The Nicks Fix - Fleetwood Mac Fan Reviews

Say You Will FAN REVIEWS

6/22/03 The Mark of the Quad Cities Moline, IL

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Jack and Carolyn Gordy
My husband and I saw Fleetwood Mac last night at the Mark in Moline, IL and all I can say is the show was fabulous! We got there early enough to hear the sound check from out in the entryway (a little mini-concert of The Chain, Say You Will, etc). We were seated on the floor in front of the stage, and we were on our feet for almost all of the concert. Stevie was dressed in black and lace - she looked wonderful, Lindsey in a black shirt and black jeans, John in jeans and a white shirt and the "unstoppable" Mick in a gold and brown velvet set that made him look taller than ever. They kicked off the show with The Chain, and never looked back from there. Lindsey rocked on I'm So Afraid - getting down on the front of the stage where the girls were clamoring to get to his guitar - he hasn't lost his "Rock God" status on bit, and he knows how to work the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. He was all over the stage, and ended the song by jamming next to John, and circling around and around with Stevie - she was all smiles in this on-stage duel of her with tambourine and Lindsey with his astounding guitar. Mick did his drum vest solo proving that he can be a drumming mad-man and once again, working the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. Stevie took us all into her Gold Dust Woman world, and her performance of this legendary song left nothing to be desired - ending poised with her arms outstretched into the backlights of the stage - fabulous! Landslide was filled with looks from Stevie to the audience and when she sang the line "I'm getting older too" - we were all with her and she smiled. Silver Springs left no doubt as to the command Stevie and Lindsey have over an audience - their looks to each other throughout the song left no doubt as to their long history together. The whole show went smoothly - everything coming together to make a powerful statement of this band's ability to rock just as hard as they ever have. And in the background, Mindy and Sharon are the band's quiet heartbeat - moving together to the beat of the song and filling in the vocals to that perfect level. Two encores were gratefully received by the audience - no one was ready to see the show end! After being a huge fan for so many years, this was the first time I've ever seen them live - I would do this again in a heartbeat. Stevie, Lindsey, Mick and John left us with one unforgettable evening - they were no less than FANTASTIC! We wish this band all the best as they travel on to their next show - I hope that we'll be able to see them again before the end of the 2003 Say You Will tour. We are so grateful for being able to see these legendary performers carry on their careers to the next level.

Danny Davis
Sunday, June 22 Fleetwood Mac performed at the Mark of The Quad Cities. As we waited, the lights began flashing and there they come onto the stage like a full force..them. Their legacy, uniqueness, their sound, their mystique, and the legend of Fleetwood Mac... Luckily, I work for a Radio Station and was given Hospitality Passes to meet Fleetwood Mac after the show. As the rest of the concert reviews, the show was excellent, the sound was perfect, the mood was right, the entire arena singing each song, young and old. Throughout the building rang the familiar sounds of Lindsey' guitar, John McVie's signature style bass thump, Mick Fleetwood playing the drums like a full orchestra, and of course Stevie, her beauty and elegance..center stage, dancing like her legacy. Fleetwood Mac was on! After the show I was taken backstage to meet the band. About 20 of us stood around and waited for about 10 minutes until the band was to come in for a "Meet & Greet". Before their arrival we were versed by one of the Managers to not be offended if she don't talk, but the Doctor had ordered her not too due to ruining her voice for the tour. 10 minutes seemed like the longest of times, I had practiced and thought of what I was going to say when I met them, only to find out that I was slack jawed in awe of each of them and froze up. The Mac came in and stood against a wall. It was Lindsey, Steive, John and Mick. I walked up to Lindsey and just thought of the legend himself and could not speak. I said something like "You're and awesome guitar player", he obliged and then it was on to Steive. She was beautiful, she was even more beautiful in person. She was a doll and there she was. I automatically thought, well there's pry only one time in my life I'll be able to do this, so I reached around her and gave her a hug, and a peck on the cheek, much to her surprise. John was next and he seemed very shy and quiet. Then it was Mick who extended is arm and put it around for me as I posed with the band for a picture. I've interviewed over 100 people in my 13 years in Radio, and have to admit, their charisma and energy that they gave off, amazed me to the point where, as I said slackjawed. Overall the band was great, even without Christine! Fleetwood Mac was everything I hoped they would be...Fleetwood Mac

Benjamin Wagner
The show was wonderful. The band seemed to enjoying every moment that they were on stage. Lindsey seemed to be fulfilled with the huge response from the audience. Lindsey tore up the stage with "Come", "I'm so Afraid", and "Go Your Own Way". Stevie would fire back with a great version of "Rhiannon" (with swirls and intense vocals), "Gold Dust Women" (one of the best of the night), and very heartfelt "Beautiful Child". The crowd really seemed to flow with the set list. Mick's drum solo kept the house rock'n all the way through. I was so impressed with the great stage presence of Stevie and Lindsey. They seem to have found a new place to be in harmony. (Screaming songs back and forth at each other.) I can't wait to see them again in Milwaukee. Hopefully everyone can experience the seventh wonder of Fleetwood Mac. They are as good on stage as their recordings. The show was a 10 in my eyes.

