I’d almost forgotten how much fun outdoor concerts are. Yesterday afternoon as the rain poured down, I asked myself very seriously how much I wanted to see Fleetwood Mac. Sure, the tickets had been purchased ages ago and the band was on my ‘must see’ list, but the weather was doing a very good job of encouraging me to stay home.
Thank heaven for great friends with a sense of fun! We adjusted our plans slightly (a picnic seemed a bit of a stretch) and decided to make it an adventure. So off to the $2 Shop I went, in search of waterproof ponchos. With our outfits mostly covered in gaudy vinyl, all that was left was to partake of a glass of wine or two and enjoy the show.
Some iconic bands take the opportunity in live shows to showcase new songs. Fleetwood Mac aren’t touring to promote a new album, so they gave the intrepid fans at Mt Smart Stadium and absolute treat – 2 1/2 hours of their greatest hits, and they certainly are great! There’s nothing more uplifting than knowing all the songs well – music has a unique ability to bring people together – and all the classic tracks played last night certainly achieved that.
Fleetwood Mac’s performance was so fantastic that the wind and rain was forgotten, and many people abandoned their seats to sing and dance with gusto, us included. It was a joy to see so many people of all ages just having a truly good time. There’s something about being outdoors that really adds to the atmosphere, even in such damp conditions. Even the staff at the venue seemed good natured and as far as we could see, that good feeling translated into great crowd behaviour too.
We’re really fortunate to have some excellent indoor venues too, but outdoor concerts take you back to school and university days, where getting together with friends for a live show was a rite of passage. Yes, there are portaloos, yes there are crowds, yes, parking can be a trick, but oh boy, there is a lot of fun to be had and brilliant memories to be made.
If in doubt, always go to a live show!
If you were there, feel free to share your favourite moments below…
Woodend - 8 years ago
I was at Fleetwood Mac on Saturday night – I had been looking forward to it for so very long and I was very excited as I have never seen them live. I too had briefly questioned whether I should go as I had been feeling very unwell on Friday and the weather was looking suspect.
Rugged up in a hooded snow raincoat with a $2 shop poncho over the top and leggings and long boots – I was prepared!
It was so worth it – Fleetwood Mac sounded as great live as I have ever heard them in recordings, plus their chat, humour and general presence made for a wonderful night out. Everything I expected and more.
I was worried that Christine was not going to sing “Songbird” so I was so very happy when she sang it at the end – brought a tear to my eye.