Lindsey's SOLO Tour Under Way!!!

[elle]

@RonEappleseed @Lndsybuckingham has just a few guitars with him on this tour. #lindseybuckingham


https://twitter.com/#!/RonEappleseed...579456/photo/1

[michelej1]

I like Trouble and I'm happy to have it stay, even if I didn't like it. As long as Holiday Road is gone (yay), I think the guy can have his only other somewhat commercial solo success in the setlist, just because.



Michele

[BTFLCHLD]

[BTFLCHLD]

[pattyfan]

Hi all. I just wanted to post my thoughts about this tour. Of course my review (as all reviews are) is subjective, so I feel like I should give a little background. I've been a fan for a long time and my first Mac show was during the Tusk tour. I've seen Lindsey solo 7 times I think, including this most recent show, the Fillmore show in SF.

I purposefully stayed off this board for the last few weeks just to make sure that the set list and everything else about the show would be a surprise.

Lindsey is great live. I love his guitar and he really does put a lot of energy into his shows. I tend to like his more melodic, poppy songs. He seemed very appreciative of the audience and, as always remarked how much at home he felt in SF.

The rest of this review is going to feel like Lindsey bashing, but actually it's just being disappointed at what could have been an amazing evening of music but was instead just an OK night. Again, please take into account that I've been to 6 other LB shows and many FM shows.

Basically I was really disappointed in the length of the show and the setlist. While I understand that Lindsey is not 30 anymore, I kind of think that a 75 minute show (and that's being generous, it was probably 5-10 minutes less) is not OK. I would be fine with him sitting down and playing some acoustic songs, but I really think that even if it's just you, you need to give people at least 90 minutes for their money.

Second, I was really encouraged by the first 3 songs, and Stephanie, in the setlist because they were somewhat rare (i.e. I haven't heard him or FM do them at least 10 times already). But after that, it was basically just business as usual. I can't believe he ignored Out of the Cradle and Gift of Screws, my two favorite LB CDs.

To take this point further, I really thought that this would be Lindsey's chance to do something different. He talked (again!) about the big machine vs small machine, but my experience of his solo show is it is him doing the big machine by himself. It's not the small machine. What is the point of doing FM songs that need recorded bass lines or drums or guitar riffs (Come, I'm So Afraid, Go Your Own Way)? I mean, I actually liked this version of Go Your Own Way. But if he goes on and on about how much he likes the opportunity to do the small machine (which I assume means not having to make such commercial, predictable music), why does he play songs in the same way he always has? Again, I know it was just him, but he played most songs as close as possible to how he plays them with his band or with Fleetwood Mac. So is that the big machine or the small machine?

This show has really made me think about that whole debate in Fleetwood Mac. I also really get tired of their shows, and Stevie's shows, being so similar from tour to tour. I was ecstatic that Stevie played a bunch of songs from In Your Dreams even though it's not my favorite CD of hers. I just think that you can not always play the same songs when you tour. Lindsey talked about how the small machine has allowed him to grow as an artist, but I saw no growth whatsoever in this show. He did Big Love and Go Insane just like he has done them for years and years. It's funny that he quit F Mac before the Tango in the Night tour because they wanted to play it too safe on tour. Honestly, I can not imagine how this solo tour could have been any safer. It makes me wonder if he is afraid that people will talk through his songs or leave or not buy tickets if he did something different. I think that most people who go to see him solo will see Fleetwood Mac no matter what. And most people who see him solo would love to see him pull out a few surprises. I don't know if he has voice issues, but why not add 3 rotating acoustic songs in the middle of the set that change so that people who go to multiple shows will at least have a little variety?

Anyway, it's not really fair for me to judge him on what he didn't do, and I realize that. So sorry if this comes across as super negative. But I see a huge huge disconnect between what Lindsey says and what he does, and as a long time fan, I feel like he's taking the easiest way out. I'll probably always go and see him live just because I do really like him, but man, it sure would be great if he actually grew as a live artist.

Kevin

[michelej1]

Thanks for your candor, Kevin. I don't know why the show is so short. I am certain it is not because he is tired. Whatever the reason, even though ticket prices are relatively cheap, people are feeling cheated and he needs to add some songs or not tour. Michele

[WeepingWall]

Well said Michele and Kevin

[BTFLCHLD]

chronic.

you may want to sit the next one out.

