Thank you for the music

Hullo ma wee blog,

I love my live music. Had some of just the best times experiencing human creativity and sharing emotions with complete strangers in dark rooms filled with beautiful live music. Hearing music as its intended, live in front of you, and connecting with it in a much more personal and complete way because of that.

So it was tonight as the lovely G and I travelled through to Glasgow once more to see Fleetwood Mac in concert at the Scottish Event and Conference Center, right by the side of the Clyde and 'the Armadillo', our own wee version of the Sidney Opera House, beautifully lit up and complemented by the equally colourful BBC Scotland headquarters on the other side of the river.

We had seen Fleetwood Mac once before, many years ago, when they were touring some big city down south and had been due to take a ferry across to Dublin but were prevented by a couple of days of storms in the Irish Sea which put a complete stop to any plans for sea crossings. It was suddenly announced that they were going to do a gig in the only venue available, 'The Playhouse' in Edinburgh. So, with the help of a very supportive boss, the lovely G took a 3 hour lunch to go and queue - Yes, it was that long ago folks - for tickets for her and I and a friend. And that night I both achieved a dream in seeing the band who's music had accompanied and influenced so many of my moods and character for so many years, and experienced a real revelation about just what live music could really bring to you. Ach, I had been to many, and several of them great, concerts but THIS one, just touched me, right at the very core. It was one of those seminal moments.

When we heard that they were once more going to be in Scotland there was no way we wouldn't be going. My lovely G set me up with all the info I needed to be on line at the moment the tickets came on sale. Duly in position, I got us a couple of seats right in the center stage area with a view straight on to the hot spot.

Once more it was a seminal night. Now ok, Fleetwood Mac may not be the coolest band in the world, but I DONT CARE. I love them. And again tonight I, we, got to experience some of that magic again, but this time seen from a different perspective, a different time of life, a different me, a different us. But it was just as wonderful. Just as wonderful in such different ways.

Stevie Nicks, voice just the same, dripping smoke and honeyed gravel around the room in that soaring, sultry way that is so unique to her, and Lindsay Buckingham as the perfect foil. The only thing missing, and of course with a sound so familiar, noticeably missing was Christine McVie's voice to complete the spell. Even three good backing singers couldn't cover for the fact that she wasn't there. But, that was also right, a reminder that ultimately nothing stays the same forever perhaps, and it allowed the band to change and adapt.

Isn't that what we do in life anyway? Change and adapt to the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Mick Fleetwood was very, very good on drums and again, Lindsay Buckingham was a complete revelation on guitar. The man is a superb guitarist, and showed us tonight that many of the intros and riffs which I thought were done by more than one guitar were actually done just himself. He also played a couple of acoustic arrangements. His acoustic version of 'Big Love' was absolutely astounding.

It was a night to evoke memories, to make your heart soar and your eyes prick with emotion. To make you listen and to make you think. To take you both into the moment and the past with the creator of the music and the lyric.

No matter what type of music it is that moves you, that's what music should be all about. That's why the best music is live.

Thanks Stevie, Lindsay, Mick and John.

What a night.

Now I'm also really looking forward to the next couple of months before Christmas as we go to see ' The Flaming Lips', 'Snow Patrol' and 'Porcupine Tree'

see you later.....

Listening to Fleetwood Mac ' Rhiannon' What else?