Gig review: Fleetwood Mac - Genting Arena (4th July 2015)

Photo: www.pinnaclebankarena.com

Question: When do you ever go to a gig with your parents? Answer: Only when it's a band that's music transcends generations. Fleetwood Mac certainly fits into this category. So on Saturday night, the 15,000 strong audience at Birmingham's Genting Arena was one of the most mixed you're ever likely to see at a concert. Fans, whose ages ranged from 8 to 80, came along to see the band which has been the soundtrack to their lives.

The show started in style with a toe-thumping performance of 'The Chain', featuring *that* bass riff. Then followed a plethora of the band's greatest hits from Dreams to Say You Love Me, including a show-stopping version of 'Tusk'. 

After this, the rest of the band members left the stage to leave Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to do a few acoustic numbers, featuring a spine-tingling 'Big Love' and a very emotional 'Landslide', dedicated to Nicks' father.

When the band returned to the stage, Buckingham's position as rock's most underrated guitarist was confirmed after a sensational guitar solo in one of Fleetwood Mac's heavier efforts, 'I'm So Afraid'.

Photo:nme.com

They even came back for a 4 song encore, kicking off with 'World Turning' including an incredible drum solo, from the bonkers but brilliant Mick Fleetwood complete with Freddie Mercury-esque sing backs with the crowd.

By the time they played 'Don't Stop', everyone in the crowd, including my Dad, were up on the feet and in the palm of the band's hand. Their penultimate song was the ethereal b-side 'Silver Springs' (how it didn't make it on to the album 'Rumours', God only know) and was arguably Nicks' strongest vocal performance of the night. 

Photo: www.gettingimages.com

Fleetwood Mac may have got back together in the recent past, but this tour was special as it saw the return of Christine McVie to the band, following a 16 year absence. McVie smashed her hits including Don’t Stop, Little Lies and You Make Loving Fun. Mick Fleetwood remarked that "our songbird has returned", and so what better way to finish the 2 and a half hour show with McVie sitting at a piano, performing her beautiful ballad, 'Songbird'.

The evening finished with a message from Mick Fleetwood proclaiming that "the Mac are most definitely back". And as they move into their 70s, they've never sounded better. 

What is your favourite Paul Weller song?

Photo: amazon.co.uk

Last month Paul Weller released his 12th (that's right 12th!) studio solo album, 'Saturn's Pattern'. That's right 12th! The 'Modfather' has been making brilliant music for nearly 40 years now and has a hugely diverse and compelling back catalogue. To mark the release of his new album, I asked the great and the good of my Twitter timeline to see what Weller songs have been their favourites down the years.


Politicians

Photo: www.libdems.org

TIM FARRON, MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale. and candidate to be the new leader of the Liberal Democrats - "Everyone likes A Town Called Malice but I like In The City. My favourite is Down The Tube Station At Midnight - it's really atmospheric".

Photo: www.eelanmedia.com

DAVID LAMMY, MP for Tottenham and running to be Mayor of London - "A Town Called Malice. Reminds me 5th form and a bad Parker jacket I once bought!"

Photo: www.newhamrecorder.co.uk

GEORGE GALLOWAY, Leader of the Respect Party and running to be Mayor of London - "You Do Something To Me. It moves me powerfully. His voice is at it's best."

Broadcasters

Photo: www.nationalclubgolfer.com

EWEN MURRAY, Sky Sports Golf Commentator - "The Style Council, used them on Sky. They're superb. No favourites, but Long Hot Summer is magnificent!"

Photo: www.tripleamedia.com

SAM MATTERFACE, football commentator for talkSPORT and ITV - The Style Council You're The Best Thing. But also The Changingman"

Photo: www.capitalcaptures.com

GEORGIE BINGHAM, radio and TV presenter, most well known for hosting The Weekend Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT - "You Do Something To Me. Because it gives me goosebumps & I'm an old romantic."

Photo: talksport.com

JIM PROUDFOOT, football commentator for talkSPORT, Premier League and IMG - "I'd like to dedicate this one to Sepp (Blatter) - The Bitterest Pill"

Photo: tvnewsroom.org

STEVE WILSON, Match of the Day commentator - "Going Underground. I remember The Jam emerging not long after I'd discovered the Boomtown Rats, The Clash etc."

Photo: twitter.com

MATTHEW RUDD, Absolute 80s DJ - "I like Broken Stones. It's melancholy and reflective but you can stomp around to it too."