Teri
This may have been the best damn concert I have ever seen. Lindsey was amazing....his guitar playing was like nothing I have ever heard or seen before. Mick was so much. And, Stevie was...well, Stevie. She was beautiful and amazing and she sounded great. I would have paid 10x the ticket price to hear her do Gold Dust Woman again. The commraderie among the group was great...you can see that they have really come full circle.

Wendy Brenner
I saw the Mac on Sunday, June 23 at The Mark in Moline, Illinois. I dragged my husband along who constantly reminded me of how EXPENSIVE the tickets were for the show. By the end of the evening he was singing a different tune. The show was AWESOME despite the old fogey section we were stuck sitting in where no one wanted to dance! Stevie looked wonderful on stage and her vocals were fantastic as always, especially when she sang "Rhiannon", "Landslide", "Gold Dust Woman", "Stand Back" and "Goodbye Baby". Lindsey brought the house down twice with ripping guitar solos in "Big Love" and "Come". It really seemed as though Lindsey and his guitar were one continuous unit! Mick was great and the added percussion (extra two drum sets, bongos etc.) really added a great sound to the music. I really enjoyed watching Mick play the vest both alone and in combination with Lindsey. It is so nice to see Mick come out from behind those drums. It was also really cool to watch Lindsey watching Mick. Our seats were on the Stevie and John side of the stage and we could see Lindsey sitting down off to the side of the stage for all of Mick's solo until his part. It was awesome. John was a steady presence throughout the whole show and just kept plugging away on his bass! I enjoyed each and every song they played at the show. It is clear that this is a group of musicians who enjoy playing together. The chemistry out front between Stevie and Lindsey was undeniable, especially during "Landslide" when Stevie stood behind Lindsey with her head on his shoulder during the guitar solo and during "Silver Springs" when they sang facing each other. Really, the show was one of the best I have ever seen from any band-period. The only thing that could have made the show better would have been a high kick from Stevie at the end of "Stand Back"!!

Tiffany
This was my first concert ever and probably will be the best ever. I was so excited and could not believe that I was actually going to see not only Stevie but the Mac as a whole. I am still in pure bliss two days later, Stevie was in perfect form that night and just blew me away with Landslide, Beautiful Child, and Goodbye Baby. Goodbye Baby and Beautiful Child actually made me cry and at the same time, made me so utterly happy and overwhelmed with excitement. The highlight of my night was when Stevie came up behind Lindsey (he had his eyes closed while playing the guitar at the same time) at the end of one of the songs and placed her hands on his shoulders and it was like they were back together again. It was truely an amazing experience to see and be a part of, I wish I could go to another concert to see such a rareity, if only time and money permitted this it would happen, but I am content with my first concert bliss at the moment. Amazing..........

