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Category: Concert Reviews

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac, 2/4/15

FLEETWOOD MAC – Live, February 4 2015 at the Air Canada Center, Toronto

Before reviewing the concert I have to give a brief history of my introduction to Fleetwood Mac. In the early 90’s, one of my buddies took out whatever hair band CD was in the player and put in Fleetwood Mac Rumours. WTF is that crap? It sounded like the love child of ABBA and The Eagles! After a while the band grew on me. I wasn’t exactly going to cruise down main street with Fleetwood Mac blasting out the T-tops, but I did start to enjoy it. It became one of my guilty pleasures, and my wife loves them, so this is a bonus.

Fast forward to February 4 2015. My wife and I were early, so we got to our seats before the show started. The band was not on time, but only 20 minutes or so behind schedule. By Axl Rose standards, they were 2 hours early. This gave me time to Google the setlist as I always do before a concert. 24 songs and two encores. 24 songs? Holy crap. I also read reviews of many of the recent shows. All glowing love-fests proclaiming Fleetwood Mac as the next best thing since sliced bread, with nary a whisper of negativity. Well. We shall see about that.

The lights dim and we see the shadows of band members entering the stage. The crowd roars. When the music starts you get a feeling why this band has remained so popular. The rhythm section of this band is awesome. These guys are in their late 60’s, and they still sound incredible. John McVie is the guy that likes to stay in the background. I don’t think I ever saw any hint of showmanship from him, but he played his bass flawlessly, and that is all you can ask. Mick Fleetwood is a really underrated drummer. His talents are not shown off in the mostly pop rock songs that made the band famous, but over the years I have heard enough of his songs to know he has what it takes. And for his age, he still has it. Lindsey Buckingham is a guitarist that wasn’t on my radar: until I saw him live. He was not awesome, but a very unique guitar player. For starters, he does not play with a pick. I have seen many players play acoustic without a pick but not many electric players. His right thumb seems to act kind of like a pick, but his right hand fingers do this kind of spastic fingerpicking that is hard to describe. Kind of like, if he was trying to flick crumbs from all of his fingers at the same time. I can’t quite figure out how the guitar sounds so good when his thumb and all 4 fingers seem to be flicking at the strings at the same time. But it works.

Stevie Nicks still has a great stage presence, and she is possibly better at her age than some singers in their prime.

Piano and accordion duties were handled by Christine McVie. Her strength however is her vocal prowess. All I can say is that anyone that saw this band in the last 16 years prior to this tour should ask for their money back. She left the band during that time due to an intense fear of flying. What an absolute loss that was. She completes this band, the way Van Halen was completed when David Lee Roth came back. They were great without him, but awesome with him. Her voice is so crisp and it reminds me of the first robin you hear in the spring. You can’t help but smile. For a 71 year old lady, she still looks and sounds beautiful. Kind of like an older Judith Light. She must have been a real force to deal with in her heyday.

The final member is the resident scarf twirler, tambourine banging, top hat wearing lady named Stevie Nicks — probably the most famous member of the band. She is the only member to have a productive solo career. Unfortunately life, and possibly hard partying have caught up to Stevie. Her voice is down at least 1 octave, and she can’t hit the high notes anymore. She still has a great stage presence and she is possibly better at her age than some singers in their prime.

Now for the bad.

“Tusk”. The mere mention of this song turns me off. However, I did prefer the live version of this song to the original, but that is not saying much.

“Second Hand News” is my favourite song by this version of the band. This live rendition however was ruined by whatever annoying sound effect they had in place of the bass line that the original had. And the “bowm bowm bowm bowm bowm…” is a little off. It might be too fast paced for the elder statesmen.

Even though I commended Lindsey, he is not without fault. His voice progressively got worse as the night wore on. I was hoping they would actually mute his mike, and just let his guitar do the talking. When he did a vocal solo, his voice reminded me of a pre-pubescent mixed with The Hobbit. I was waiting for him to say “precious’. There were also times in the night that he yelled and screamed much louder than he needed to. And I won’t even mention the skinny jeans he borrowed from One Direction.

The song choices could have been better in my opinion. There were a few duds near the middle, and even one song from the Peter Green era would have been nice. Not many people realize the band did “Black Magic Woman” before Santana. Also, they could have done a cover of “Werewolves of London”. John and Mick were the rhythm section on the Warren Zevon song. These would have been good substitutions.

Stevie Nicks though a good stage presence, kind of reminds me of an old hippie cat lady from Woodstock, New York. She is about three puffs on a reefer away from being bat shit crazy. She was rambling a few times during the night. Something about Lindsey in high school and he knew her but she didn’t know him blah, blah. Next about the store that influenced the song “Gypsy”…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I told my wife to nudge when she stopped rambling.

I read in another interview how the giant screen behind the stage and the smaller screens near the front made the show so much better. Apparently this person was not sitting where I sat. The smaller screens blocked my view of members of the band. When Mick was doing a sweet solo, I wanted to watch his arms flailing. But instead I got to see a stupid screen in my way.

In conclusion, this was a concert worth seeing. I watched the Youtube clips of the show, and they don’t shed a good light on the band. The band does sound much better when you are seeing them in concert than what it looks and sounds like on a computer. Although I was much worse on them than any other reviewer I read, I still enjoyed the show. I can finally say I saw them, and I would recommend them to others.

I would rate them: 7.5/10 (3.75/5 stars on the LeBrain scale)

BOPPIN / LeBrain’s Record Store Tales & Reviews / Friday, February 6, 2015

February 6, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac, Air Canada Centre, Feb 3

As I stood from my spot on row 33 on the floor and looked around the sold out crowd at the ACC on Tuesday night, a thought came to my head: I’m probably the only person here who knows about five Fleetwood Mac songs.

I am not very familiar with Fleetwood Mac. I wasn’t born in the 70′s and I didn’t even speak English until the late 80′s. That’s my excuse anyway. I thought “Landslide” was a Smashing Pumpkins song for the longest time and my first time hearing “Gold Dust Woman” was because of Hole.

Yet there I was, on Tuesday night watching them. Why? Because I’m old. When you are old, you start thinking, hey, why shouldn’t I check out this random classic band playing at a hockey arena? It might be good. You are less discriminatory towards high priced acts. Especially if you work across the street and stubhub has given you enough incentive to purchase those tickets.

Onto the show. My favorite moment was definitely before the track “Gypsy.” Stevie Nicks was telling a story about the bands beginning and how she ended up at a store called The Velvet Underground, and it was only then she realized she was going to make it.

She then concluded by telling the crowd to “Believe in yourself and follow your dreams.” Great message, especially to a crowd whose average age is probably 50. Yes, people, follow your dreams and buy a winter home in Fort Lauderdale. You can do it!

My second favorite non-music moment was during another chat session in which Lindsey Buckingham was talking about how the band is back fully back together or something, and this woman about twenty rows back screamed out “YOU SAVED US!!!” I have no idea what that was about, but it was pretty epic. I wish to one day, yell out these very same words in a moment of emotional elation.

The band played with a massive high definition projection screen which, for most part, was showing hippy-dippy shit like sunsets and forests, but once in awhile would show really weird things like a floating Lindsey Buckingham head. I found that creepy.

As a non-hardcore Fleetwood Mac fan, I enjoyed the show. Lindsey Buckingham is amazing on the guitar and had some impressive guitar solos. Stevie Nicks sounded good and “Landslide” was beautiful live. I liked that so much I’ll butcher it the next time I go to karaoke. The crowd really loved it when she would twirl around with her arms spread out as well. I think that’s the Stevie Nicks dance. Mick Fleetwood looked like he was having a blast behind the drums and played well for an old man. If I could be that active at his age, I would be impressed. He also reminds me of someone who would serve me chowder at some cabin by the sea in a fisherman village for some reason. I don’t know why I shared that.

The rest of the setlist was as expected, a nostalgic parade of the group’s greatest songs which had the crowd up on their feet for most of the 2+ hour set. The non-encore closer “Go Your Own Way” even had some drunken people dancing. No small feat for a show on a Tuesday night.

This was the third time around for Fleetwood Mac in recent years, and judging by the reception, I don’t think anyone minds if they come back time and time again.

Ricky / Panic Manual / Thursday, February 5, 2015

February 5, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac back at ACC

TORONTO – The return of The Mac proved to be just as sweet the second time around.

British-American ‘70s folk-rockers Fleetwood Mac, boasting their most successful lineup of singers Stevie Nicks, keyboardist Christine McVie and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham (Nicks’ ex-boyfriend), bassist John McVie (Christine’s ex-husband) and drummer Mick Fleetwood, returned to the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night after performing at the same venue on the same tour with the same set list back in mid-October.

No matter.

Torontonians – another 17,000 or so of them – liked a double serving of The Mac particularly since this tour features the return of the 71-year-old Christine McVie who stayed off the road for 16 years.

With everyone else in the group in their mid to late ‘60s there was no time like the present for this reunion.

Thankfully, the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue has held up so well with special mention to the songs from their beloved 1977 dics Rumours that’s sold 45 million albums and counting.

Not surprsingly, the group kicked off the night with The Chain from that album before McVie took over on lead vocals for You Make Loving Fun also from Rumours.

“Welcome back Toronto,” said Nicks in her usual black flowing outfit, black suede boots and various shawls throughout the night.

‘Tonight is our 47th show and I think we can safely say,’She’s back!,” added Nicks referring to McVie. “So that being said, let’s get this party started!”

McVie, who wrapped up the marathon two-hour-and-35-minute, two-encore show with Songbird on piano and Buckingham on guitar, told the crowd at one point: “I love you very much!”

It was a nostalgic but mostly riveting evening of music as the group, propelled by the guitar maniac that is still the fast-footed, lightning-fingered Buckingham, made their way through such crowdpleasers as the Nicks-sung Dreams and Rhiannon – with some twirling from her on that latter one – the McVie-led Everywhere and the Buckingham-sung I Kmow I’m Not Wrong in the first third of the show.

Five other musicians and an impressively large video screen and smaller video strips certainly helped to fill out the group’s sounds and sights.

“Well, we were here not too long ago – I guess a few more people wanted to see us,” said Buckingham with a chuckle. “So we came back. … I think it’s safe to say we’ve seen our share of ups and downs and I think that’s kind of makes us what we are. In this particular moment, with the return of the beautiful Christine, she is a beautiful soul, now it signals the beginning of a poetic, profound and I think prolific new chapter of this band – Fleetwood Mac!”

The next two thirds of the main set saw such highlights as Tusk, with McVie breaking out the accordion, but the marching band appeared only on the big screen and not as a live accompanmient sadly; Buckingham’s incredible guitar dispay and gutteral shrieks on Big Love. his quieter vocals but no less stellar playing on Never Going Back Again and plugging in big time for I’m So Afraid and You Can Go Your Own Way, and Nicks’ ‘60s San Fran-reminiscent Gypsy and Gold Dust Woman (complete with gold shawl) with yet more twirling from her on both.

But the emotional centre of the show proved to be the pretty and delicate Landslide with just Nicks and Buckingham on stage with the former couple holding hands towards the end of the song and again at its conclusion.

Otherwise, the tunes that made me sleepy last time did it to me again, the Nicks’ sung Sisters of the Moon, Seven Wonders and Silver Springs and Fleetwood’s lengthy drum solo during World Turning but these are small quibbles.

The mighty Mac is back and they don’t appear to be going away again anytime soon.

Set List

The Chain

You Make Loving Fun

Dreams

Second Hand News

Rhiannon

Everywhere

I Know I’m Not Wrong

Tusk

Sisters of the Moon

Say You Love Me

Seven Wonders

Big Love

Landslide

Never Going Back Again

Over My Head

Gypsy

Little Lies

Gold Dust Woman

I’m So Afraid

Go Your Own Way

ENCORE:

World Turning/Mick Fleetwood drum solo

Don’t Stop

Silver Springs

SECOND ENCORE:

Songbird

Jane Stevenson / Toronto Sun / Wednesday, February 5, 2015

February 4, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac @ the Verizon Center

Fleetwood Mac performs at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC (Melissa Frazee)

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

February 3, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac rocks nation’s capital

Christine McVie returns to Fleetwood Mac for ‘On With the Show’ tour

British-American pop rock band Fleetwood Mac performed before a sold-out crowd Friday night at the Verizon Center on the latest leg of its “On With the Show” tour.

The group, which came into its current incarnation in 1975, was in a celebratory mood, not only for reaching a four-decade milestone but also for the return of keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie to the lineup for the first time since 1999.

“This is normally the moment when I would say, ‘Welcome, Christine,’” singer Stevie Nicks said during an early set break, “but I think it’s now safe to say, ‘She’s baaaaaack!’”

Miss McVie, 71, who for the past decade and a half enjoyed a quiet life at her home in Kent, England, was clearly joyous to be back with her old bandmates while finding her footing on a major tour. She excelled on vocals in long-dormant classics such as “Everywhere” and “Little Lies,” but the heights of “Say You LoveMe” seemed to challenge her upper register, with Miss McVie even quasi-apologizing afterward that her performance was “a bit dodgy.”

While Miss McVie’s return allowed for the dusting-off of some tunes from Fleetwood Mac’s catalog, the set list by and large featured few surprises or trips deep into the band’s oeuvre. Perennial favorites “The Chain,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Rhiannon,” “Tusk” and “Second Hand News” were sprinkled in with lesser-known gems such as “I Know I’m Not Wrong” and “Sisters of the Moon.”

