Fleetwood Mac has outlasted the drugs, inner turmoil, and hiatuses to remain one of the greatest rock outfits in the world

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac Live in Atlanta, GA
December 17, 2014 - Philips Arena
By Collin Kelley
Atlanta In Town

When I saw Fleetwood Mac at the old Omni Coliseum in Downtown back in 1987, the souvenir stand was selling a button with the band’s familiar penguin logo and the proclamation that “The Mac Is Back.” Flash-forward 27 years (gulp!) and band namesake Mick Fleetwood was  standing at the lip of the stage at Philips Arena (which sits on the former site of The Omni) proclaiming the very same message to a sold-out audience at last night’s show.

The difference between last night and 1987 was that this was indeed the “full Mac” lineup that everyone knows and loves. Earlier this year, songwriter and keyboardist Christine McVie came in from the cold after a 16-year hiatus to rejoin the band, which immediately set out on a world tour to celebrate. Fleetwood Mac has carried on recording and touring in the intervening years, but without her voice behind the hits of “You Make Loving Fun,” “Don’t Stop,” “Say You Love Me,” “Over My Head,” “Little Lies, “Everywhere” and emotional encore “Songbird.” Those songs were all back in action last night, with McVie’s smoky contralto rendering of each bringing some of the night’s biggest cheers.

But the band’s other two songwriters – Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks – were also in fine voice, with Buckingham offering  up his frenzied guitar solo version of “Big Love” and an ominous “Never Going Back Again,” which he seemed to be directing toward former flame Nicks. While the Buckingham-Nicks split back in the 1970s offered fuel for the Rumours album, they have been milking their still combative relationship for more than 30 years now. It does make for great stage drama, especially when Nicks turns and stares him down for “Silver Springs” (“You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you…”) and Buckingham yowls through “Go Your On Way” (“Packing up, shacking up is all you wanna do…”).

Review: Fleetwood Mac Live in Atlanta Dec 17, 2014 "Twizzler-thin Buckingham was a riveting presence"

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Concert review: A fresh, fun Fleetwood Mac dazzles Atlanta
by Melissa Ruggieri
AJC.com

Fleetwood Mac has never been considered a “fun” band.

Between the tempestuous relationships among its members and the differing opinions about musical direction over the decades, the collective of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham was never the cheeriest bunch.

But wow, did that drama make for some amazing music.

The band returned to the road in October after taking some off late last year for John McVie to combat cancer, and this time they had a secret weapon that has elevated Fleetwood Mac to a new level of vitality – Christine McVie.

Back with the gang after a 16-year gap, McVie, an unbelievable-looking 71, injected a palpable energy into the band, both by allowing them to further open their songbook and by providing Nicks with her perfect female vocal foil.

When was the last time you heard Nicks girlishly squeal, as she did when welcoming McVie with an enthusiastic, “She’s baaaaaack!”? For that matter, when was the last time Mac fans heard “You Make Loving Fun” and “Everywhere” played live (OK, it was 1997’s “The Dance” tour, but you get the point)?

From the moment Mick Fleetwood ushered in the band’s standard opener “The Chain” with his heartbeat bass drum, to more than 2 ½-hours later when McVie closed the show with her tingly “Songbird,” the show felt fresh and alive and yes…fun.

The sold-out crowd at Philips Arena Wednesday night erupted into cheers for McVie before the complete opening phrase of “You Make Loving Fun” –  “Sweet wonderful you” – exited her mouth, setting the appreciative tone of the night.