Alissa
I was at the Fleetwood Mac show at the Mark of the Quad Cities on June 22nd. And I am still on cloud nine! First off let me say thanks to the Nicksfix for posting all the fan reviews from previous shows. Because I read so many of them, I got a great tip into getting front row seats—and succeeded! What a dream come true! I originally had lower level seats but after reading that some fans were scoring front row seats a few days before showtime, I kept checking, and with the help of a lovely lady at the Mark box office, I was able to miraculously get in the front row three days before the show! I never imagined it would be possible! I was so delirious with excitement in fact, that I locked my keys in my car with it still running that very same day after I had gotten the tickets! It’s true! And now to the show. I went with my mom, my little sister, and my best friend. My best friend and I had seen FM during the Dance tour, but my mom and sister had never seen them, so I was so excited to have them all there. I’ve been a Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac fan as long as I can remember; I can remember dressing up in my mom’s platform shoes and wrapping myself in these lace curtains and dancing around and singing to “Gypsy” and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” when I was about 4. And Stevie’s picture has been on my wall in my room even before that, all the way up to now. She has always been with me, so it was like my “Destiny Rules” , getting to see her so close this time! Oh what a feeling it was to make our way all the way to the front when we got ready to sit down!!! I felt like I would faint when I saw that we were only about 2 feet from Stevie’s microphone, and about six feet from Lindsey’s! It seemed like hours until the house lights went down. Everyone went nuts. It looked like the place was nearly sold out. Then finally it got all dark and we took off for the stage, freaking out. I got right in front of Stevie’s microphone. The first person I saw come on was Mick. Of course. Then John, where is Stevie? Finally she and Lindsey came out holding hands (like they did each time they came out for encores) and OH MY GOD! I can't even put into words how I felt seeing Stevie so close. What struck me immediately on seeing her is that she is without a doubt the most beautiful person I've ever seen. It didn’t really hit me how pretty she is until I saw her that close. And she's so tiny! Like a china doll. She has the most beautiful hands. Her wrists are tiny! And her skin is so white and creamy, if I only look 1/4 as good at 55 as she does, I'll be happy. They started with “The Chain” of course, and it was pure delirium, trying to let it all sink in that it is really happening and she is less than a foot away from me. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it! I had total sensory overload the whole night. It's like they weren't even real. I was high. I'm still floating! People have said or written that she's not as witchy anymore, but last night she was! She had her tambourine and it was so cool to actually hear her play it! Stevie had on her black chiffon and she changed shawls a lot, and she had on black tights but instead of her big boots she had on these black high top Reebok sneakers! That's just how cool she is, out there dancing around, in her beautiful stage clothes, but getting down in her tennis shoes! I loved it! And she sounded heavenly. Her voice was very loud and clear and strong. She was very gracious about everything, and very professional and elegant with her little earpiece and the way she introduced her songs and the way she expressed herself when she sang. Just a real class act, I thought. Her mannerisms and everything are just too much. All I could do was stand there and smile like an idiot. I smiled and waved and stared and danced and blew kisses! I must’ve blew Lindsey a thousand kisses during the show, but I don’t think he saw any of them! J And Stevie is an absolute sweetie, but my goodness, Lindsey, well, he was the star! He has the most piercing blue eyes I've ever seen. Seriously, you can see those eyes from yards away. He was having such a good time. They all were really. It seemed like they finally all had made amends with themselves and were just enjoying playing together. And I was afraid that the whole Stevie-Lindsey thing, well, that it would be fake or forced or marketed or something. But I can tell you, being right there, I saw it as that they are genuinely friends now, they care for each other, they're family. It was very lovely to witness. Anyway, after "The Chain" they did "Dreams", then "Eyes of the World", which was great for us die-hards. I'm sure I'm not doing the order of songs right but I think this is more or less how it went. They did “Peacekeeper”, Lindsey introduced it by saying "Someone once told me that when love is gone, there can still be justice. But when justice is gone, there must be force." Or something like that. And this is when I got into the show a lot more (the shock and awe was wearing off a bit!) and everyone was into the song and he was loving it, loving the recognition, smiling at us and pointing. Then he did “Never Going Back Again” all by himself and he'd get all quiet and people would start screaming "We love you Lindsey!" and he'd close his eyes and smile. Then the band came back and they did “Say You Will”, and Stevie did her cute little introduction "This is another song from Say You Will but it's the song "Say You Will"” and she giggled. I really liked this one, it seemed like the band loved playing it too. All smiles and the crowd was dancing. They did “Second Hand News” which was so high-energy and wonderful with them both singing, especially on the 'bam bam bam' part and my favorite part, when Lindsey goes "do it do it do it" really fast! The crowd loved that one. They did "Gypsy" and everyone sang, and Lindsey's guitar lead-out at the end, I just don't know how he does that on that song. "Rhiannon" was so awesome. She had her Rhiannon sleeves going and her voice was so strong. It was a fast version, not like the piano one they did when we saw them during the Dance tour. She got really into it and shouted "Well I don't think you do!" like she was possessed. Then Lindsey did “Come” and this was when he really started going crazy. During his incredible guitar solo, he came a little closer to where we were, threw his head back, closed his eyes, and just wailed. He leaned over and then he started making all these faces and just beat on his guitar for all this distortion. He looked like a wild animal! My eyes were so wide and I was frozen and my jaw was agape. I watched his fingers a lot, I could see the callouses on his fingers!!!!! It was a ten minute guitar exorcism! Then he did “Big Love” while he was out there alone, and you can really tell he's practiced that one to where it is just perfect. He broke a string! That one was a real crowd pleaser. Then Stevie came out and they did “Landslide”. WOW! The crowd sang so loud and right when it all started Stevie had this huge smile, she really appreciated the love for that song. She was obviously very touched by that response. It was very special, just those two, and during the guitar bridge Stevie turned to Lindsey and hesitated for a minute, then they made eye contact and she went behind him and embraced him while he played, and my mom got all teary! I didn't, surprisingly, I just welled up with joy. And she must've been telling him something because she cracked him up, he started smiling really big trying to listen to what she was saying. And then at the end they stood side by side with their arms around each other, genuinely happy and proud, and he kissed her forehead. Then they did 2 more new songs, "What's the World Coming To?" which Lindsey did a really great introduction to. Something about what happens when we lose our spontaneity and our freedom of