Saturday, October 18, 2008

Stevie and Jimmy...

So when was the last time we saw these two in the same room together??
(City of Hope Gala 10.15.08)


















Gavin Rossdale and Stevie Nicks (City of Hope Gala 10.15.08)

Friday, October 17, 2008

You could be standing next to this man

Spotlight 29 Casino Welcomes Mick Fleetwood for a Weekend of Wining, Dining and Singing

Friday October 17, 2008

COACHELLA, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- How often do you get to spend the weekend with a superstar? Now, Spotlight 29 Casino gives you the chance when it welcomes music icon Mick Fleetwood for a weekend of wine, fine dining and a concert like none other.

The fun begins on Friday, November 14 in Spotlight's JEM Steakhouse with the Mick Fleetwood Wine Dinner. This incredible night features a four-star dinner from the famous JEM Steakhouse menu, paired to perfection with wine from the Mick Fleetwood Private Cellars collection.

With only 120 seats available, this truly intimate experience is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to wine and dine with a music legend. The $250 ticket price includes a VIP ticket to Fleetwood's Saturday concert, an autographed bottle of Mike Fleetwood Private Cellars wine and a souvenir photo with Fleetwood. The evening begins at 6 p.m. For paid reservations, call Diane at (760) 775-2853 or Micaela at (760) 775-2880.

continue to full article

Mick Fleetwood - Back to the blues

by Andrew Baldwin
Huddersfield Daily Examiner
October 17, 2008

AT 6ft 6in, Mick Fleetwood has always been head and shoulders above mere mortals.

And now the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac is heading to Holmfirth to celebrate his blues heritage with his new band, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band.

The band will perform classic original songs like Oh Well, Rattlesnake Shake, Albatross, Black Magic Woman and many more at the Picturedrome on Friday, October 31.

Rick Vito, Lenny Castellanos and Mark Johnstone will join Mick for what promises to be a musical experience that combines 40 years of excellence in blues and rock.

At the age of 61, drummer Mick spends his days in the Hawaiian sunshine.

“I’m coming all the way from paradise to be with you,” he laughs.

“It’s a long way to swim.”

What can we look forward to from the show?

A trib to the Mac’s early days, that’s what, when it drew heavily on American blues music.

“You won’t be hearing Rhiannon or Dreams. This is about my early days. It’s blues with a splattering of rock’n’roll.

“Back in 1968 when Fleetwood Mac started that was the music that we played.”

Rick Vito, veteran bluesman and former Fleetwood Mac vocalist and lead guitarist, is at the front of the group.

“A lot of guys can play the licks but Rick has the tone and that’s so important in real blues,” says Mick.

For tickets and information, visit http://www.picturedrome.net or ring the Picturedrome on 01484 689759.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

REVIEW: Lindsey Buckingham Brings His Big Love to Chicago

Photos by BARRY BRECHEISEN


Written by KEN KLOES
Photos by LAUREN MUCH
Lumino Magazine
Thursday, 16 October 2008

October 2nd was a night of many temptations. A much anticipated Vice-presidential debate was playing on the telly, Beck, Alanis Morrisette, and Weezer were in town, the Cubs and Dodgers playoff game were at Wrigley. If that still wasn’t enough, Lindsey Buckingham was playing an intimate show at the House of Blues. The large, but not sold out crowd, made their choice and showed up to see the guitarist of Fleetwood Mac fame confidently display a night of his guitar playing prowess.

On the eve of his 59th birthday, Lindsey and his band took over the stage appropriately opened up with “Great Day,” featuring two guitars seamlessly trading off riffs. Lindsey known for playing his guitar finger style can cover more ground on a fret board than the average guitar player.

Lindsey followed with “Love Runs Deeper,” also from the new album Gift of Screws. The soaring solo resonated off the great acoustics of the venue. Simple notes that rock with passion elicits comparisons to the classic musical mantra from the Fleetwood Mac mega hit “Go Your Own Way.” Many of the songs played tonight were showcased from the new album. Previously Buckingham’s solo work tended to be experimental in nature but this new release contains mostly songs that are easy to grab on to and in turn accessible.

While “Trouble” was playing, if you closed your eyes you could swear that you were at a Fleetwood Mac concert with Christie McVie and Stevie Nicks were singing backup. It was blatantly obvious how much influence Lindsey had on the sound of his former breakout band and intermittent touring mates. All night long easily recognized Mac songs were mixed in with Lindsey’s own pieces keeping the attentive crowd guessing and eager for the next selection.

Mid-concert, while introducing “Big Love,” Lindsey shared a little insight that when he wrote the song most of the people around him were all in screwed up relationships, hurting themselves with drugs and booze in Malibu. It was a volatile time and he was glad to have lived through it and persevere. He now has 3 children with his beautiful wife Kristen, whom he introduced and called out onto the stage.


Always the performer, after finishing yet another well crafted song, Lindsey could be found at the front of the stage hugging his guitar and soaking up the adulation from the enthusiastic and polite middle aged audience. An experienced showman, he knows how to give the people what they came to see. His solos were performed in a trance, emphasizing simple yet powerful riffs packed with passion and musical intensity.


