With Christine McVie back behind the keyboard, Fleetwood Mac is again whole. (Jack Gorman)
Home » REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac gives Houston extended encore

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac gives Houston extended encore

Stevie Nicks remains in fine shawl even 60 dates into Fleetwood Mac's reunion tour. (Jack Gorman)
Stevie Nicks remains in fine shawl even 60 dates into Fleetwood Mac’s reunion tour. (Jack Gorman)

Fleetwood Mac
Toyota Center
March 3, 2015

Tuesday night marked, according to Stevie Nicks, the sixtieth show on this string of dates for Fleetwood Mac. It’s a hell of a run. It’s even the second time they’ve hit Houston’s Toyota Center. How do they maintain the fire? Even 60 shows in, they are just as energetic, just as vital, and just as masterful as ever.

Nicks’ comment was actually in reference to the fact that she had been welcoming back keyboardist and singer Christine McVie after a 16-year hiatus from the band for 60 shows, and that it was a bit redundant at this point. Put simply, she’s back. The same could be said for the entire band.

It’s not just that this is their second appearance in Houston in a matter of months. This, as the band stated repeatedly throughout the show, is a new chapter for them. It’s the return of the band to their place as a relevant, vital entity in the world of pop music.

How about a little love for Lindsey Buckingham on the guitar? (Jack Gorman)
How about a little love for Lindsey Buckingham on the guitar? (Jack Gorman)

After so many years of being largely dormant, there are finally plans in the works for a new album, and with their renewed influence in the world of pop and indie-rock, it is a new lease on life for their career.

That being said, you would never know it from the brilliant set list, a career-spanning overview of their most famous work from 1975’s Fleetwood Mac to 1987’s Tango In the Night. Just don’t go in hoping for a taste of new material. Fleetwood Mac knows where their bread is buttered, and they leave any murmurings of even their 2013 EP off the table.

This shouldn’t be a problem for most. The fact is that Fleetwood Mac has more fans in their twenties now, myself included, than they’ve probably netted since their late-’70s heyday. Most of us haven’t had a chance to see them before, so it’s well worth our time and money to see them play a greatest hits set like this, especially when a band is this passionate about their hits.

The #blessings of long-lens photography... (Jack Gorman)
The #blessings of long-lens photography… (Jack Gorman)

After 60 shows you might start to wonder if Lindsey Buckingham gets bored during the extended guitar solo outro of “I’m So Afraid,” or if Stevie Nicks just wants to get yet another performance of “Landslide” over with. Any thoughts like that were immediately quelled last night.

Fleetwood Mac’s members are all over sixty now and have been doing this longer than many of us have been alive, yet Buckingham and Nicks were as animated and fired up as ever. During “I’m So Afraid,” Buckingham was literally leaping up and down during his solo. Rather than dreading having to play this song again, it seems he relishes each and every opportunity to trot it out.

Nicks similarly gave impassioned renditions of songs like “Gypsy” and “Gold Dust Woman.” The songs filled her with the same life as they seemed to so many years ago. Even telling the same story to introduce “Gypsy” night after night, she still seems to find something new in it that drives her.

The "dramatic mood lighting" shot. (Jack Gorman)
The “dramatic mood lighting” shot. (Jack Gorman)

Meanwhile, McVie’s return to the band has reopened a whole other world for the band. No longer must they skip over the hits she sang. That meant we were treated to songs like “You Make Loving Fun” and “Little Lies,” massive tracks which Fleetwood Mac had been unfortunately lacking for so long.

It was a triumphant return to those songs for them, as they not only are recapturing the public eye; they are recapturing themselves. For the first time in many years, Voltron is whole again.

Being the consummate professionals they are (as well as brilliantly talented musicians), they put on a show that is almost impossible to find fault with. That they ended out on a downer ballad like “Songbird” instead of the rollicking “Don’t Stop” is a minor quibble. The only fault I could find is in the fact that the Mac played this exact same show, right down to the stories between the songs, in Houston back in December.

For fans who paid to see both, it might be frustrating to see a repeat so soon after the last one. In this case, however, it might be more a matter of “so nice, you had to say it twice.” The flawless show of master musicianship that Fleetwood Mac displays will never get old, even if every show they play for the rest of their lives consists solely of this exact same setlist.

If nothing else, this tour is proof once again that Fleetwood Mac have crafted enough quality music to last them a lifetime. Yet, they are still restless. They are still moving forward; still creating; still forging new chapters. That the book never ends for them is remarkable even to themselves, something they commented on throughout the show.

While that is something that is nothing but a joy to witness for us, perhaps the greatest joy to be found in their show is the love. After all the years, all the breakups, all the divorces, and all the bitter spats played out in their music and the media, Fleetwood Mac are finally whole again and filled with love. It was evident in the performance and in the glances and touches exchanged between the members of the band.

With McVie back in the fold, they are once again the unstoppable force, united for a common goal. And for maybe the first time, they’re enjoying themselves doing it. It’s a joy and a love that spread to all of us in the audience, and that’s the true pleasure of seeing this band perform.

Personal Bias: Inundated with the band since I was a small child, but only relatively recently gave thought to how wonderful the group is as songwriters and musicians.
The Crowd: Lots of older people, of course, but a very decent amount of young fans. More than a few witches.

Overheard in the Crowd: “Lindsey still rocks the skinny jeans. That’s going to be me at 65 too.”

Random Notebook Dump: Like I said, Fleetwood Mac knows where their bread is buttered. Nicks thanked American Horror Story during the show.

