REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Milwaukee October 28, 2018

Fleetwood Mac blends old with new at Fiserv Forum show
Lauren Keene
Milwaukee Record

Photo by Gary Dineen

Despite various marriages, divorces, breakups, and makeups, the members of Fleetwood Mac have continually performed alongside one another for nearly half a century. Aside from a repertoire of legendary tunes, the band is perhaps most famous for its longevity. That longevity was briefly interrupted on April 9, 2018 when a RollingStone.com headline made waves across various the internet. “Fleetwood Mac Fires Lindsey Buckingham,” declared an article on the music mag’s website. Commenters on Facebook joked about how Buckingham’s departure would have been big news in 1979, not in 2018.

While those snarky commenters weren’t completely wrong, Buckingham’s unexpected termination still managed to shock fans. The prolific band—who managed to stay together for countless decades—was, at long last, losing a crucial piece of its never-ending puzzle. Would the group continue to prosper without Buckingham’s signature howl and refined guitar work? Only time would tell.

Not long after Buckingham’s dismissal, the band announced yet another tour. “An Evening With Fleetwood Mac” began this month, making its 12th stop in Milwaukee Sunday night at the freshly minted Fiserv Forum. Buckingham was replaced with not one, but two seasoned performers who were each given the task of trying to fill the big shoes that Buckingham left behind. Neil Finn (of Crowded House) took over Buckingham’s vocal duties, while Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) wielded a lead guitar.

The brand-new lineup started off the set with “The Chain,” a haunting track off of Rumours, perfect for Hallo-weekend. Right off the bat, audiences were given a little taste of both Finn and Campbell’s newfound contributions to the group. Finn admittedly seemed a little uneasy during the early parts of the set, but who wouldn’t be? Buckingham managed to set an extremely high standard, both for himself and for Fleetwood Mac; it speaks volumes that two musicians were hired to replace him.

Of course, Buckingham is a very important member of Fleetwood Mac…but frankly, he’s not exactly who people come to see. The ethereal goddess (and rumored witch) Stevie Nicks has long been the group’s showstopper, and that is definitely one aspect of the band that has remained unchanged. Her haunting voice sounds almost identical to the band’s early recordings; strong, slightly raspy and powerful as ever. It’s unlikely Nicks has ever succumbed to the temptation of auto-tuning her music. She sure as hell doesn’t need to.

Fleetwood Mac’s other leading lady, Christine McVie, has consistently remained one of the band’s most understated members. She immediately claimed her throne during “Little Lies,” a track on which the British chanteuse sings lead. During “Everywhere,” McVie stepped away from her keyboard and commanded center stage as Nicks stepped to the side. McVie left Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and only recently returned in 2014. Last night, it was clear the rest of the group was thankful to have the opportunity to perform alongside McVie once again.

One of the show’s few low points was an extremely gratuitous drum solo from Mick Fleetwood after a raucous rendition of “World Turning.” Yes, Fleetwood deserves his moment in the sun, and he is an extremely talented drummer. Regardless, his solo went on for far too long and was very obviously a self-indulgent addition to the otherwise engaging set. He yelled random hype words into a microphone as he drummed vigorously, eventually moving from the back of the stage to the front with a bongo drum slung around his shoulders.

After finishing up his act, Fleetwood took a moment to introduce the group to the massive audience. Aside from the main members of Mac, the lineup consisted of two backup singers, one backup percussionist, one backup guitarist, and one backup keyboardist. A grand total of 11 musicians made the Fiserv Forum stage their home for the night, taking the group’s arena-rock sound to the next level. “We are excited to have them join this crazy band called Fleetwood Mac,” Fleetwood said with a laugh.

Naturally, the most enchanting performances of the evening were those with Nicks on lead vocals. “Gypsy” and “Rhiannon,” two of the group’s most beloved tracks, were each highlights of the two-hour set. Another highlight was Nicks’ and Finn’s teamwork on a stripped-down, acoustic version of “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” It’s seriously unlikely that anyone listening to Crowded House in the mid-’80s would have ever guessed Finn would one day be a Fleetwood Mac stand in, but hey, stranger things have happened.

After performing a generous 19-song set, Fleetwood Mac finally stepped away from the stage. The band began its encore with a heartfelt performance of Tom Petty’s signature “Free Fallin’.” The crowd went berserk immediately after hearing the iconic intro. The sweet tribute was accompanied by a slideshow of Petty, who apparently took hundreds of photos with Stevie Nicks over the course of his career. Considering Nicks’ and Petty’s impressive track record, it may have been even more impressive to hear “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” or another collaboration between the two artists. But when Nicks howled, “I wanna write his name in the sky,” there was not a dry eye in the, uh, forum.

