Fleetwood Mac gets off the chain at Perth’s Domain Stadium, despite pouring rain.
I have never been so wet in my life. This was the thought running through my head as I walked away from Domain Stadium on Friday night completely drenched, with my water-filled shoes making an ungainly squelching sound with every step. But, it was quickly followed by another — it was worth it to see Fleetwood Mac in concert again.
The last time the band came to Perth in 2009 was the first concert my wife and I watched together, not long after we had started dating. So when an opportunity arose to review Fleetwood Mac’s return to Perth I jumped at the opportunity, thinking it was a chance to relive some wonderful memories.
However, I wasn’t prepared for the wild night which lay ahead — filled with sizzling guitar, mystical vocals, die-hard fans and never-ending rain. No sooner had we taken our seats when Fleetwood Mac’s smash hit “The Chain” lit up the stadium, much to the crowd’s delight. From there the band’s three main songwriters shared the spotlight with Christine McVie welcomed back to Perth with a rendition of “You Make Loving Fun,” followed by Stevie Nicks’ “Dreams” and Lindsay Buckingham’s “Second Hand News.”
As the heavens opened it also rained down hits with “Rhiannon,” “Everywhere,” “Tusk,” “Sara” and “Say You Love Me” enchanting the 25,000 fans who turned out for the show. Then the two McVies, Nicks and drummer Mick Fleetwood vanished from the stage while Buckingham delivered an outstanding solo, guitar-only, version of “Big Love.”
The rest of the band returned in style, and the hits continued and then the rain started to ease up as Nicks explained to fans the story behind the next song “Gypsy.” As the song progressed, Nicks twirled on screen mesmerizingly almost in what looked like a rain dance.
And, as if on cue, the rain started bucketing down heavier than before, ending any hope concert goers had of leaving Domain Stadium without being completely soaked. Although no one in the crowd seemed to mind as they were straight up out of their seats to dance as “Little Lies,” another of Christine McVie’s creations, resonated around the stadium.
Nicks’ mystical twirling continued as the band launched in to “Gold Dust Woman,” and then the focus shifted to Buckingham who showed he has lost none of his guitar prowess with a stunning guitar solo to finish off “I’m So Afraid.” Buckingham received rambunctious cheers for his bewitching effort, which turned to an even bigger roar as Fleetwood Mac quickly moved into “Go Your Own Way” to finish off their main set. The upbeat tune lifted any remaining seated fans to their feet, and when the song finished, the band received a standing ovation, whose enthusiasm was never dampened despite the pouring rain all night long.
Christine McVie’s return to the the band, after 16 years of semi-retirement, appeared seamless and her vocals added another layer to the Mac’s allure, taking fans back to their golden days. The excitement was evident on the faces of fans every time one of her songs started up, with some of the biggest cheers of the night reserved for the encore when “Don’t Stop” rocked the stadium, and the second encore as “Songbird” closed a memorable, but wet, Fleetwood Mac performance.
Tim Carrier / WA Today / Saturday, October 31, 2015
