As you'll probably have noticed I posted this alot later than I had initially anticipated, I've had an extremely crazy few weeks which as a result means that keeping up to date with my blogs has been a little tricky at times. If you follow one of my social media accounts you may have noticed that I had a special meeting with Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood at their concert in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. If you'd like to read all about my experience please click here.
This blog post was initially intended to be a Fleetwood Mac concert review however my dynamics and intentions have changed direction meaning that my plans for this particular post has changed a little. I am however, attending another Fleetwood Mac concert in just over a week so I will have a proper concert review posted here on my blog in the not so distant future.
A few days ago I found myself checking out the influx of concert reviews following Fleetwood Mac's first show in Glasgow of their "On With the Show" tour like I do following most concerts I attend. Unfortunately, I came across a review which absolutely riled me if I am being completely honest. I mean most of the review was in my opinion acceptable although in my eyes the show deserved a lot more credit than this review actually offered. However, it wasn't until my eyes fell upon a sentence towards the end of the review which described the performance of Gold Dust Woman, a song from the band's most famous album Rumours as having "too much hammy latitude". I'm sorry but that is completely criminal to even suggest that!
I am unsure of who exactly wrote the article but one thing for certain is that I completely disagree with their thoughts on the portrayal of Gold Dust Woman. On both occasions that I have been lucky enough to see Fleetwood Mac live in concert I've left the show both mesmerised and raving about Gold Dust Woman. I even described that particular song on both instances as my favourite performance of the entire concert. The portrayal of Gold Dust Woman that I witnessed was absolutely breath-taking and most definitely a work of art. With that in mind I cannot help but wonder if the gig reviewer was actually at the same concert as me in the first place?
Yes, I do not for one second dispute that what I saw was dramatic but the way in which Stevie Nicks portrays the drama within the song and in her live performances is extremely tasteful. I felt that the review I came across looked at Gold Dust Woman in a negative light and didn't give it the credit that it truly deserves.
Firstly, what I'd like to ask the author of the review if the opportunity were to arise is 'have you actually read and studied the lyrics of the song? Have you ever considered what the song is really about?' Yes, we'll never fully discover the exact meaning behind it and of course there will always be the element of mystery behind the songs we all know and love but it's always interesting to have some sort of knowledge and understanding of the lyrics. I personally have spent time over the past few years studying the lyrics and to some degree I think I've sussed the meaning behind the words. Having intently watched Stevie perform Gold Dust Woman live on two occasions and again, via video footage posted on YouTube I feel that my interpretation of the song lyrics accurately gels with the story Stevie tells on stage through music and movement. Then again I could be completely wrong but that's the beauty of interpretation and I'm sure the same lyric will mean something completely different to every set of ears that listens to it. I truly admire the fact that artists and musicians alike can quite literally create a work of art by channelling their inner thoughts and feelings; they put their blood, sweat and tears into it and at times I'm sure could easily give up. But for whatever reason they don't and something encourages them to go on and well, the final result they've created can then go on to touch and inspire the lives of so many others. People look at a piece of art or listen to a piece of music and instantly relate to someone else who once felt the same thoughts and emotions as they did. Music is both calming and comforting in that way and that's one of the many reasons I love it so much.
Anyway, the long in the short of what I'm really trying to say is that what I saw and what the other person saw were evidently two very different things. Opposites to be precise. The reviewer saw the performance as over the top, dramatic or "hammy" as they described it, whereas I saw something hauntingly beautiful and filled with power. That is one of the many reasons why I alongside many others love and admire Stevie Nicks. Her beauty and her individuality is something that stands out and separates her from other female singers in the music industry; past, present and future. I do not believe that there will ever be another singer/performer like her and that is exactly why she'll be remembered; for being herself and expressing herself and through Gold Dust Woman she does just that!
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