Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Review Fleetwood Mac Live in Leeds - June 30, 2015

Fleetwood Mac Live in Leeds, UK - June 30, 2015
by Mark Casci
Yorkshire Evening Post

A wild-eyed genius named Mick Fleetwood says it better than I ever could as Fleetwood Mac exit the
stage - “The Mac is BACK!”

A blistering two hour and 20 minute set from the classic (yes, that word is ENTIRELY appropriate) Rumours-era line-up elicits one of the most passionate responses I have seen from an audience in my life.

A four-song opening shot from said record that made them famous the world over was always going to put us on the right foot.

The Chain, all close harmonies and blues guitar gives way to one of the most memorable of bass lines and Leeds is all theirs. You Make Loving Fun, Dreams and Second Hand News are all delivered as they should be, note perfect and intense.

The rock solid, bomb-proof rhythm section of Mr Fleetwood and his self-professed dearest friend John McVie form the bedrock of tonight’s show.

Highlights come from their front people throughout however.

Returning from a 17 year hiatus from music, Christine McVie still has the voice of an angel, as evidenced by set-closer Songbird and Everywhere.

Lindsay Buckingham storms around the stage like a man a quarter of his age, his distinctive finger-picking guitar style as ferocious and precise and it ever was. His solo-rendition of Big Love was a thing of majesty,

Best of all is centre-stage throughout. Stevie Nicks, 67, still mops the floor with any other front woman out there. During Gold Dust Woman she does not just command the stage but dominate it,

The highlight for this humble reviewer is Landslide, performed by the couple Buckingham and Nicks, whose well-documented fallings-out inspired so much of their greatest art, is tear-jerking. Stevie owns the spotlight, a magisterial performance.

Despite Mick’s bullish claim we will most-likely never see these five together again. But tonight’s gig capped a truly unique and inspirational career and cemented their legacy as one of the most special and unique rock n roll bands of all time.

The Mac is back? The Mac never left us and never will.

Fleetwood Mac are both brilliant and loveable, which is some combination

A man who hates gigs reviews Fleetwood Mac at the O2
By George Chesterton
GQ Magazine - UK


Someone has got me a ticket to see Fleetwood Mac, you say? I love Fleetwood Mac. But hang on, I hate gigs. Love Fleetwood Mac. Hate gigs. Love Fleetwood Mac. Hate gigs. Oh well, let's just get on with it then.

The O2 would be a sterile venue to host a conference of anti-bacterial spray manufacturers, let alone a concert of one of the world's great rock bands, and the clientele were suitably hard to pin down. It was strange to go to a gig with no discernable tribes, unless fans of a carvery on a Sunday constitutes a tribe. It was like being on a Ryanair flight with 20,000 people.

Why do I hate gigs? Even when I was a teenager and went to a gig a week, I hated gigs. For starters, I experience enochlophobia (look it up). More importantly, I have always been so precious about music that it always seemed a particular perverse cruelty to have my experiences ruined by inevitable meatheads, who would always (and I mean, always) end up standing or sitting next to, behind, or in front of me. Since I refuse to enjoy myself, God punishes me by surrounding me with people who do. 

And lo, George the meathead magnet strikes again. Behind me were five friends, who informed me that they had come all the way from Bristol to see their favourite band - and then talked through every song. It was all going exactly as I had expected. It was a shame that the sound at the O2 is so muffled and rough. It really is a music venue for people who don't like music. I would have preferred a bit more volume and clarity, not only to drown out my paralytic-clown neighbours, but because I really wanted to listen to the band.

Review Fleetwood Mac Live in London

Fleetwood Mac, live in London, O2 Arena
June 25, 2015:
by Michael Bonner
Uncut Magazine


Now with added Christine McVie

For a band whose career has been so assiduously documented, Fleetwood Mac have always had a knotty relationship with their past. Great swathes of it are essentially ignored, while the domestic dramas of four decades ago are still the pivot for Fleetwood Mac’s live shows in 2015. Last time they played in London, for instance, the narrative privileged Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks as the tragic star-crossed former lovers reunited; this time round, it’s the return of Christine McVie after a 16 year absence that provides the show with its motor. Not that you’d necessarily forget such a momentous occasion, of course: the band have a weird, almost neurotic need to constantly refer back to the narrative in hand. Tonight, for instance, we are routinely told how delighted they are that McVie is back in the fold, while it falls to McVie herself to spell out the specifics of her return to the band: “It was two years ago I stood on this very stage and played ‘Don’t Stop’…” Meanwhile, Buckingham is eager to present McVie’s return as part of “a karmic, circular moment” in the band’s evolution. “We are a group of individuals that have seen their fair share of ups and downs,” he explains to anyone who’s not been paying attention since Rumours came out. “But we’re still here! And that’s what makes us what we are. With the return of the beautiful Christine, there is no doubt that we begin a brand new, prolific and profound and beautiful chapter in the story of this band, Fleetwood Mac.”

Despite Buckingham’s warm predictions for the future, tonight’s set is typically focussed on the band’s mid-Seventies era: half specifically from Rumours. Writing in his autobiography, Play On, Fleetwood admits to a “preservationist instinct” when it comes to his band’s history. “On my farm in Maui, Hawaii,” he begins, “I have a weather-sealed barn full of memorabilia: photographs, journals, clothes, cars, endless video tapes, concert recordings, all bits of Fleetwood Mac and my life. As much as I’ve always been driven creatively to move forward toward something bigger, brighter and unknown, I’m also a deeply-rooted nostalgic.” Although Fleetwood’s archivist sensibilities may be firmly entrenched, as a live proposition, the band has a prescribed cut-off point: you might not know, for instance, that Fleetwood Mac released 10 albums before Rumours. It’s a lovely thing that Christine McVie is back in the band; but for all the harmonic brilliance of “Everywhere” and “Little Lies”, it’d be wonderful to hear “Show Me A Smile” or “Come A Little Bit Closer”. It’d be even better to get Danny Kirwan on to play “Woman Of A 1000 Days“. Alas, the demarcation line between the early line-ups and the Buckingham/Nicks era is so rigorously enforced that we’re not treated to anything released prior to “the first album in this configuration” – as McVie rather formally describes the Fleetwood Mac record.

Admittedly, it is hard to argue with the sheer brilliance of the Buckingham/Nicks/McVie line-up. But with McVie back in the band, the set-list highlights the disjunct between the band’s three writers. This is most evident on the run of songs from “Rhiannon” to “Everywhere” and “I Know I’m Not Wrong”: Nicks’ is witchy and soft-focus, McVie’s is bright and nimble while Buckingham’s is left-field and surprisingly angry. Admittedly, McVie brings a balance to the show – both in terms of opening out the set list but also the way she softens the on-stage dynamic. Outwardly, at least, she appears less eccentric than Buckingham and more grounded than Stevie Nicks. She is also thankfully brisk when introducing her songs; unlike her bandmates. Nicks, particularly, takes an age to get to “Gypsy”, by way of a lengthy story from 1968 involving Hendrix, Joplin and a San Francisco clothing store. Buckingham, meanwhile, over shares considerably with his intro to “Big Love”. He begins with an unexpected defence of Tango In The Night – “A very difficult album to make, but as a producer I am proud of the result” – before taking the scenic route round to the song’s meaning. “It was a song about someone who was not in touch,” he says, finally getting there. “It was a contemplation of alienation but is now a meditation on the power and importance of change.”

Aside from this talk of change and new chapters, there is nonetheless something telling about the name of this tour: On With The Show. It conjures up images of the band as redoubtable showbiz troopers – which in a sense, is precisely what Fleetwood Mac are these days. For all Buckingham’s talk of “ups and downs” in the band’s history, there is a reassuring sense of professionals at work tonight. He may show-off slightly, but it’s useful to be reminded what a fine player he is, especially on “Big Love”, “Landslide” and “Songbird”. Only the overwhelming oddness of “Tusk” momentarily stops the show’s warm, comfortable vibes. But even Buckingham’s quirks are permissible. Among the most conspicuous of these is the giant image of Buckingham’s head that is beamed onto screen at the rear of the stage during “I Know I’m Not Wrong” – and then, bizarrely, can be seen floating upside down on screens in front of the stage. But for all Buckingham’s idiosyncracies and Nicks’ Twilight theatrics, the heavy lifting is done by the men with their names above the door. Mick Fleetwood might enjoy a little of the thesping done by his band mates – the gong and wind chimes ensemble he brings to bear on “World Turning”, for instance – but as with John McVie there is solid workmanship underpinning the Buckingham/Nicks flamboyance. Indeed, the most unfussy players on stage tonight appear to be the former Mr and Mrs McVie. She is very much Laura Ashley mum, cheerful and polite, effortlessly delivering many of tonight’s best songs; while John McVie remains inscrutable behind his cap and waistcoat. A rarity among Fleetwood Mac, the bassist is the only member of the band to keep his views entirely to himself.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Review and Photos Fleetwood Mac Live in Dublin - June 20, 2015

Photos: Tara Stanhope Gallery at DublinConcerts
Review:
Fleetwood Mac hold nothing back in Dublin performance
by Cian Traynor
Irish Times

Saturday nights show may be Fleetwood Mac’s 92nd performance of a 12-month tour but they’re adamant that it means something special.

It was at this venue, back in 2013, that singer and keyboardist Christine McVie secretly rehearsed with the band before rejoining after a 16-year absence.

The restoration of Fleetwood Mac’s classic line-up, along with the presence of signature McVie songs such as Everywhere and Little Lies, has clearly been a source of rejuvenation.