Band members frequently paused to share stories with the audience. Miss Nicks related an anecdote about being a young woman window shopping at a San Francisco boutique called Velvet Underground that was frequented by the likes of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. This experience, she said, informed the lyrics of the song “Gypsy,” which includes the line “So I’m back to the velvet underground, back to the floor that I love.”

Miss Nicks, 66, later related how she had been vacationing in Italy when she received a call from “Chris” asking whether she might rejoin the band — this after some guest spots in England last year in which Miss McVie played keyboards and sang on a few songs. Even after so many years without Miss McVie, Miss Nicks maintained that there was never any question she should return to the group full time.

“She’s never allowed to leave again,” Miss Nicks said of her bandmate, which generated thunderous applause.

Friday’s high-energy, three-hour spectacle seemed overwrought at times, testing the crowd’s stamina and interest with overly long stories and somewhat somnambulant mini-sets by the band. However, this was more than counterbalanced by the carefully programmed overall set, with each of the members taking turns at center stage.

Lead guitarist and singer Lindsey Buckingham continues to shred and scream for the rafters with the energy of a teenager, never letting on that, at 65, he is officially a senior citizen.

In addition to his electric riffs, Mr. Buckingham also played solo acoustic guitar — with no less vocal gusto — on “Big Love” and “Never Going Back Again,” before being joined by Miss Nicks for the elegiac ballad “Landslide,” which she said was her late father’s favorite among her songs.

As is true of pretty much any Fleetwood Mac show, the spiritual climax was undoubtedly the late-set performance of “I’m Still Afraid,” a bluesy, at times mournful, impassioned tune that begins quietly, with Mr. Buckingham singing two verses, before the song evolves into a nearly 10-minute jam session, with Mr. Buckingham assaulting his instrument with ever-brisker finger work and rock ‘n’ roll showmanship accompanied by drummer Mick Fleetwood’s pounding percussion. The crowd roared to its feet at the song’s conclusion, appreciative of the sweating fervor of Mr. Buckingham’s musicianship, which has earned him a reputation as one of the best living rock guitarists.

The set closed with Fleetwood Mac’s arguably most popular tune, “Go Your Own Way,” a hit from the smash album “Rumours” that was written amid the divorce of Miss McVie and bassist John McVie and the simultaneous romantic breakup of Mr. Buckingham and Miss Nicks. The up-tempo song, laced with pain, brought the 20,000 fans to their feet — a testament to the band members’ talents and the universality of their themes.

The encore began with percussionist Mick Fleetwood rendering a spirited drum solo, then featured “World Turning” followed by “Don’t Stop” — famously used as the theme song to Bill Clinton’s 1992 Democratic presidential nomination convention — and Miss Nicks on vocals on “Silver Springs” (perhaps in nod to the D.C. suburb).

Surprisingly, Miss McVie and Mr. Buckingham returned for a second encore, this time performing the angelic and melodious “Songbird” from “Rumours,” with Miss McVie singing and playing a Steinway as Mr. Buckingham accompanied on guitar.

The goodnight was a lengthy affair, with somewhat long-winded thank-you speeches from Miss Nicks and Mr. Fleetwood, 67, one of the band’s original members along with fellow Briton Mr. McVie, 69.

“Love,” Mr. Fleetwood said as he took his final bow. “In this crazy world of ours, be kind to each other. And love.”

Despite inner strife, breakups, feuds and member leave-takings that threatened to derail one of rock’s greatest acts, Fleetwood Mac proves that the love of music, and of those with whom we make it, has the power to unite and heal.

Eric Althoff / Washington Times / Monday, February 2, 2015

February 2, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac bewitches crowd

Fleetwood Mac bewitches crowd at Buffalo’s First Niagara Center

There needs to come a point when you believe in the band. Otherwise, you’re watching a classic rock jukebox.

We look for that moment when we forget about the baby sitter, the $200 or so spent on the ticket, the fact that we’ve heard these tunes more than a million times.

On Saturday, during Fleetwood Mac’s close-to-sold-out performance in First Niagara Center, that moment came early. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham strode to the edge of the stage after the lights had been dimmed, looked around, said a brief hello to the front rows, and then dug into the swampy and sultry deep blues riff that signifies the beginning of the Mac’s evergreen hit, “The Chain.”

Buckingham hunkered down, dug into it, and made it plain to all that he had come not merely to collect a paycheck, but to play.