Corey Deiterman / Houston Press / Wednesday, March 4, 2015

stevienicks

LIVE IN CONCERT (2024)

Stevie Nicks

MAY 3, 2024 – MAY 5, 2024
Lovin’ Life Fest
Charlotte, NC
TICKETS

MAY 7, 2024
Enterprise Center
St Louis, MO
TICKETS

MAY 10, 2024
WinStar World Casino & Resort
Thackerville, OK
TICKETS

MAY 14, 2024
Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, TN
TICKETS

MAY 18, 2024
Frost Bank Center
San Antonio, TX
TICKETS

MAY 21, 2024
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino – Yaamava’ Theater
Highland, CA
TICKETS

MAY 24, 2024
BottleRock Napa Valley
Napa, CA
TICKETS

MAY 27, 2024
Delta Center
Salt Lake City, UT
TICKETS

MAY 30, 2024
Ball Arena
Denver, CO
TICKETS

JUN 4
Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, IN
TICKETS

JUN 9 
Mohegan Sun Casino
Uncasville, CT
TICKETS

JUN 12
MVP Arena
Albany, NY
TICKETS

JUN 15
Hersheypark Stadium
Hershey, PA
TICKETS

JUN 18
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, MI
TICKETS

JUN 21, 2024 (with Billy Joel)
Soldier Field
Chicago, IL
TICKETS

JUL 12, 2024
BST Hyde Park
London, England
TICKETS

^ Non-Live Nation show


Previous 2023 dates

March 10, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Los Angeles, CA
SoFi Stadium

March 15, 2023
Seattle, WA
Climate Pledge Arena

March 18, 2023
Las Vegas, NV
T-Mobile Arena

May 12, 2023
Raleigh, NC
PNC Arena

May 16, 2023
Knoxville, TN
Thompson-Boling Arena

May 19, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Nashville, TN
Nissan Stadium

May 22, 2023
Atlanta, GA
State Farm Arena

May 25, 2023
Orlando, FL
Amway Center

June 16, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Philadelphia, PA
Lincoln Financial Field

June 20, 2023
Toronto, ON (Canada)
Scotiabank Arena

June 23, 2023
Chicago, IL
United Center

June 27, 2023
Louisville, KY
KFC Yum! Center

August 5, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Columbus, OH
Ohio Stadium

August 8, 2023
Milwaukee, WI
Fiserv Forum

August 12, 2023
Houston, TX
Toyota Center

August 15, 2023
Austin, TX
Moody Center

August 19, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Kansas City, MO
Arrowhead Stadium

September 23, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Foxborough, MA
Gillette Stadium

September 27, 2023
Pittsburgh, PA
PPG Paints Arena

October 1, 2023
New York, NY
Madison Square Garden

October 4, 2023
Buffalo, NY
KeyBank Center

October 7, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Baltimore, MD 
M&T Bank Stadium

October 28, 2023
Memphis, TN
FedEx Forum

November 1, 2023
Savannah, GA
Enmarket Arena

November 4, 2023
Allentown, PA
PPL Center

November 7, 2023
Detroit, MI
Little Caesars Arena

November 10, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Minneapolis, MN
U.S. Bank Stadium

November 29, 2023
San Diego, CA
Viejas Arena

December 2, 2023
Inglewood, CA
The Kia Forum

December 5, 2023
Palm Desert, CA
Acisure Arena

December  8, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Phoenix, AZ
Chase Field

December 12, 2023
Sacramento, CA
Golden 1 Center

December 15, 2023
San Francisco, CA
Chase Center

FEB 10, 2024
Mark G Etess Arena
Atlantic City, NJ

FEB 14, 2024
UBS Arena
Belmont Park, NY

FEB 17, 2024
CFG Bank Arena
Baltimore, MD

FEB 21, 2024
Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Greenville, SC

FEB 24, 2024
Hard Rock Live
Hollywood, FL

FEB 28, 2024
Smoothie King Center
New Orleans, LA

MAR 3, 2024
CHI Health Center
Omaha, NE

MAR 6, 2024
Simmons Bank Arena
North Little Rock, AR

MAR 9, 2024
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
Billy Joel

 



2022 Tour

Stevie Nicks

Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Snowmass, CO
Labor Day 2022

Ravinia Festival
Highland Park, IL
September 8, 2022
September 10, 2022

Pine Knob Music Theatre
Clarkston, MI
September 13, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Sea Hear Now Festival
Asbury, NJ
September 17, 2022

Xfinity Center
Mansfield, MA
September 19, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Maine Savings Amphitheatre
Bangor, ME
September 22, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Sound on Sound Festival
Bridgeport, CT
September 24-25, 2022

Ohana Festival
Dana Point, CA
September 30, 2022

Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles, CA
October 3, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

POSTPONED
Ak-Chin Pavilion

Phoenix, AZ
October 6, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

POSTPONED
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

The Woodlands, TX
October 9, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Alpharetta, GA
October 12, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ascend Amphitheater
Nashville, TN
October 16, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Credit One Stadium
Charleston, SC
October 19, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

PNC Music Pavilion
Charlotte, NC
October 22, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tampa, FL
October 25, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
West Palm Beach, FL
October 28, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Orion Amphitheatre
Huntsville, AL
October 31, 2022

RESCHEDULED SHOWS

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The Woodlands, TX
November 2, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ak-Chin Pavilion
Phoenix, AZ
November 5, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton