughout the concert, he showed with each note why he is such a great musician. By the end of the show, he was sweating so much that I have no idea how he has the energy to preform several times a week. In my eyes, Buckingham was the star of an incredible show.

I have spent all day wondering how I could have been so wrong going in. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and am grateful I didn’t follow my instincts on this one.

IT WAS A GREAT CONCERT | YESTERDAY'S GONE...

Fleetwood Mac in Columbus - It was a great concert!
NeptuneWasher
by Jeff

I would not say that I am a die hard F.M. fan but I really enjoyed the show last night. Those folks can still shake the rafters and sound good while doing it! We were in section 102, row Y at the Nationwide Arena among a full house of fans. We must have been in front of a bank of speakers because the decibels were really cranking.

I have to say that Lindsey Buckingham's pickless style of guitar playing was really impressive... I wonder if he would help on my third Neptune song? Hold on... Let's publish the second Neptune song first! Lindsey broke out and really played some great solo guitar sometimes banging on the guitar and looked like he was very pleased after the song was finished from the expressions on his face.

Let's say mick fleetwood can really play the drums as I was looking forward to the Tusk song which has a unique drum pattern. I did not realize how well Mick could play as I am not a avid fan of F.M. Do you want to beat on Mick's virtual drum kit? See http://www.mickfleetwood.com/MFleetwood_project/menu_movie.htm and click on 'virtual Drumming" link. You can just move the mouse over the drum elements or press the number keys. The bass drum is key #3 and is my favorite. The cow bell is there but you can't click on it :>(

The rhythm section was not complete until we talk about the tightness between Mick and bassist John McVie. What is the matter John McVie? You need a website?

It was great to see Stevie Nicks live for the first time, too! I've seen her in videos but never live. Stevie was awesome! She has a unique flowing way about her while she is performing? Watching her eyes makes you wonder if she is really there but she sounded great. Someone in the front row area was trying to hand her a bouquet of flowers during the whole show. Finally, Lindsey picked them up and handed them to Stevie towards the end of the show.

Some of my favorites they played:

Gypsy
Rhiannon
Second Hand News
Tusk
Sara
Landslide
Gold Dust Woman
Oh Well
Stand Back
Go Your Own way

They finished the show with Silver Springs after the second Encore.

What a show it was! Tickets were $160 each with the Ticket Master fee, Oh Well.

Until next time...

Lindsey's "Tusk Like" Wardrobe Change - Columbus, OH April 18, 2009

FLEETWOOD MAC LIVE 

COLUMBUS, OHIO - APRIL 18, 2009

Lindsey Sports New Duds at the Columbus show.... Very TUSK like!

STEVIE NICKS' Acid Trip... Without the Acid!

GOLD DUST WOMAN..... 

COLUMBUS, OHIO - APRIL 18, 2009

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac Columbus April 18, 2009

Band's history creates winning night of hits

BY CURTIS SCHIEBER
COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Fleetwood Mac led a packed Nationwide Arena Saturday night in perhaps the biggest, loudest singalong heard in Columbus in some time. Touring with no album newer than 2003's Say You Will and the vast majority of its material more than 20 years old, the group was clearly out to play the hits-and maybe make a buck.

With singer-songwriter Christine McVie no longer on board, the weight was more than ever on Lindsey Buckingham to play ringmaster over the famously disparate elements of the band. He said the four members agreed to "just go out there and have fun."

Augmented by five other instrumentalists and singers, they delivered on the promise. Buckingham was clearly the MVP, never leaving the stage for the more-than two-hour show and working up a sweat while singing and banging on his guitar.

He made songs such as Monday Morning, Go Your Own Way and his own Go Insane hard-driving and precise pop. He led the band in a dynamically delivered version of the strange Tusk.

It was plain from the beginning, though, that the killer rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass-the namesake and only constant thread in the 40-plus year band saga-are still the foundation of its sound.

Distinctive as the two were when the band played blues in the 1960s, they lent their stamp last night to The Chain and many more hits.

Buckingham mentioned the group's famed romantic entanglements. Last night that was evident as he and Stevie Nicks stood at opposite ends of the stage while the video screen artificially brought them within inches for dramatic effect.

More than once Buckingham carried the ball for Nicks, who looked half-awake. During Second Hand News she seemed to barely follow the tune's clip. During frequent trips to the dressing room she looked like she might fall off her high heels.

Introducing Gypsy with a nonsensical rap, Nicks suggested that San Francisco's "Summer of Love" and the Velvet Underground together inspired the song. (In reality, the two musical cultures were as far apart as the thousands of miles that separated their scenes.)

Still, Nicks' distance-and the three dresses, a half-dozen scarves, top hat and tambourine-didn't detract from a winning night of non-stop hits.