From there on, it was smooth sailing.

Buckingham led the version of Fleetwood Mac that most of us know and love – the group responsible for “Rumours,” “Tusk,” and “Tango In the Night” – through a hits-heavy set that walked the tightrope between easygoing ’70s pop-rock and deep-cutting avant-garde pop.

Of course, Buckingham is not the most famous member of Fleetwood Mac. That would be Stevie Nicks, his ex, and forevermore his partner in pop. Nicks is an icon, but Buckingham is a musical genius. On Saturday, their sparring made for abundant entertainment.

Fleetwood Mac has made a habit of including Buffalo in its tours since re-forming in the late ’90s. But this particular tour stop boasted something more than simply a run-through of “Rumours” and associated hits. This was in fact the first time area audiences have seen keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie perform with the band in more than 15 years. McVie’s tunes – her “You Make Loving Fun,” “Everywhere,” “Say You Love Me” and “Over My Head,” among others – offered soulful highlights. She seems to have lost nothing in the vocal department – she nailed every part she should have, and did so with soul.

This was a hits show, to be certain, but in Fleetwood Mac’s case, that needn’t be a negative. The group has scored platinum with some rather adventurous tunes, and a mid-set focus on the freak manifesto that is “Tusk” made this plain. Buckingham’s “I Know I’m Not Wrong” and “Tusk” led nicely into Nicks’ “Sisters of the Moon,” and earned the crowd’s respect, apparently. The place exploded.

Nicks doesn’t have the voice she once did, but then, who would? She’s in her later 60s now, and if she couldn’t hit the high notes during “Rhiannon” and “Dreams,” she wisely chose the low road, while three backing vocalists, joined by Buckingham and McVie, fleshed out the harmonies. None of it felt fake or forced – this was a band that seemed grateful to be playing for an appreciative audience.

Nicks told a particularly cool story that involved her trademark top hat, an accessory she was rarely seen without during Mac’s “Rumours” heyday. The singer told the assembled that it was during a tour stop in Buffalo – one assumes that it would have been the 1975 pre-”Rumours” stop that is recorded as having taken place at the old Century Theatre – that she purchased said hat. This brought a huge roar from the crowd, which was made up of a cross section of 50-, 40-, 30- and, surprisingly, 20-somethings.

Fleetwood Mac still has it, as Saturday’s show made plain. Everyone pulled their weight, especially the recently returned McVie, whose voice was pure gold.

But like every other Fleetwood Mac show since he joined the band in 1974, this one belonged to Lindsey Buckingham. He is one of the true pop geniuses to have emerged from the ’70s, and on Saturday, he proved it one more time.

email: jm****@******ws.com

Jeff Miers / The Buffalo News / Saturday, January 31, 2015

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac doesn’t disappoint at FNC show

Last Saturday, people poured into the First Niagara Center to see an act that last performed in Buffalo almost 30 years ago.

Fleetwood Mac played the 46th show of its “On With the Show” tour, and it went off with a bang.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the group did not disappoint.

The show was all about the music, the band stopping only a few times to tell a few brief anecdotes, and welcome back keyboardist Christine McVie.

There was no opening act. The band came out and immediately went into “The Chain.”

Stevie Nicks’ distinct voice seemed to put the audience in a trance, especially during “Rhiannon,” despite Nicks no longer being able to hit the high notes.

The set was simple, just the band’s instruments on stage with psychedelic backgrounds changing as the set list went on.

The group performed with passion and enthusiasm, especially Lindsey Buckingham’s performance of “Big Love.”

Fleetwood Mac, a band that started in 1967, has spanned generations and is finding a new following thanks to the hit FX show “American Horror Story.” In the show’s second season, Lily Rabe plays Misty Day, a witch obsessed with Stevie Nicks. Nicks also has appeared on the show.

During Saturday night’s performance, Nicks thanked the TV show, and told the audience “Keep watching, it’s crazy!”

Eight Fleetwood Mac songs have been featured on “American Horror Story.” In her TV appearance, Nicks performed “Seven Wonders” while wearing one of her signature top hats.

She told the First Niagara crowd that she purchased her first top hat in Buffalo, and that’s when the fad began.

She then went on to dedicate the song “Landslide” to Buffalo, saying “My top hat thanks you!”

The band performed two encores, and the audience stayed put for both of them.

Overall, Fleetwood Mac did not disappoint its fans who came out to support them after all these years.

Rebecca Brandel is a junior at Mount St. Mary Academy.