choice, anyway, it was a really good thing he said. It looked like he and Stevie really liked singing this one and the crowd loved it too. Then they did "Say Goodbye" off the new one which was lovely, it also got a great introduction from Lindsey. He said it was actually an old song, and it was about how there is nothing gained without some loss, nothing learned without trial, and then something about 'redemption'. And now one of the big highlights for me. Stevie said, "This is a song from the Tusk album that I never ever thought I would get to do in performance. It's very special to me, it's called ‘Beautiful Child’.” It was absolutely exquisite. There are some songs that done live completely transcend the recording, and this was one of those times. Stevie was so happy to be singing it, it was just so lovely. Her voice was at its prettiest for this one, and very strong, and she changed the words a little from the album. And when she was done, she had this big smile and said thank you (she said thank you after every song of hers) but I was right in front of her and a few of us all said 'Thank you Stevie' and it was like an instinct for me to say that. And she heard us and she looked down at us smiling and sort of nodded her head like "You're welcome". That's really what it was like for me, 'thank you Stevie for singing one of those old songs we never thought we'd hear'. And if anyone knows what that song is about please tell me! And then it was “Gold Dust Woman”. Wow. She really got into this one too and had on her trademark gold shawl. She was swishing her dress around with her hands and moving in place, then she danced around with her shawl a little at the song's close, and everyone went nuts. And now my big moment. Lindsey did "I'm So Afraid" and brought the house down. For the guitar solo in the middle of the song, he came right in front of where I was, so I moved up to the stage just to stare at him. And that's all I could do. Just stand there and stare. He had his eyes closed and was making faces and wailing on his guitar and swaying forward and backward, and I was losing my breath. Seriously, I was agape. He was just tearing it up and it was like a near-God experience for me, with the lights shining down in back of him, it made him really glow like he was an angel! It was just amazing. And then he walked back over to his microphone to finish the song and I turned around to my gang and they had to like catch me, I thought I was going to faint, I couldn’t catch my breath, it was so intense. Thank heaven for the rest of the girls, it was very special for all of us just being there. But the song wasn't over yet. He came over again to finish the guitar part at the end, which he went nuts on again, and my mom led me over to where he was and Lindsey said "Come on!" for people to touch his guitar and strum it as he beat on it. It was so weird, I wanted to touch him but I couldn't, it was just too much. But I finally just barely touched his knee. So I did touch him!! My sister said she touched his guitar, my mom touched his shoe. Lindsey did that several times, he'd go out to the people at various points in the show and let them touch him and his guitar and then the people would freak out. So that was my big moment, touching Lindsey's knee during "I'm So Afraid"! Ahh, he really is the god of the guitar! So underrated, too. Then Stevie came back to play "Silver Springs" which was lovely. Then the crowd favorite, Tusk! I looked back during this song and saw someone a few rows back waving their Tusk LP around but I don't think Lindsey saw it L He was funny during this, sort of stomping around the stage and head butting John who was laughing and then he chased Stevie around and fell into her and just leaned on her and she was laughing and they had this little exchange and held hands. And then after that song Stevie went off in the wings and there was this little pause with a big instrumental introduction before you could figure out what they were launching into. But of course I knew because of all the fan reviews! J And then here she comes, dancing to her mic, and you recognize the song as “Stand Back”. She really got into it and so did the crowd. Then at the end she did several fast spins and everyone went nuts, I spied Lindsey looking at her and smiling when she did this, like "there she goes again!" but it looked like a smile of genuine respect and admiration, like 'that's my girl, she's still got it!'. Yes she does! And then "Go Your Own Way". I knew this as the song where they were ending and he usually signed autographs as he went offstage, so I got ready and couldn't really enjoy the song like I wanted. But instead when they closed the song he just left the stage, shaking a few hands. L I don’t think he signed any autographs then. They came back right away and everyone was going nuts of course. Then they did “World Turning” which has always been a favorite of mine. Stevie did a great job covering Chris's vocals on this one. (Btw, I was afraid I’d miss Chris but I really didn’t; it was hard enough trying to watch Stevie and Lindsey’s every move the whole time!) And then here comes Mick! He started shouting things from behind the drums that I couldn't understand, and then he comes out, with his drum vest thing on and these crazy striped knickers and black tights and his trademark gold balls dangling from his waist! Oh, his huge drum menagerie was all gold plated too! Anyway, in addition to his drum vest he has this huge bongo, and he's dancing around, beating himself and his bongo, shouting "Are you with me?!!" and other things I can't understand. And he's right by us! Everyone in the arena was up dancing and going crazy (this drum thing really got me going too, it was so awesome!). I saw Lindsey look around at all the people and he had this huge smile when he turned back around. Every time Mick would shout something he would spit and slobber, it was so funny! So when he was finally done and they finished the song and got ready to do another, this roadie had to come out and wipe off all the microphones Mick had been at! Too funny! After Mick introduced the band they did “Don't Stop” and brought the place down, again with Stevie doing a great job with Chris’s vocals. Then they left again but came back to do one last song, "Goodbye Baby". I don't really like this song, it's sad to me and it seemed hard for Stevie to sing because of what I guess it to be about. Anyway, it did close the show nicely though. And then they all got together and did two big bows and then clapped toward the audience and were very gracious. Lindsey tried to sign autographs, I couldn't get to him in time, he did sign a few and shake hands but he kept saying "I've gotta go, I've gotta go" and shaking his head very apologetically. It would be very hard to do em all! And then they were gone, and I was just shellshocked! If I could freeze that night and relive it over and over I would. We didn't get home til 2 am (we live quite far from the venue), and I know I dreamed about them all night, what sleep I did get! This is the most tired I've ever been after a concert, probably because it was such a visercal, all-encompassing experience. We stood the entire time, danced the entire time, tried to take everything in, tried not to miss out on anything. After idolizing these people for all of my life, it was almost too much to be so close to them and see that they really are 'real people'! But it was a night I will never, ever forget. My Destiny 'rules', as Stevie sings and I was there in the front row at a Fleetwood Mac concert, just as I was meant to be. And for those of you who stuck around to read this entire thing, :) bless you, and for heaven’s sake, go experience the Mac. They do music the way it is supposed to be done. I mean it. No light show, no pyrotechnics, no opening act, no gigantic stage, no insane props, it's just them, and the wonderful, wonderful songs.

