Fleetwood Mac kicked off their 2013 tour Thursday night with a riveting performance at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The band surprised the audience by performing two previously unreleased songs — “Sad Angel” and the Buckingham-Nicks-era track “Without You.” Another surprise in the set list was the return of “Sisters of the Moon,” the Stevie Nicks’ rocker from Tusk, which the band hasn’t performed in concert since 1982. With no opening act, the band was free to perform for nearly two and a half hours.
New music coming soon
But probably the most exciting news of the evening came from Lindsey Buckingham, who announced, prior to introducing the new song “Sad Angel,” that Fleetwood Mac would soon be releasing an EP (extended play) release (with “Miss Fantasy,” “Sad Angel,” and “Without You”), the first Fleetwood Mac collection of all-new material in 10 years. The new tunes will be available soon for download on iTunes.
Not all about Rumours
Commemorating the 35th anniversary of the release of Rumours, the band focused on tracks from the 1977 Grammy-award-winning album, but also performed other songs from the vast Fleetwood Mac 1975 to 2003 catalog:
- Fleetwood Mac (“I’m So Afraid,” “Landslide,” “Rhiannon,” “World Turning)
- Tusk (“Not That Funny,” “Sara,” “Sisters of the Moon,” “Tusk)
- Mirage (“Eyes of the World,” “Gypsy”)
- Tango in the Night (“Big Love”)
- Say You Will (“Say Goodbye”)
Fleetwood Mac also performed Nicks’ 1983 solo hit “Stand Back,” which has been a set list staple since 1987. See the full set list below.
The ever-elusive Christine McVie
Fleetwood Mac has continued to perform in concert without keyboardist and singer Christine McVie, who left the band in 1998. They have even performed her songs onstage without her, such as modified renditions of “Don’t Stop” and “World Turning.” Despite the band’s many attempts to lure McVie back into touring, McVie has firmly maintained her decision to stay in retirement. But McVie has come out of seclusion in recent months, even hinting at the possibility of a brief reunion when Fleetwood Mac tours London.
“If they wanted me to, I might pop back on stage when they’re in London just to do a little duet or something like that,” McVie told the Metro UK. And just this past February, she performed with Mick Fleetwood’s Blues Band, alongside Steven Tyler, John McVie, and former Mac guitarist Rick Vito, at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater. Whether a one-off gig or a warmup to a future Mac performance, McVie’s willingness to perform, if only occasionally, is clearly evident.
Next stop
Fleetwood Mac moves on to Philadelphia, where they will perform at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night. Tickets are still available through Comcast Tix, a partner site of Ticketmaster.
Opening night set list
- Second Hand News
- The Chain
- Dreams
- Sad Angel (new song)
- Rhiannon
- Not That Funny
- Tusk
- Sisters Of The Moon
- Sara
- Big Love
- Landslide
- Never Going Back Again
- Without You (new song)
- Gypsy
- Eyes Of The World
- Gold Dust Woman
- I’m So Afraid
- Stand Back
- Go Your Own Way
- World Turning (first encore)
- Don’t Stop
- Silver Springs
- Say Goodbye (second encore)
Band members
- Lindsey Buckingham – Guitars, Lead Vocals
- Mick Fleetwood – Drums, percussion
- John McVie – Bass
- Stevie Nicks – Lead Vocals
- Neil Heywood – Guitars
- Brett Tuggle – Keyboards
- Sharon Celani – Background vocals
- Lori Nicks – Background vocals
Reviews
- Fleetwood Mac at Nationwide Arena in Columbus (Clevescene)
- Fleetwood Mac kicks off tour at Nationwide Arena (Examiner)
- Fleetwood Mac: First stop had it all (Columbus Dispatch)
To read fan reviews of opening night and other shows from the tour, visit The Nicks Fix 2013 Fans Reviews page.
Videos
1. “Second Hand News” – partial (courtesy of Craig Cox)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQyewR9EVbE]
2. “The Chain” – (courtesy of belexes777)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Sd0T-ZVik]
3. “Dreams” (courtesy of Hilary Nicole)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzxfbQ3jOE0]
4. “Sad Angel” (new song) (courtesy of Ejborowski)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enUu0eqjVog]
5. “Rhiannon” – partial (courtesy of rtainmason)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k432ja7TLYQ]
5. “Rhiannon” – very short clip (courtesy of graysea61)
[youtube=http://youtu.be/FM2_v0pXIMM]
6. “Not That Funny” (courtesy of Craig Cox)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIYcg5ZuNuM]
7. “Tusk” (courtesy of Craig Cox)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvF1VBauNTs]
8. “Sisters of the Moon” (courtesy of Michelle Simmons)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3ZYIGeRl7A&feature=youtu.be]
8. Sisters of the Moon” – partial (courtesy of Craig Cox)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNCFp5HWPO8]
8. “Sisters of the Moon” – partial (courtesy of jtwill84)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoqUAmLBnRQ]
8. “Sisters of the Moon” (audio only by Charles Dewey Cole, IV) (courtesy of TheSuperfleetwoodmac)
[youtube=http://youtu.be/CbSVYIBIw3c]
9. “Sara” (courtesy of Teenyw22)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs2w41BMkCI]
10. “Big Love” (courtesy of Brian Martensen)
[youtube=http://youtu.be/BNzACTrNOCE]
11. “Landslide” (courtesy of Teenyw22)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Sxvj0u5QA]
12. “Never Going Back Again” – partial (courtesy of dmbe11)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umGq5J-zMX4]
13. “Without You” (courtesy of Ejborowski)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI98RSgzgJ0]
14. “Gypsy” (courtesy of tsfmnlb)
[youtube=http://youtu.be/1i7Up-YKFA0]
15. “Eyes of the World” – partial (courtesy of dmbe11)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUaLh42EiAk]
16. “Gold Dust Woman” (courtesy of Sevenwonders81)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFmJJvG55O4]
16. “Gold Dust Woman” – partial (courtesy of Michelle Simmons)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ufe8tp1lcI]
18. “Stand Back” (courtesy of Hilary Nicole)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBMejkWAV3g]
19. “Go Your Own Way” (courtesy of Michael Hoffman)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0muZSbNCJw]
19. “Go Your Own Way” – partial clip (courtesy of Craig Cox)
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEG4SjAQnVQ]
20. “World Turning” (courtesy of KKalisa] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZj5zwWMlY0]
21. “Don’t Stop” (courtesy of Hilary Nicole)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLu0_8xmmro]
22. “Silver Springs” – partial (courtesy of Michelle Simmons)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CGS4H7yJfo]
23. “Say Goodbye” (courtesy of granitedog)
[youtube=http://youtu.be/-FhNiLKX970]
Official Fleetwood Mac 2013 tour ad
[youtube=http://youtu.be/plnYd5M8dc0]