Rebecca Brandel / Buffalo News / Thursday, February 5, 2015

Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News

January 31, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac celebrates songbird’s return

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — “She makes us all complete,” said Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood.

He was referring to singer and keyboard player Christine McVie, back with the band after a 16-year absence. Her return brings the band back to its most successful lineup, the one that sold a zillion copies of Rumours back in 1977.

McVie doesn’t have the mystic gypsy-witch appeal of Stevie Nicks, nor the guitar prowess of Lindsey Buckingham, but her presence solidifies the band — and she’s written some of the most appealing songs in their catalog.

Fans at the band’s show at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Wednesday night looking for prime-time Fleetwood Mac got their wish, with a 2 1/2-hour show that included big chunks of Rumours and its predecessor, 1975′s Fleetwood Mac.

The three singers, McVie, Buckingham and Nicks, ranged across the front of the stage, with the rhythm section of Fleetwood and bassist John McVie just behind. At the back of the stage were some reinforcements — an additional guitarist, keyboard player and three backup singers.

As a wise man once said, we get by with a little help from our friends, and the augmented Fleetwood Mac mostly sounded good Wednesday. The exception was the drums, which were mixed too loud, particularly early in the show, and nearly drowned out the singing on numbers such as “Second Hand News.”

The show opened with a potent string of hits: “The Chain,” “You Make Loving Fun” “Dreams,” “Second Hand News,” and Nicks’ signature “Rhiannon.”

Band members were in a talkative mood, heaping praises upon McVie. They had come to Providence from New York, which has been spared the brunt of the snowstorm, but thanked the packed audience at the Dunk for coming out after the storm.

Buckingham took center stage on a rocking “I Know I’m Not Wrong,” “Tusk” and “Big Love,” the latter a showcase for his solo acoustic-guitar playing.

The band offered some interesting new takes on familiar songs.

For “Never Going Back Again,” Buckingham and Nicks sang very quietly, sometimes just above a whisper. There was an extended version of “Gold Dust Woman,” with Nicks donning a glittering gold shawl over her black outfit. The song faded to a ghostly echo as Nicks turned her back to the audience and stretched the shawl out like an angel’s wings.

Not that familiarity is a bad thing. “Go Your Own Way,” once it revved up, had the crowd dancing and singing along, while Nicks shook her tambourine festooned with streamers and Buckingham leaned his guitar over the front row.

For their encore, the band did “World Turning,” with a drum solo from Fleetwood while he exhorted the audience (“Give it up!) through his headset mike. I have a “Just Say No” policy towards drum solos, but many in the audience seemed to like it.

“Don’t Stop” might be overplayed by now, but it had the audience singing along anyway.

The last word — or at least the last song — fittingly went to McVie, who did “Songbird” solo until she was finally joined by Buckingham at the finish.

On Twitter: @asmith651

Andy Smith / Providence Journal / Thursday, January 29, 2015

January 29, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac stirs up old emotions

Fleetwood Mac stirs up old emotions for strong Van Andel Arena show…

REVIEW: 3 out of 4 stars
What: Fleetwood Mac
When and where: Jan. 20, 2015, Van Andel Arena
Highlight: Lindsay Buckingham’s fiery solo performance of “Big Love” – a terrific display of his showy finger-picked guitar work – transitioned to Stevie Nicks’ heartfelt version of “Landslide,” which concluded with her and Buckingham holding hands in a moment of genuine affection.
Length: 150 minutes
Attendance: 11,038 (sold out)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The anguished interpersonal drama in Fleetwood Mac is long dead, but something that informed the songs and still defines the band. Judging from its performance at Van Andel Arena Tuesday night, the group’s driving force is now something resembling joy.

Playing in front of a sold-out crowd, a happy and reflective Fleetwood Mac were joined by keyboardist and singer Christine McVie, who’s participating in the group’s latest tour after an absence dating back to 1998. So consider the reunion of the band’s five core members another lingering dysfunction conquered, and celebrated early in the show. Opening number “The Chain” showcased the strong vocal harmonies of singer Stevie Nicks, guitarist Lindsay Buckingham and McVie, who was then spotlighted for “You Make Loving Fun.” It was a grand re-introduction for McVie.

Taking the microphone later in the show, Buckingham discussed how Fleetwood Mac’s notorious ups and downs are key to its essence; he referred to a time when the band was swayed by the false idea that a certain lifestyle was necessary to create rock ‘n’ roll – a thinly veiled reference to his long-disintegrated relationship with Nicks, and the band’s past drug use. His subsequent solo rendering of “Big Love” swayed any accusations of insincerity, featuring an impassioned vocal and intricate, aggressive finger-picked guitar work.

