This is what ‘Dreams’ are made of: Fleetwood Mac in action after all these years
Do you know who the third highest paid female musical artist is in the world? Nestled in between Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga is a name as much loved by Katy Perry fans as it is by Beatles fans: Fleetwood Mac.
If it’s any surprise to you that Fleetwood Mac should hold a position in the top three female artists, then these clips of last night’s concert in Brisbane will surely remind you that they are, quite simply, the greatest band still touring, with both Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie worth close to $60 million.
Last night’s concert was apparently something of a revelation. With Stevie Nicks having vowed the band will be “doing this until we’re 9000 vampire years old,” the band started off on a dull note. But then the unthinkable happened. During the song “Tusk,” they completely messed up and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham told the audience, “We’re going to say we’re not perfect, and we’re going to start that one again, OK?”
From there on in, it was pure Fleetwood Mac magic.
One reviewer described it like this: “There was just no sparkle – at least not until the second the band hiccupped. When the group hit silence – a musical brick wall – something magic happened. It was like they’d been given a wake-up call, a nudge to say they were slightly off their game, an embarrassing kick in the guts.”
Here are some of the highlights from the concert last night – what do you think? Have they still got it?
Fleetwood Mac will release the remastered edition of their 1979 album Tusk on December 4. Tusk was the follow-up to the band’s 1977’s iconic Rumours and it sold four million copies.
Review: Fleetwood Mac, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, November 10, 2015
(Photo: Pat Scalia)
About 30 seconds into a song called “Tusk,” Fleetwood Mac stumbled. Like someone who’d lost their place on a page in a book, the band stopped. “We’re going to say we’re not perfect, and we’re going to start that one again, OK?” lead guitarist Lindsey Buckhingham said.
Until then, a full house at Boondall wanted badly for the show to be great. But it wasn’t. It was pedestrian at worst, ordinary at best.
One of the world’s greatest bands seemed to be going through the motions, playing like it was the 114th concert on a long two-year roadtrip.
Chart-toppers “Rhiannon,” “Everywhere” and “Dreams” had all been rolled out, and it was Fleetwood Mac. They had to be brilliant, right? There was nothing horrible about the first few songs – it was certainly no Meat Loaf moment.
There was just no sparkle – at least not until the second the band hiccupped. When the group hit silence – a musical brick wall – something magic happened. It was like they’d been given a wake-up call, a nudge to say they were slightly off their game, an embarrassing kick in the guts.
Whatever it was, the on-stage mood changed. Their energy lifted. Each member of the band found something special. No longer were they motioning through a set of songs. They began to engage – with the audience, and with each other.
Stevie Nicks, who was previously more worried about her ear pieces as she hobbled around the stage in platform heels a size too small, suddenly commanded the stage.
(Photo: s7r4h4n)
Her shoes looked like they fit again. The queen of rock was back, sliding around the floor, spreading the wings of her black and gold shawls, swinging her flowing blonde locks in front of the wind machine, and reminding everyone why her voice had been regarded such a distinguishable commodity for more than 40 years.
No longer was she just singing songs. She was telling stories, as songwriters of the ’70s demanded their artists must do.
“Tusk” was the eighth song of the set. And while the first attempt was botched, the audience spreading at least three generations was highly forgiving.
Buckingham ensured the second time around was superb, as was his “Big Love” guitar solo shortly after, befitting of a man Rolling Stone included in the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
The 65-year-old is not a household name like Nicks, but he is the musical brains behind the operation. And he reminded people that the band’s imperfections were sometimes what helped them connect with so many people.
Part of the band’s appeal, he said, was that they had put their personal lives – not always intentionally – “out there for people to scrutinise”.
Buckingham and Nicks, who kissed and held hands through the performance, were of course once an item.
“We had to deal with those difficulties and one way was to write songs to each other, and about one another,” he said. “And we’re still here. Within these five people, there’s a great deal of love.”