Bob
I never wanted it to end, and in a way, it hasn't, and hopefully never will. Sunday's Moline show had an eerie carryover effect on me that lasted all night (virtually no sleep for this guy, not with images of Stevie dancing in my head as I lay there, unable to sleep). I could almost feel and see Stevie's presence - her golden tresses shimmering in the blackness of night - as I watched the minutes click by on the digital clock; some angst about having a sleepless night with work looming, but comforted by this ethereal feeling of having once again been cosmically touched by our Angel of Rock. This show was a profoundly moving experience, one I will never forget. The entire band was precision-perfect and their joy was evident from the start. I have never seen Stevie look so happy, and this came as a relief because I know she has been dealing with some back pain and some menopausal symptoms - and I think Lindsey gets on her nerves from time to time (not that this should come as any great revelation). From the opening strains of The Chain through Stevie's mesmerizing rendition of Goodbye Baby, this show was positively as good as it can possibly get, despite Christine's absence. Yes, I missed her, but the performance only reinforced Lindsey's opinion that her retirement augmented the band's sound in other ways. The much-mentioned more guitar-driven sound is a given, but it also allowed for Stevie and Lindsey to sing to each other freely, completely and with unfettered passion, especially during Say Goodbye and Silver Springs. From this musical discourse was borne a sense of deep emotion that was evident throughout. Perhaps Lindsey fed off this emotional energy because the man showed - with a huge exclamation point - why he is arguably the finest guitarist of his generation. And all without a pick! Lindsey was REALLY on top of his game, improvising and perhaps extending his guitar solos beyond what he had originally planned. "Come," a song I must admit to not particularly caring for before the concert, was spectacular!! He played with such intensity that it wore me out just watching him. It was exhilarating! And not to be outdone, Mick, those eyes WIDE open, was his usual wild-man self; in a way, Mick remains the heart and soul of this legendary band. The band's sound was also enhanced by the backup musicians and Stevie's personal backup singers, Mindy and Sharon; I admire them tremendously for their talent, vigor, and loyalty to Stevie. It must be incredible for them to perform with Fleetwood Mac and they were always in sync with each other. Stevie - ahhhhhhh Stevie. Glorious, angelic Stevie. Truly, once in a million years a lady like her rises. I just consider myself fortunate to exist during her lifetime, because she has brought me so much inspiration, happiness, and slice of what heaven must be like. She never - and I mean NEVER - sounded better. Her voice was in fine form with incredible range. I counted 13 twirls during Stand Back! Is that some sort of record? And she danced ala the Stevie of old, adding some of her trademark kicks during GDW and Stand Back. She also swayed and danced during Lindsey's soft guitar parts during Landslide. And I loved the way she entered her "space" for GDW and Stand Back from the darkness on the left side of the stage; it's almost a forward moonwalk, if you will. It is so...Stevie! She never looked happier than during "Say You Will the song," as Stevie puts it during the intro. She did her now-famous lasso action on the word "can" and it seems that her legions of fans have picked up on the gesture. Without thinking, I realized that I was also doing the "lasso!" The emotional ties that bind Stevie and Lindsey were never more on display than during Landslide, when Stevie softly approached Lindsey from behind and delicately rested her pretty hands on his shoulders. Lindsey kind of melted into her, and for that moment in time, they were one. Attire - Stevie, of course, adorned in black with her high-tops; no boots but so what? Sure, I loved the boots as much as anyone, but if the high-tops enable her to move about more freely and allow her to dance, then bring on the high-tops! They certainly did nothing to detract from Stevie's beauty and style. She is absolutely the most gorgeous woman ever to take a breath on this planet or any other planet, for that matter! It looked like this particular ensemble even featured tails, sort of split down the middle. Lindsey himself showed up in all-black attire, so they were a perfect sartorial match as well as a perfect spiritual and musical match (I still think they are going to end up together someday, somehow.or as Stevie says, "I'll be with you one day"). Stevie's face just gleamed the entire evening, and she looked so happy and fresh and comfortable. I was elated that she chose to do Beautiful Child in concert; I have long yearned for this - it is one of her finest creations and the depth of her passion for this song was something I could feel; she touched me with it and I could not help myself - tears welled up as I sang with her - "Your eyes say yes.but you don't say yes. I wish that you were mine." Stevie was, as has been the case at other venues, obviously overcome with emotion as she finished Goodbye Baby. It appeared that Lindsey was consoling and comforting Stevie as she finished the song. My emotional threshold wasn't much better - viewing her through yet more tears, her image was a blur as she took that final, prolonged bow, her body seemingly vanishing into her flowing, opaque shawl.