The number was immediately followed by sentimental classic song “Landslide,” featuring only Nicks – gorgeous of voice – and Buckingham. As she sustained a note near the conclusion, she stretched her hand out to Buckingham’s and smiled with sad eyes. They then played “Never Going Back Again,” and as the song ended, she stood with her back to the audience as the guitarist hugged her sweetly.

Sure, maybe such drama can be a little corny in light of the infamous Fleetwood Mac soap opera, but it seemed warm, genuine and inclusive, the audience understanding the group’s complex dynamic.

Of course, that’s smack in the realm of expectation for a Fleetwood Mac live performance this deep into the 21st century. Same goes for the set list – 24 songs, you know all of them – and the production, which featured a towering high-definition screen.

Despite her mystical aura having faded over the decades, Nicks was still in vintage form – silk scarves and a tambourine, fringe for days, high heels you can see from the moon. And her voice was still as husky as it is sweet, slow like smoldering honey during “Dreams,” “Gypsy” and “Silver Springs.” During “Gold Dust Woman,” she held her head in her hands and shuffled from one end of the stage to another, as if possessed by the musical psychedelia behind her, then curtsied deeply at song’s conclusion.

Where Nicks’ voice and Buckingham’s guitar gave the group its flamboyance and star power, McVie’s strong vocal work, along with drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, were its musical foundation. “World Turning” featured Fleetwood playing a pointless drum solo, too long by half; at least he showed no signs of the stomach flu that derailed the band’s Saturday concert in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Last September, another boomer favorite, the Eagles, played on the same stage to the same generation of audience (both of whom can swallow an expensive ticket – Fleetwood seats topped out at $180, and that’s before the ripoff secondary market jacks up the prices). Where the Eagles were nearly perfect in performance but ultimately antiseptic, Fleetwood Mac was occasionally rough around the edges – a sloppy run through “Go Your Own Way” closed the main set – and mixed loud and a little distorted, a reminder that this is a rock ‘n’ roll band still capable of stirring up a little drama on stage.

John Serba is film critic and entertainment reporter for MLive and The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at js****@***ve.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
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John Serba / MLive / Wednesday, 21st January, 2015

January 21, 2015
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac, Lincoln, NE, Jan. 17, 2015

A Love Letter to Fleetwood Mac.

Flying back from Omaha, Nebraska after catching Fleetwood Mac at the Pinnacle Peak Arena in Lincoln Saturday night, my iPhone in airplane mode and the playlist is set only to Fleetwood Mac (wash, rinse, and repeat). For a girl from the desert Southwest, Omaha, in the middle of January, may not seem like the most logical place to catch The Mac; however, this is not an ordinary band and these were not ordinary seats. For me, a true fan, to experience a super-group like Fleetwood Mac up close and personal was the event of a lifetime. Fleetwood Mac hasn’t lost their passion in the 40 years they’ve been pounding out drum beats, singing heartfelt lyrics, playing brilliant guitar licks, and embracing perfect harmonies. If anything, the closeness and comradery between the band members seems deeper and stronger today than any time before.

The lights dimmed after a stage hand placed Stevie Nicks’s microphone, adorned with scarves and beads, center stage and the crowd (myself included) went wild when the ominous strands of The Chain began to echo through the arena. My head is still reverberating with the music of the Mac 48 hours later, and my entire body is rebelling from the amount of dancing and jumping their music inspired. I can tell you unequivocally that the 40’s are NOT the new 20’s, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from taking an unforgettable walk down memory lane with Fleetwood Mac. I almost feel like a different person after seeing this show, somehow older, and wiser overnight. I jokingly said this concert was the equivalent of attending church, and after seeing the spiritual connection Stevie Nicks makes with the crowd and the music, that description is not far off.

Fleetwood Mac’s music spans generations and touches people of all ages. My connection to Fleetwood Mac started in the 70’s. During the summer of 1977, the “Rumors” album played continuously in my world. For most of my childhood, and continuing through my adult life – the ethereal, genius guitar work of Lindsey Buckingham, the beautiful, heartfelt, and oftentimes poignant lyrics of Stevie Nicks and the pounding heartbeat of Mick Fleetwood’s drum kit sound tracked my life. Every song, every note, every lyric, every guitar riff elicits a memory of a person, a feeling, or a time period. Although I needed no extra help, this particular show solidified my love and adoration for Fleetwood Mac, even though they had to cut it short due to Mic Fleetwood’s bout with the flu. Their drum tech, Steve Croes [sic], picked up the sticks and gave us a rousing rendition of “Go Your Own Way” that transitioned into Christine McVie’s closing the show with a beautiful rendition of “Songbird,” so Mick could literally get on the road to recovery.