An unexpected highlight of the night was of all things the drum solo, which was entertaining to say the least. Half way through, the percussionist cut his ring finger on the drum he was beating with his bare hands. If you didn’t see him sucking on his finger between beats or showing the drum tech his bleeding appendage you wouldn’t have known that something was amiss. A true performer, he carried on and only bandaged up after he was done.

The show was beginning to take on a special character as they continued with “I’m so Afraid,” featuring an epic solo that had just a hint of Pink Floyd in it. Lindsey held a single note for what seemed like forever…long, intense, passionate…a holy shit moment. Follow that with a goose bump-raising rendition of “Go Your Own Way,” where Lindsey leaned into the front row and let them touch his guitar as he played the signature solo with all he had, now the house was rocking!

The band consisted of Neale Heywood on guitar, Walfredo Reyes who comes from a family of percussionists on drums, and Brett Tuggle, whom Lindsey referred to as the genius of the band, on guitar, bass and keyboards. Lindsey was clearly grateful for the musician’s life he leads and once again proved his commitment and passion to playing music from the depths of his being.

Lindsey Buckingham closed the show with “Time Precious Time,” a mind-blowing finger picking piece that demonstrated yet one more time why this artist is timeless. In the end, no one seemed to be disappointed in the choice of entertainment for the evening.

Stevie Nicks and Jimmy Iovine opened the presentation to Morris

Morris Receives City Of Hope Award
October 16, 2008
Billboard Magazine

By Ann Donahue, L.A.

In a presentation that was both moving and jubilant, Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Doug Morris received the City of Hope Spirit of Life Award Wednesday night (Oct. 14) at a benefit dinner that raised a record $10 million for the Duarte, California-based cancer research and treatment hospital.

Morris and his family donated $1 million of that, in a tribute to longtime City of Hope dinner chair Zach Horowitz, and his father.

"Tonight the heart of this industry is in this big tent - and it's a big heart and a generous heart," Morris said. 1,900 people attended the event, which was held in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica.

Stevie Nicks and Jimmy Iovine opened the presentation to Morris. Nicks recalled a childhood friend who received treatment for leukemia at City of Hope; during the course of treatment the woman realized she was pregnant. "[City of Hope] said to my beautiful friend 'What can we do for you?'" Nicks said. "And she said 'Keep me alive long enough to have this baby.' And they did."

Nicks worked closely with Morris during this trying time in her life and graciously remembered his support. "He listened to me cry on the phone when Robin was dying," she said. "And he made it OK. He made it all OK. That's who our Doug is."

Iovine spoke of Morris's generosity on a professional level. "Doug's mantra has always been that the people who do the job have to get the credit," he says. "He knows no other way."

The entertainment for the evening was billed as the "Doug Morris Motown Revue," a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the founding of Motown. "Few executives these days are true music people," said Berry Gordy. "Doug Morris is one of them."

Another Universal executive with a definite musical bent, Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair, conducted the Universal Orchestra through a set that literally had attendees dancing in the aisles.

The full set list:

Mariah Carey - "I'll Be There" originally by The Jackson Five
Michael McDonald - "Living For The City" originally by Stevie Wonder
Rihanna - "Where Did Our Love Go" originally by The Supremes
Lionel Richie - "Easy" originally by The Commodores
Clique Girlz - "Stop! In The Name Of Love" originally by The Supremes
Erykah Badu - "Mary Jane" originally by Rick James
Maroon 5 - "My Cherie Amour" originally by Stevie Wonder
Lee Ann Womack - "Love Child" originally by The Supremes
Luis Fonsi & David Bisbal - "Overjoyed" originally by Stevie Wonder
Duffy - "I Second That Emotion" originally by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Keyshia Cole - "Ribbon In The Sky" originally by Stevie Wonder
Jamie Cullum - "Money (That's What I Want)" originally by Barrett Strong
Robin Thicke - "Lately" originally by Stevie Wonder
Steve Nicks - "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart" originally by The Supremes

The event ended with the Clique Girlz and the audience serenading Morris with a karaoke version of The Chiffon's "Sweet Talkin' Guy."

Nicks Sings a Supremes Song

Stars Raise Nearly 10 Million at Gala

Music stars such as Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Akon, Maroon 5, Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, Michael McDonald, Keyshia Cole, Robin Thicke, Duffy, Jamie Cullum, Erykah Badu and others helped City Of Hope celebrate Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Doug Morris by raising nearly $10 million for cancer research during their annual "Spirit Of Life" gala on Wednesday night in Santa Monica. The event, which honored Morris for his contributions to the community and music industry, shattered fundraising records to make it one of the single largest one-night charity events in California state history.

Stevie Nicks, who Morris signed as a solo act when he ran Atlantic Records, opened the evening with a story about a late friend who was treated at City of Hope. After performances by 13 Universal acts, Nicks cooed the Supremes hit “Love is Like an Itching in My Heart” before an ensemble delivered an a cappella version of “Sweet Talking Guy,” which Morris wrote in the early 1960s.