Lori
Well what can I say other than I had a wonderful time and a wonderful seat and they were just as good as I expected. Took our son along and he had a great time.There music is truley timeless and they all looked great,sounded great, played great.Stevie is so beautiful and Lindsay just the best.You people still rock my world. And yes Mick we will all be good to one another just like you all are to each other.Thanks for the great show!!!!!!

Michele
Fleetwood Mac reminds me of what they say about Chinese food: 5 minutes after I've seen them, I've got the overwhelming urge to see them again. As soon as they walked off the stage for the last time at the Mark of the Quad Cities Sunday night, I was calculating when my budget and work schedule would allow me to attend another stop on the tour. I had 6th row center seats as Mick and John took the stage at about 8:15 p.m., Stevie and Lindsey came out next and it seemed an eternity before the lights flared up as the opening chords of "The Chain" began. Stevie was wearing the platform Reeboks, but she is noticeably more limber and active now than she was a month ago. Personally, I don't want to think that she's in pain while she's up there on stage, so if the boots are gone for good, so be it. Lindsey was wearing black jeans and a black linen shirt. I was relieved that he wasn't in the white t-shirt that I feared would be his costume for the duration of the tour. It was clear early on, from the smiles, eye contact and nods between Lindsey and Stevie that they were getting along well during this performance. After "The Chain" I saw John walk up and retrieve a string of beads that had fallen from Stevie's microphone and place them on the drum stand. I guess he wanted to prevent any possible tripping hazards. Aside from the entire songs where they look at each other constantly (i.e. Say Goodbye), there are short segments throughout every song where Stevie and Lindsey have a habit of looking at one another and I find myself becoming engrossed trying to catch those moments, rather than listening to the songs: like the part in Dreams when Stevie sings, "Players only love you when they're playing" and then adds, "for you." Listening to the intros to "Peacekeeper" and "Say You Will" I could not help but think it's a pity that "Say You Will" was not the first single. Stevie should be able to say that it's the title track and "also the first single." It's so catchy, the obvious hit. I think it's release first would have increased album sales and gained exposure for so many of the songs on the cd that will never see the light of day now. It was amazing to me to listen to people in the audience talking before the show began and mention that they didn't have the newest cd. It seemed both shocking and sad that they'd spend $130 for concert tickets, but not give the new record a try. On the other hand, it's a homage to Fleetwood Mac that they can still (mostly) fill the large arenas, whether or not they're blasting the Billboard charts. Anyway, I support the band's attempts to avoid putting out a purely commercial product, but marketing of that product SHOULD be commercial, to reach as much of the public as possible, that's how you get an audience for the less mainstream songs. I see nothing wrong (and everything RIGHT) about putting out albums such as "Tusk" and "Say You Will" but once they're made, then I wish the singles that are bound to get the most airplay would be released first. When "Say You Will" starts, the crowd should already know it from the radio. Alas, they don't. As the show progressed, it was fun having a view of Stevie off to the right changing. She started "Chain" with the black overtop on, buttons down the front, a rather demure costume, then during "Never Going Back" the upper top comes off, then during Rhiannon she puts on the black shawl and, every time you see a shawl, you know she's preparing for something heartfelt. In the middle of Rhiannon, you can see her turn her back to the audience and adjust the shawl so that her finger tips are covered, then she turns to the front right arm over her left shoulder. These gestures have been repeated so often they've become a trigger. Every time you see them, you think back to Mac concerts past and the continuity and memories only add to the emotion and appreciation of what you're currently seeing. It's not a nostalgia show by any means. The band is not stuck in a time warp, but they do make me relive the last 25 years of my life with renewed thanks that Fleetwood Mac has been a part of them. Lindsey is such a dichotomy: bratty, funny, sexy, humble, controlling and so immensely talented all at once. His energy and intensity is attractive in and of itself, so the audience can't help but respond to his guitar solos. But there's something very appealing in a different way about "Never going back again," the way he holds the notes and milks the shrieks from the female members of the audience. I'm so thrilled it's been added to the set. I'm one of the few people who not only bought "Behind the Mask" but quite enjoyed it. I'm a great fan of the other members of the band when it comes to their recordings, but when it comes to a live stage performance, I think of Lindsey as the backbone. I didn't notice a lot of people leaving to get snacks when "Come" started, although they did sit down, whereas they'd been mostly standing for the first 8 songs. They were back on their feets towards the end. Lindsey was incredible, but exhausted. You could still see him trying to re-catch his breath throughout "Gypsy." Mick jumped down from his drums to escort Stevie off of the stage as Lindsey revved up for "Big Love." Lindsey made a show of wringing his fingers and flexing them back and forth before beginning and the audience laughed. I can imagine his hands ARE tired after a set. Of course, they're beautiful, quite deserving of their own close-ups. Seriously, during the show, when I wasn't looking at Lindsey's face or Stevie's, I found myself just looking at Lindsey's fingers, flashing across the strings. During the "Landslide" interlude, Stevie went behind Lindsey and put her left hand on his shoulder. When she pauses at the last "snow covered hills" part, he raised his eyebrows, kind of laughed and motioned for her to continue at her leisure. After the song, she put her hand around his waist and held the hand that he placed around her shoulder. They held this pose for a minute or two and then he kind of air kissed her around the left temple. For the "Say Goodbye" intro, Lindsey said that there's no gain without loss and no redemption without forgiveness. Now, as much as I love any song that has the potential for an exchange of emotion between Lindsey and Stevie, if the set is going to change for the second leg of the tour, I'd like to see "Say Goodbye" dropped, along with "What's