Viva Fleetwood Mac

I am one of the younger set of Fleetwood Mac fans. In fact, I believe I was born the same month as "Rumours" hit number one. Although I'd heard "Rhiannon" and "Gypsy" on the '70s rock station that my father listened to, I discovered FM when I was about 10 years old and first saw the "Seven Wonders" video on MTV. I've been a fan ever since...So when I heard they were reunited AND playing in my hometown of Tacoma, I literally jumped out of my chair. Started calling Ticketmaster every other day to find out when tickets would go on sale, only to find out that the one day I was out of town, tickets went on sale--and sold out in a matter of hours.

So here's my review:

My FM concert journey started Sept. 25th, when I drove 65 miles one way to buy tickets from a man who placed an ad in the paper...and paid more than Ticketmaster told them for. But I was so excited just to see my favorite band--at my first concert ever! We (my boyfriend) and I arrived an hour before the event and we walked...and walked...and walked. But we were walking with others, all of us excited to see the band. What I loved was the eclectic masses who traveled from Eastern Washington, Oregon, etc. to see the band; some, like me, were Gen Xers, others looked like corporate executives letting their hair down, and there were quite a few bikers. There were several pre-teens and one man two rows in front of me who was almost retired--but he was boogeying down with the rest of us. What I remember most about the evening is the camaderie between everyone attending: we were different ages, races, backgrounds, but we all loved FM and that's what mattered.

The show didn't start until 8:30pm. So much anticipation--and one guy behind me continually screaming "Stevie, I love you. Come out and sing!" Finally I saw Mick Fleetwood, in a white poet's shirt and vest, jumped up and started screaming. The chords to "The Chain" (which I'll admit I never heard until "The Dance") started and I smiled at my boyfriend. I had arrived. FM stuck to the standard play list and I sang and danced to almost every song. Became almost euphoric when Stevie Nicks sang "Gypsy," by far my favorite song. Learned to like "Big Love" that night--I guess the way Lindsey sang it Saturday night (with a sense of weariness) struck me. There were several songs I'd never heard sung before ("Second Hand News" "Sweet Girl" "Oh Daddy"), but I learned them quickly and resolved to buy "Rumours" "Tusk" and "Mirage" with my next paycheck.

The best part of the show was Mick Fleetwood's extended playing of his "vest," followed by his solo on "Go Your Own Way." Also memorable: the special looks Stevie and Lindsey gave each other, Stevie dedicating "Landslide" to her uncle in Tacoma (wow I live in the same town as Stevie Nicks' uncle!), mouthing the words to "You make loving Fun" to my boyfriend, feeling the bond FM shared as they sang "the river goes on and on/and the sea that divides us a temporary one/...The bridge will bring us back together." That's what is so amazing about FM, why they're able to gather two, maybe three generations of fans: there's a great amount of respect, friendship and love between all five members (despite the past) and it shows in the music! Viva Fleetwood Mac

Tacoma Dome Concert

After a hectic day of running around and getting ready to make the hour long trip to the Tacoma Dome, sitting in traffic, walking 1/2 mile from the closest parking spot, hitting the bathrooms and deciding which T-shirt we all wanted, finding our seats (just off the floor, for a short person like me, it is an advantage!) and waiting knowing it was past 8:00, we finally relaxed because, after all, what difference did a few more minutes make after all these years?

The house lights went out, the crowd screamed, clapped, stomped and had their lighters weaving a huge mass out of small beacons of light that just said "We love you!" and the first note of "The Chain" hit the monitors. It was magic in a minute, almost as if a long lost love had returned creating that feeling you thought you lost being an "adult". By the second song, I turned to my husband and shouted "Lindsey is TIGHT!!" and in after conversation he asked what I meant. "The passion. Pure and simple. It poured through every note."

But the most notable event of this show, aside from the glittering and free-flowing Stevie Nicks who's entrancing voice captured us all during "Gold Dust Woman" and announcing her Uncle lived in Tacoma and a loving "Hello" to him, or even an extended set of Mick Fleetwood playing his "vest" (he was having a ball, what a hoot!) was when Lindsey blew out his vocals. Since we were so enthralled at every moment, there is a debate if it was during "My Little Demon" or "Not That Funny". All I remember was watching in amazement as he poured out his soul not only on his guitar but in his voice, and it broke him.

Coughing and raspy, unable to carry his own lead on vocals, you could feel and see why FM has the following it does. Everyone, including the little seen but well heard bass of John McVie carried on the rest of the set without missing a beat, pulling together and digging in and on one occasion Christine jumped to the microphone and took Lindsey's lead on "Go your own Way" just as Lindsey was about to open his mouth...I doubt few noticed this as it went off as if it were planned. It was almost heart wrenching to see the band carry Lindsey, he wanted to sing but couldn't and yet you could feel the camaraderie that has always been the magic of FM, and it was not just for entertainment, it was from the heart of everyone on that stage.

Whatever demon Buckinham had to wrench out of the depths of his soul to render him unable to sing much further, Mick, John, Christine and Stevie must have shared it with him to leave us all screaming, clapping and stomping for more, and out of love that they carried on, NOT going their own way.