Sunday, July 7, 2013

Fleetwood Mac, Sacramento's Sleep Train Arena, 6th July

I have always wanted to see Fleetwood Mac--mostly for Stevie Nicks--and I was kicking myself yesterday morning when I realised that neither did I have a photo pass (obviously didn't have the magic email address or phone number, cos they all ignored my requests), nor a ticket. At it was the last night of their USA tour; finale, here in Sacramento of all places (yes!!!), and we were going to miss it (Karli has had Fleetwood Mac on her "bucket list" for years. I think she heard them in the womb). Next stop Europe, and then on to Australia. and so there wouldn't be any chance of seeing them again in the near future, at least, not in the USA. Darnit.

Scalpers on Craigslist were asking hundreds and hundreds of dollars for seats with little or no view of the stage. I was still tempted.

Then a message popped up on Facebook. Sleep Train had released a few last-minute tickets! Quick, quick, to TicketMaster... and then there we were, Karli and I, in our lower-level seats with a great view of the stage, reasonable-if-not-cheap price tickets, with big grins on our faces.

No supporting act. Just pure Fleetwood Mac. More than twenty songs. Two encores. Karli and I were down on the floor for the last encore, and Security were dancing with us.

Stevie is still beautiful. She'll always be beautiful.

So many wonderful songs: Sara, The Chain, Landslide, Rhiannon, Gypsy, Silver Springs...  Go Your Own Way, and the crowd went berzonkers!

When I listen to Fleetwood Mac, I often skip straight to the Stevie songs. Just because they are my favourites and I can't wait to hear them again. So over the years, I'd forgotten some of the others. But just how could I have forgotten, "Tusk"? That's one of the best songs ever. Won't forget it again.

Lindsey Buckingham's solos--"Big Love", "I'm So Afraid"(?) were breathtaking. Truly demonstrated why Mick Fleetwood asked him to join Fleetwood Mac--and allowed him to bring his girlfriend along--as the story goes. And why John and Christine McVie did, too. There's still a connection between Lindsey and Stevie--at least, on stage, in the music. The chemistry is still there. It hangs in the air. And the songs are magical.

Thank you, Fleetwood Mac. That was wonderful.

No comments:

Post a Comment