the World Coming to." If I had my way, Lindsey could add "Miranda" in their place. I just think these new songs are so unfamiliar to the bulk of the audience that they have to be very tuneful (as "Say You Will" is) in order to avoid a loss of momentum. At any rate, from what I've read, Lindsey used to give a different, more personal, intro to "Say Goodbye" and I'd like to have heard that one. For "What's the World Coming to" he begins by saying that the song is about a different kind of loss: a loss we all stand to suffer, a loss of spontaneity, individual voice, and courage. I can't say that "Beautiful Child" is the song from Tusk that I've always longed to hear live, but now that I have, I appreciate it a lot more than I did on the record. The layering of voices is exquisite, especially during the part that goes, "your eyes say yes, but you don't say yes." It's haunting and poignant. With so many songs, like Rhiannon and "Gold Dust Woman" Stevie brings them to a crescendo with her voice (and sometimes her movements), but that's not so much the case with "Beautiful Child." In that song, her voice doesn't get louder or more frenetic, as much as it just gets stronger and fuller. The content alone seems to rise to a higher level, from which Stevie steps down to end softly, "I still wish you were mine." "Gold Dust Woman," and "I'm so Afraid" were great. The Silver Springs performance . . . I know during "The Dance" Stevie talked about not expending too much too soon, rationing. I hope that is what is being done on this tour. By the end of the tour, when Silver Springs closes, I want to see more interaction between Lindsey and Stevie, as we did with "The Dance". Even in the beginning of the tour, the exchange at the end was quite fiery. Then, towards the latter part of the tour, that was racheted up even more once Lindsey started walking over to her after finishing his own background vocals. It was the way he walked over that did it. His movements were quite strident and, sometimes, Stevie would have backed her mike away from him quite a bit (there was drama in that movement alone, because she is singing how he'll be haunted by the voice of the woman who loves him, yet she's moving away), which made him have to walk over all the farther, faster and more furiously. In his swift path towards her, she became the one who was being hunted. Of course, once he arrived by her side, he dropped the aggressive stance and she'd sing the ending to him, softly. Still, when he'd move over to her so quickly and stand so closely it lent a "taken aback" air to the song's close that I really miss. Right now, Stevie and Lindsey just stand at their respective microphones. I'm not sure, but I think they changed tense in the phrase, "haunted by the woman who loves you" to "haunted by the woman who LOVED you". They perform beautifully, but I can't help compare it to the "Dance" version, when this tune became as much of a highpoint of the show as "Landslide" is. Of course, I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. Half the fun of the Tusk tour was when Lindsey and Stevie shared the microphone during "Angel" and we got to wonder how and where he'd put his arm around her, with him singing (or yelping) the words "haunted song" with such exuberance even Stevie thought it amusing. Well in much the same way, I want to see them react to one another again during Silver Springs as they have in the past. Then we had "Tusk". When it got to the point where Lindsey did his little bit with the band, I actually think he was trying to confuse Stevie as to who he was going to try to nudge first, her or John. He kind of walked in Stevie's direction, but then he veered toward John and paused. Finally, he pounced on John from behind. John really had no reaction to him and didn't go shoulder to shoulder with him, as he sometimes does. Then, Lindsey went towards Stevie and the question was would she or would she not let him? Well, they circled one another 2 to 3 times, the way a bull and toreador do. She was smiling and looking at him when she circled away. Then, she turned her back to him and let him grab her. But instead of just pushing at her back, he also had his arm around her waist and her hand in his. So, when he finished shouldering her, he kind of swung her around towards him, holding her hand, like a dancing partner. Then he released her, finishing the song triumphantly center stage. Knowing "Stand Back" was coming, it was fun watching Stevie prepare to the side of the stage, putting her shawl on, readying it, calmly smoothing her hair, as the drums played. Then she moved to her mike dominantly going from 0 to 65 like a high speed engine, as the opening chords started. Very exhilarating; she raised her hand in the "stand back" gesture to the pianist, before she started singing. Mostly during the "Dance" I would look at Lindsey and Christine in the corner together, during this song, But this time around, Lindsey stays in the back on his own side of the stage, away from the mike, but still mouthing some of the words along with Stevie, especially the "it's all right; it's all right." It's definitely one of the songs that most engages the audience. Seeing the reaction, I think the crowd might actually flip if she suddenly broke out singing "Edge of Seventeen" during a FM concert. Go Your Own Way was perfect. Again seeing Stevie's tux tails brought back so many memories. The only thing good I can say about "World Turning" is that it was co-written by a woman I miss quite dearly. Otherwise, if we need a song for Mick's drum solo, I'd just as soon have "Not that Funny" back. Mick was entertaining as usual. Along with his red shoes, he was sporting, striped velvet pants. Stevie goes off stage for the drum bit while Lindsey sits off to the side. Mick let us know that his solo was coming to an end by calling out "Lindsey Buckingham" to the beat of the drums. Lindsey gets up with his guitar, Mick eventually skirts back behind the drum kit, and Stevie re-emerges, for the closing lyrics. During the last numbers, Lindsey kneeled on the edge of both sides of the stage and let people touch him and his guitar. He also signed autographs on paper and a t-shirt. Stevie accepted a rose from a fan. For "Don't Stop" instead of ending the song as he usually does, Lindsey ended it in front of Stevie. He walked over to her, played the last guitar riff and kind of lunged at her. Then afterwards as he took off his guitar he sort of laughed and gave her a hands-up gesture and shrug as if to ask, "Well what did you think of that? Do you think that works?" She shrugged back and laughed too as if to say, "I don't know if it's effective, but it's certainly different." Then we had the second encore, "Goodbye Baby," bows from the band, and me frantically wondering when I would be lucky enough to do it all again.

