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FLEETWOOD MAC
ACER ARENA - SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
UNLEASHED TOUR - DECEMBER 8, 2009
Thanks Joanna!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
BIG JUMP ON NZ ALBUMS CHART
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
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.
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.
Monday, December 21, 2009
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
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."
"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.
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