This Fleetwood Mac show is the best concert I have ever seen, and I’m no slouch in the concert department. Nothing can, or will compare to seeing the Mac take the stage in Lincoln, NE. I’m not sure anyone else had the same experience I had, but for me, this was almost like receiving a spiritual communion with an iconic group of musicians. Do NOT miss this show if you are lucky enough to grab tickets. Thank you Fleetwood Mac for performing and giving the fans a night to remember. We here at Onstage Magazine hope you love the fabulous shots we were able to capture of this performance. You are beautiful – every last one of you. xoxox
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Miss Mojo Rising / OnStage Magazine / Tuesday, 20th January, 2015.

January 20, 2015
REVIEW: Illness cuts Fleetwood Mac concert short

Midway through Fleetwood Mac’s Pinnacle Bank Arena concert Saturday night, drummer Mick Fleetwood suddenly became ill.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

“Mick is really sick,” Stevie Nicks told the crowd, adding that Fleetwood was backstage throwing up. “We feel terrible, but we can’t really make him play. Give us a minute, and we’ll figure out what to do.”

That turned out to be playing two more songs.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

A drum tech named Steve took over Fleetwood’s kit for “Go Your Own Way,” which is usually the song the band plays before two encores.

Then, after a short break, Christine McVie returned to the stage at a grand piano, playing and singing “Songbird” accompanied by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

“Poor old Mick is really sick,” McVie said. “I sing this for him and for all of you.”

“Songbird” has been the final song on the band’s “On With the Show” tour, usually capping a 2½ hour show. Saturday’s truncated set ran just over 90 minutes.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

“In all of our 40 years, this has never happened,” Nicks said.

Prior to the abrupt ending, Fleetwood Mac had pumped out 14 songs, all familiar to the 14,000-plus that packed the arena Saturday — and sounded and looked good doing it.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

Saturday’s show was the second of 2015 for Fleetwood Mac and the 41st of 80 total dates on the “On With the Show” tour. That meant a fresh Mac, but one already tightened by 41 previous shows. And it is a complete band, thanks to the return of McVie, who came back to the group last year after a 16-year absence.

Her songs, “You Make Loving Fun,” “Everywhere” and “Say You Love Me” were highlights simply because they hadn’t been heard live for years.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

And she can still sing — as can Nicks and Buckingham. Some of the songs have been dropped in key. But that didn’t change the fact that the Mac — now in their mid-60s to early 70s — remains a fine band.

Perhaps evidence of how quickly Fleetwood’s illness hit him, I twice noted his solid drumming in my notes and the tightness of his work with bassist John McVie.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

The show began with “The Chain,” “You Make Loving Fun” and “Dreams,” the song of the night that features Nicks, the biggest star in the Mac constellation. She, of course, connected with “Rhiannon,” doing one of her shawl dances while effectively delivering the witchy lyrics with her rough, seductive vocals.

The University of Nebraska marching band didn’t turn up for “Tusk.” But Fleetwood Mac still rumbled and roared with Christine McVie strapping on an accordion to add to the crowd-pleasing stomp.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

“Tusk” and its follow-up, “Sisters of the Moon,” were among the loudest songs of a show that, while far from ear-splitting, was louder than I anticipated — a good thing.

A good percentage of Saturday’s crowd would have been little kids or, in Buckingham’s words “not even born yet” during Fleetwood Mac’s mid-’70s heyday.

“We’re pulling in all ages. I love it. We must have done something right,” Buckingham said before doing “Big Love” solo, demonstrating he’s a wicked guitarist on a hollow-body electric.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

He then switched to acoustic and was joined by Nicks for a touching version of “Landslide” that she dedicated to one of her best friends, Lisa, who she said is from “this amazing city” and must be hurting. “Lisa, all the people in this room are sending you love, every one of them,” she said at the song”s end.

Buckingham then did a solo version of “Never Going Back Again” using the acoustic. Then came Nicks’ announcement of Fleetwood’s illness.

(Photo: Francis Gardler)

During her announcement, she said that Fleetwood Mac would return and do a show and a half, but that is unlikely, as are refunds for the shortened concert.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7244 or kw********@*********ar.com. On Twitter @LJSWolgamott.

L. Kent Wolgamott / Lincoln Journal Star / Saturday, 17th January 2015

January 18, 2015