Photo: news.bbc.co.uk

BOB BALLARD, sports commentator for BBC and Channel 4 - "Strange Town/Down In The Tube Station at Midnight. Hard to split them. Earthy, gritty London songs that make a point."

Photo: news.bbc.co.uk

GABBY LOGAN, BBC Sport presenter - "Wild Wood, English Rose or You Do Something."

Photo: bbc.co.uk

GUY MOWBRAY, BBC's leading football commentator - "Either Going Underground or A Town Called Malice. Not a Style Council man - only The Jam for me!"

Photo: unicorn-darts.ru

STUART PYKE, radio and television sports commentator - "The Eton Rifles by The Jam. An iconic song which reminds me of early journalism career!"

Photo: www.dailymail.co.uk

CLIVE TYLDESLEY, ITV's leading football commentator - "Shout To The Top. Lyrics, vibe, vocal all very cool and soulful. Ambient but danceable. Great dramatic start. Just a shame it fades so early!"








Music journalists

Photo: twitter.com

NIALL DOHERTY, Q magazine reviews editor - "Out Of The Sinking. Great groove, grizzly melody, not concerned with making a pop song but can't help but be one."

Photo: twitter.com

MATT MASON, Senior Editor of Q magazine - It changes every day but Walls Come Tumbling Down! today. Rage, melody, brilliant opening line & it stands for something.

Photo: twitter.com

PAUL STOKES, Q Magazine music journalist - "The Jam - Butterfly Collector. Angry, sinister yet a great pop song."









Others

Photo: www.thedrum.com

PIERS MORGAN, broadcaster and journalist - "Going Underground, raw energy."

Photo: gbcmag.com

ROB DE BANK, Bestival organiser and former Radio 1 DJ - "The Style Council - Shout To The Top and The Jam- That's Entertainment! - The Jam because I had it on a 7 inch as a kid and The Style Council because it was a huge Balearic singalong anthem for us at Sunday best."

Photo: www.thesun.co.uk

BRIAN MOORE, former England rugby union player - "The Eton Rifles - it appeals to the class warrior in me. Although I now have the words my eldest used to say when she was little 'eating trifles.'"

Photo: awards.bafta.org

GRAHAM LINEHAN, television comedy writer and director, most notable works include Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd - That's Entertainment, I think. I love the imaginative jump from the list of things described to 'entertainment'. Lateral, startling but perfect. And the tune is fantastic."

Photo: talksportpress.tumblr.com

LIAM FISHER, controller of talkSPORT - "A Town Called Malice... all day long."

Photo: www.bbc.co.uk

JONATHAN WALL, controller of BBC Radio 5 Live - "Going Underground. Too easy. Closely followed by A Town Called Malice!"

Photo: plus.google.com

IAIN MUNN, the author of the only book of The Style Council, - "The Style Council - Why I Went Missing highly under-rated. Clever & flowing from a great experimental album."







So that was their's, but what's your favourite Paul Weller song? Let me know using the comment box below.

Danny Mahon Interview

Danny Mahon is a new singer/songwriter from Manchester.  I sent him some questions about his musical inspirations and new material.









Who are your main musical influences?

"Everything I've ever heard."

Your song 'Resurrection' mentions several links towards Manchester bands: Live Forever (Oasis song); Girlfriend In A Coma (The Smiths song) and Lazyitus (Happy Mondays' song) as well as the title itself (The Stone Roses' I Am The Resurrection). How inspired are you by the music of Manchester?

"Very inspired by it, the good & the bad. It's great to see normal people doing great things - makes kids believe they can do it too."

When can we expect your debut album?

"No idea if I'm honest. Hopefully this year, but I said that last year too."

What are the main themes, lyrically, in the album?

"Places, people & tales from where I come from & what I see and feel."

What are your thoughts on the current state of the music industry? Is guitar music dead?

"It's not dead no. It's just underground I think. It won't come to the fore as the industry is on it's arse so why risk money on a new artist if you can churn out repetitive pop on the cheap?!"

If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

"Johnny Marr I think. Again I could change my mind daily. But today I'll go with him. 

He's just so distinctive & really brings his own flavour to everything he does."

What are your thoughts towards the Olympic games? A good thing for Britain?

"It should be a good thing. But the amount of money being spent on it while the country is on its knees is ridiculous."

What is your overall ambition as an artist?

"I'd just like to keep doing what I do. It'd be nice to get paid too ;)"

 Danny Mahon's Facebook Page