Some bands know how to make music that evolves and stays current, and sometimes old guys can rock. Fleetwood Mac does both.
The “On With The Show” Tour celebrates the return of their Songbird, singer and keyboard player Christine McVie, who is back with the band after a 16-year absence. She may not have the gypsy-like appeal of Stevie Nicks or be the guitar legend of Lindsey Buckingham, but her presence strongly solidifies the band.
A group like Fleetwood Mac doesn’t need an opener, as the show went a never-stopping 3 hours. Every member of the band had his or her own solo songs, even Mick Fleetwood who played an incredible drum solo while chanting in an energetic craze. Amazingly after all these years the loss of strength behind everyone’s vocals was barely perceptible.
The night opened with one of my personal favorites, “The Chain,” and started with back-to-back hits and singles like “Dreams” and “Rhiannon.” Nearly everything off their multi-platinum album, Rumours, was played. There was a bit of a lull in the middle, with just Buckingham on stage showing off his awing guitar skills and strong voice, but that was likely designed to give the rest of the band a break. It wasn’t long before they were back at it with tracks like “Go Your Own Way,” “Little Lies” and “Seven Wonders.” The encore included, to nobody’s surprise, “Don’t Stop,” but the show didn’t stop there. The night finished on a calmer note with one last tribute to Christine McVie, who played “Songbird”, her well-known solo track.
It’s hard to predict whether another tour will happen with a band that’s been together for so long, but if they do you should certainly catch it while you can. It was an extraordinary to hear the band that influenced so many of my favorite artists in a sold out arena. Friday night made it obvious to me that there’s a reason everybody knows the name Fleetwood Mac.
Melissa Frazee / Georgetown Radio / Tuesday, February 2015