Christine McVie, the lesser-known voice of so many Fleetwood Mac hits, and before married to bass guitarist John McVie, had been in hiatus until this tour. Her voice too seemed to change a key after the “Tusk” mishap. Her closing piano solo of “Songbird” was as beautiful as ever.
And Mick Fleetwood on drums, with his Santa Claus-type beard, receding hairline and grey pony tail, is quite simply the grandfather everyone ever wanted to have.
His black vest, red bandana around his neck, white T-shirt and bright pink leather shoes proved that while he might have lost a few follicles, he’s lost none of his cool.
His drum solo which kicked off the encore during song “World Turning” was as epic as it was entertaining. Fleetwood is a showman of the highest standard, and his closing line was apt: “One might say much fun was had by all.”
Setlist
The Chain
You Make Loving Fun
Dreams
Second Hand News
Rhiannon
Everywhere
Bleed to Love Her
Tusk
Sara
Say That You Love Me
Big Love
Landslide
Never Going Back
Think About Me
Gypsy
Little Lies
Gold Dust Woman
I’m So Afraid
Go Your Own Way
Encore:
World Turning
Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)
Silver Spring
Songbird
On Tuesday, Fleetwood Mac performed a sold-out concert at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall, a suburb of Brisbane. The band plays a second show in Boondall on Thursday night.
The normally polished and well-rehearsed Fleetwood Mac made an uncharacteristic mistake during “Tusk,” which prompted the band to stop the song and start over. Things started to go astray at about the 1:30 mark, with Lindsey gesturing to John and Mick to cut. A few moments later, Lindsey walked up to the mic and conceded to the audience: “Well, we’re going to say we’re not perfect and we’re gonna try that one again, OK? Welcome to ‘earn-while-you-learn time in Brisbane!” (See the video below.)
Stevie dedicated “Landslide” to Dr Bill. “Over the years, this amazing doctor has taught us, anyway, taught me so many different things that really helped with, you know, keeping your health together and being able to do this until you’re like 9,000 vampire-years old. (audience laughter) You laugh, it’s not funny, it’s really true. This guy has been so helpful to us over many years So I would like to dedicate this to you, Dr Bill. This is called ‘Landslide.’”
Concert Review: Fleetwood Mac, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, November 10, 2015
(Photo: Marc Robertson / The Courier Mail)
WELCOME back Chrissie.
Not that Fleetwood Mac didn’t play great shows in Christine McVie’s years out of the band. But her return for this tour brings so many big songs back to the party – from “You Make Loving Fun” to “Say You Love Me” and “Everywhere.”
Naturally this first Brisbane Entertainment Centre show last night was sold out – there are a few tickets left for a second tomorrow night.
You know what you are going to get, two-and-a-half hours, mostly of hits, plus some album favourites like “Gold Dust Woman.”
McVie retired from the band and missed their Australian tours in 2004 and 2009.
Last night she was in her element at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, as she has been throughout this world tour.
(Photo: Marc Robertson / The Courier Mail)
The addition of her songs, lead vocals and harmonies lifts the night to another level from their tours without her.
Mick Fleetwood and John McVie remain a powerhouse rhythm section, Lindsey Buckingham ensures the energy levels never flag despite this being show No.114 of a world tour, and Stevie Nicks’s voice remains a thing of crystalline wonder, from “Dreams” to “Rhiannon,” “Sara” and “Landslide.”
It’s a beautiful and tasteful visual production, but with this many big songs, they could play by torchlight and still hold our attention.
The band took time off as bass player John McVie was treated for cancer and wrap up this world tour with shows in Auckland a week from now.
But a new album is set for release next year so the extraordinary story of the band will continue as they approach their 50th anniversary.
Fleetwood Mac play Brisbane Entertainment Centre again tomorrow night.
(Editor’s note: Mick Fleetwood has confirmed that the band, except for Stevie Nicks, has recorded material for a new album, but the status of the release is unknown at this stage. Fleetwood Mac remains “hopeful” that the material will be released.)