As soon as they launched into set-opener The Chain, the band waste no time in delivering the epitome of stadium pop-rock: a polished heritage act powering through one fan favourite after another.

Almost 40 years have passed since songs such as ‘Dreams’ and ‘Go Your Own Way’ documented the group’s inner turmoil, but their ability to connect with listeners remains undiminished.

The sound is clear and the pace feels well-measured, despite a two-song lull between the triumphant swagger of ‘Tusk’ and a rousing solo performance of ‘Big Love’ by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.

Founding members Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, both dressed in waistcoats and flat-caps, combine to pound out a muscular rhythm section.

Stevie Nicks, eyes closed as she leans into the microphone, exudes unflappable charisma.

A sweat-soaked Buckingham, having expended more time and energy on stage than anyone else, pounds his chest and blows kisses to the crowd.

By the time a two-and-a-half hour set comes to a close with ‘Silver Springs’, the band look spent.

Little has been held back. For a second encore, Christine McVie performs an understated ‘Songbird’ alone at the piano before beaming with gratitude towards the crowd.

Just as that appears to be that, Stevie Nicks returns to the stage to tell the full story of McVie rejoining Fleetwood Mac - a reminder that this represents a circular moment for the band, a new chapter in their history.

That, in turn, feels like the end... until Mick Fleetwood re-emerges to offer his own farewell, urging the audience to take care of themselves and to be kind to each other.

“And remember” he shouts, donning a top hat as he turns to leave “The Mac is most definitely back!”.



Review and Photos Fleetwood Mac Live in Glasgow, Scotland



Fleetwood Mac Live in Glasgow, Scotland - June 16, 2015
by Stacy Auld

Tuesday’s show marked the much anticipated return of Fleetwood Mac but tonight there was a bonus, it also marked the long awaited return of Christine McVie to join the band in Glasgow. Having seen the band two years ago, minus Christine McVie, it wasn’t until this show that you realise just how much the band needed the full band back together. The famous three part harmonies from McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham can’t be matched by any other band.

Full Review at Musicboxunwinds

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Review Fleetwood Mac Live in Glasgow, Scotland - June 16, 2015

Fleetwood Mac, Glasgow, Scotland
SSE Hydro - June 16, 2015

By Marianne Gunn
Heraldscotland

On With The Show was merely a tagline last week for Fleetwood Mac when they had to cancel tour dates due to illness. Although they played the Isle of Wight festival at the weekend, Scottish fans were still on tenterhooks last night to see if the first of two nights in Glasgow would go ahead. It did - and, if it was a celebration of anyone, the members of Fleetwood Mac said this show was a "welcome back" to Christine McVie, who did not play the Hydro along with the rest of the band two years ago on their world tour.

After a warm greeting from the capacity crowd, You Make Loving Fun from seminal 1977 album Rumours highlighted the venue's tendency to challenge vocal clarity, even for legend Stevie Nicks. "This is Show 91!" screamed Nicks huskily, admitting that on many levels this was a truly amazing feat. Hits continued to be played early on: Dreams was given some minor alterations, while Everywhere saw Christine McVie take lead vocals on the classic track she penned in 1987, although the band's three-part harmonising was the main draw.

An acoustic set began with Lindsey Buckingham's contemplation on alienation (otherwise know as Big Love) which he disclosed mirrors the breakdown the band experienced at the height of their "recreational" activities. Gypsy, Little Lies and Go Your Own Way were the highlights of the closing section, although an extended Gold Dust Woman was played like a rebirthing of Nicks and Buckingham's I'm So Afraid guitar solo brought a much-needed crescendo.


Gig review: Fleetwood Mac, Glasgow SSE Hydro
by Fiona Shepherd

ACCORDING to the traditional concert closing remarks of Fleetwood Mac’s resident ringmaster Mick Fleetwood, “the Mac is most definitely back” - and now these MOR giants come with added Christine McVie.

Hydro, Glasgow
Rating: * * * *

The singer/pianist has rejoined the line-up after a sixteen-year absence and immediately made her leavening presence felt on the close harmony of opening number The Chain.

Her simply stated love songs, such as the sweet, girlish Everywhere and mellifluous Little Lies, made a welcome comeback to the setlist, providing a charming contrast to Stevie Nicks’ more melodramatic, impressionistic numbers - though the absence of Songbird from this show’s setlist was a great shame.

The eternal hippie chick Nicks was in her theatrical element, donning a black feathery shawl for extra gothic ambience on Rhiannon – though it hardly needed an atmospheric boost with Lindsey Buckingham’s burnished guitar and the ethereal harmonies as embellishing features.

Buckingham, meanwhile, was energised throughout, limbering up those fleet fingers to deliver an athletic, acoustic Big Love which climaxed with a primal yelp.