Dawn Barton
We played the new CD over and over again during our drive to Moline, IL. I finally got my wish and actually saw Stevie Nicks for the first time Sunday night. That woman is incredible and the magic still exists between her and Lindsey Buckingham. I felt honored to be there. They sounded great and I believe it was the best concert I have ever seen. Keep rockin guys, no matter what father time says! No band can match the magic of these four talented musicians.

Brian
Last night's show at The Mark Of The Quad Cities was more than I ever imagined it would be. It was my first time seeing the band as well as my wife's first time. She was never a big fan, but she said she was really impressed, she especially liked Beautiful Child. Our seats were way up high, second row from the very last row up, but we could still see really well. Stevie was truly awsome, she seemed to really be enjoying herself. Lindsey was awsome, So Afraid was incredible. Gold Dust Woman really rocked, and Stand Back was simply amazing. John stood in his usual spot the whole night, and Mick, well, Mick was amazing on his drum vest. I highly recomend this show to anyone who has ever thought about going. Go, you WON"T be disappointed.

Leona
OMG!!! Words cannot describe it! My friend and I got to the Mark around 5:00 and drove in to the parking lot right next to the band's limos! WOW!!!!!! By the time we parked and got to the back where the limos went, they had already gotten out and into the venue. No signings that I'm aware of. No surprises in the set list. The energy at The Mark was intense and just wild. We were in the 15th row center and could see *perfectly*. The songs live are SO MUCH MORE AMAZING than I anticipated. I was absolutely blown away. Stevie did the lasso thing in Say You Will and seem to get a giggle that several in the audience were doing it with her. After Landslide Stevie and Lindsey hugged and he gave her a little peck on the forehead. Very sweet. During Tusk Lindsey went behind Stevie and put his head on her back. CLASSIC!! It was too cool. Mick's solo with the vest was rockin and he was having an absolute blast. Lindsey was just *tearing* apart the guitar like a wild man. Pawing at it like a wild animal and making me MELT!!! Lindsey made his way to the front of the stage a few times during the encores and signed some stuff. Wish it was me!! 3 hours of Mac! I've just been to heaven! I can't wait to see the Chicago shows!!!!!

Jack & Carolyn
My husband and I saw Fleetwood Mac last night at the Mark in Moline, IL and all I can say is the show was fabulous! We got there early enough to hear the sound check from out in the entryway (a little mini-concert of The Chain, Say You Will, etc). We were seated on the floor in front of the stage, and we were on our feet for almost all of the concert. Stevie was dressed in black and lace - she looked wonderful, Lindsey in a black shirt and black jeans, John in jeans and a white shirt and the "unstoppable" Mick in a gold and brown velvet set that made him look taller than ever. They kicked off the show with The Chain, and never looked back from there. Lindsey rocked on I'm So Afraid - getting down on the front of the stage where the girls were clamoring to get to his guitar - he hasn't lost his "Rock God" status on bit, and he knows how to work the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. He was all over the stage, and ended the song by jamming next to John, and circling around and around with Stevie - she was all smiles in this on-stage duel of her with tambourine and Lindsey with his astounding guitar. Mick did his drum vest solo proving that he can be a drumming mad-man and once again, working the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. Stevie took us all into her Gold Dust Woman world, and her performance of this legendary song left nothing to be desired - ending poised with her arms outstretched into the backlights of the stage - fabulous! Landslide was filled with looks from Stevie to the audience and when she sang the line "I'm getting older too" - we were all with her and she smiled. Silver Springs left no doubt as to the command Stevie and Lindsey have over an audience - their looks to each other throughout the song left no doubt as to their long history together. The whole show went smoothly - everything coming together to make a powerful statement of this band's ability to rock just as hard as they ever have. And in the background, Mindy and Sharon are the band's quiet heartbeat - moving together to the beat of the song and filling in the vocals to that perfect level. Two encores were gratefully received by the audience - no one was ready to see the show end! After being a huge fan for so many years, this was the first time I've ever seen them live - I would do this again in a heartbeat. Stevie, Lindsey, Mick and John left us with one unforgettable evening - they were no less than FANTASTIC! We wish this band all the best as they travel on to their next show - I hope that we'll be able to see them again before the end of the 2003 Say You Will tour. We are so grateful for being able to see these legendary performers carry on their careers to the next level.

more reviews coming......

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