[bucklind17]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Anyway, it's not really fair for me to judge him on what he didn't do, and I realize that. So sorry if this comes across as super negative. But I see a huge huge disconnect between what Lindsey says and what he does, and as a long time fan, I feel like he's taking the easiest way out. I'll probably always go and see him live just because I do really like him, but man, it sure would be great if he actually grew as a live artist.

I disagree, I think it's perfectly fair to judge on that at this stage in the game. But that's probably because I agree with you and why I have yet to purchase a ticket to this tour at all. It's an unpopular opinion, but I was fairly disappointed with the last tour for reasons similar to what you posted about this show. Obviously, he wasn't solo but just the lack of risks taken, the predictability, the polish and perfection that keep everything sounding just as you expect it would. I truly don't understand how an artist can play the same set night after night after night without variation. It's not that I still don't enjoy seeing him live. I just think that he is one of those artists that, now that I've seen him a bunch of times over the past few years, I don't feel like I HAVE to go see every time he comes to town because I know it's not going to be all that different from the last time and, unless you have a great seat and are close to Lindsey's energy, it's no different than watching a professional filmed DVD. Though, the fact that the ticket prices in this town are significantly higher than anywhere else does play into that.

[pattyfan]

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

chronic.

you may want to sit the next one out.

Sorry, but I'm a little slow on the uptake. What does "chronic" refer to?

[elle]

Originally Posted by pattyfan

this most recent show, the Fillmore show in SF.

I purposefully stayed off this board for the last few weeks just to make sure that the set list and everything else about the show would be a surprise.

Lindsey is great live. I love his guitar and he really does put a lot of energy into his shows. I tend to like his more melodic, poppy songs. He seemed very appreciative of the audience and, as always remarked how much at home he felt in SF.

The rest of this review is going to feel like Lindsey bashing, but actually it's just being disappointed at what could have been an amazing evening of music but was instead just an OK night. Again, please take into account that I've been to 6 other LB shows and many FM shows.

while i completely agree with you about the length of the setlist (he should really add 4-5 songs, and if nothing else - Rodeo ), for the rest that you wrote about the specific show you saw i can only say this:

you were at his Fillmore show this monday?? and this is your review?!?!?! wow, you must have really had a bad day. it was probably one of the most energetic shows i've ever been to.

[pattyfan]

I didn't say anything about his energy. I agree with you 100% that he put a lot into the show, as he always does. I've never seen him just go through the motions live. My points were that the show was too short, and that while he talks about branching out creatively with his solo work, he actually did a very similar show to his solo shows when he was with a band.

Anyway, I'm glad that you really enjoyed the show.

Kevin

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by pattyfan

I didn't say anything about his energy. I agree with you 100% that he put a lot into the show, as he always does. I've never seen him just go through the motions live. My points were that the show was too short, and that while he talks about branching out creatively with his solo work, he actually did a very similar show to his solo shows when he was with a band.

Anyway, I'm glad that you really enjoyed the show.

Kevin

I totally understand your points, Kevin. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by pattyfan

I didn't say anything about his energy. I agree with you 100% that he put a lot into the show, as he always does. I've never seen him just go through the motions live. My points were that the show was too short, and that while he talks about branching out creatively with his solo work, he actually did a very similar show to his solo shows when he was with a band.

Anyway, I'm glad that you really enjoyed the show.

Kevin

You are certainly entitled to your opinions and I think you articulated them well. And I agree that one could put on an energetic performance but also merely go through the motions at the same time. IMHO, that's Lindsey. There is no question that he is consistently "on" in concert- whether at his solo shows or with FM. But he is almost a victim of his rocksteady consistency- he tends not to rise above his own high benchmark. There are only a handful of occasions where I've seen him truly present in the moment- one of those rare occasions where you think/hope something unexpected will occur. Don't get me wrong- consistently meeting expectations is not necessarily a bad thing. But given the freedom of doing a solo show and the opportunity to truly deconstruct and re-interpret his performance approach in a truly meaningful way, it *seems* that he is on autopilot again. But then again, I have yet to see any of these solo solo shows, so I will have to draw my own conclusions when I finally do!

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

But given the freedom of doing a solo show and the opportunity to truly deconstruct and re-interpret his performance approach in a truly meaningful way, it *seems* that he is on autopilot again.

i tend to agree with this.....