“Don’t Stop,” another legendary ditty off Rumors, was very appropriately saved for the encore. “Yesterday’s gone…oh, don’t you look back,” the band harmonized with a twinge of bittersweetness. Buckingham’s name was not uttered once throughout the entire set, but perhaps it didn’t need to be. Considering most of Fleetwood Mac’s members are in their 70s, it’s hard to imagine a next “era” for the legendary group. But if their 2018 track record is indicative of anything, it’s unlikely they’ll be retiring any time soon.

And thank God for that.

VIDEOS BELOW

PHOTOS Lindsey Buckingham Live in Clearwater, FL October 26, 2018

Photos of Lindsey Buckingham playing Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall

Fans might not be able to see Lindsey Buckingham on Fleetwood Mac's upcoming tour (which hits Tampa's Amalie Arena in February), but they did get a chance to see the revered rock and roll guitarist and songwriter play a solo set at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. Caesar was there and has these photos to share.

Photos by Caesar Carbajal Click through to Creative Loafing for more.

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Cleveland October 26, 2018

Reinvigorated and reinvented Fleetwood Mac steps into The Q and takes the crowd by a ‘Landslide’

By Chuck Yarborough, The Plain Dealer
Cleveland.com

Click through for the photo gallery

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and John McVie have been playing Fleetwood Mac music now for nigh on 40 years – 50 for drummer Fleetwood and bassist Johnny Mac.

Why, that’s long enough that phrases like “nigh on 40 years’’ was a new way to say “a long time.”

So, with all that and a string of hits that pretty much ended with “Tusk’’ in 1979 (although there would be subsequent studio albums of new music), it’s understandable that the band, while still a good concert draw, has watched its energy level decline over the years.

But it was back Friday night, when the band played to a sold-out Quicken Loans Arena, and really, there’s only one reason why: Lindsey Buckingham got fired.

Now, let’s be up front: Fleetwood Mac is a lesser band without Buckingham, the author of some of its greatest hits and a showman equal to Fleetwood, the wild-eyed inspiration for the Muppets drummer Animal. And Buckingham’s skills vocally and musically are such that it took two men to replace him, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell and Split Enz and Crowded House’s Neil Finn.

But there’s a big but there:

The addition of the two newbies – primarily Campbell’s slick and tasty lead guitar and Finn’s pure baritone vocals – seemed to have relit the fire that put Fleetwood Mac in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Nicks in particular had a fire in voice, belting out songs like “Dreams” and a particularly smoky version of “Black Magic Woman’’ that never would have made it into a Mac setlist with Buckingham in the fold. Not because he can’t play it, but because his own catalog is so vast, it would’ve made no sense to go outside.

It’s true that Nicks spends even less time than she ever did exploring the higher registers, and that Christine McVie was at times a bit pitchier than I’m used to for Fleetwood Mac’s designated “songbird” and her signature lilt. But the renewed energy really was something to behold.

Nicks, at 70, is the youngest of the four remaining official members of the band. Fleetwood is 71, John McVie is 72 and Christine McVie is 75. Let’s give a little credit where it’s due, shall we? It’s just not realistic to expect the power of 20-year-old voices from these folks.

And yet the increased energy level – and the addition of that whippersnapper Finn, who’s a baby of 60 – gave renewed strength to songs like “The Chain,” “Second Hand News” (which ironically begins with the lyrics “I know there’s nothing to say / Someone has taken my place”), “Everywhere,” “Gypsy,’’ “World Turning” and “Monday Morning.’’

For more than two hours, Fleetwood Mac kept almost every person in The Q on their feet, running through “Say You Love Me,” “Little Lies,” “Gypsy,” “Landslide,’’ “You Make Loving Fun,” Gold Dust Woman” and, of course, “Go Your Own Way.’’

Fleetwood himself has always been nothing short of manic – hence his pseudo namesake on the Muppets – but he was even wilder with a drum solo that turned into a joyous collaboration with world-class percussionist Taku Hirano, coming out of and back into “World Turning.”

“Rhiannon,’’ the staple that even people who’ve never heard of Fleetwood Mac know, was rescued from its golden oldie chestnut status and given new life with better harmonies – thanks largely to Finn, whose voice meshes with McVie and Nicks far better than I expected it to.

The result is that everyone is feeding off everyone else, which is the way it works when a band is on a roll. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few new tunes – or even an album – came out of this incarnation of Mac.

Ah, but that’s just how “Rumours” get started, right?

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Cleveland October 26, 2018

A Revitalized Fleetwood Mac Delivers an Engaging Performance at the Q
Concert Review By Matt Wardlaw
Clevescene.com

More Photos HERE
Photos by Scott Sandberg

While it might not have happened in the way some fans were hoping for, in the world of Fleetwood Mac, the way the celebration of their 50th anniversary has played out makes perfect sense for a band that across its history has had many a member shuffle in and out the door, while dealing with enough interpersonal conflict along the way to shatter five bands. In the end, when you look back at how the group has progressed through each modification, it’s been the music that has held it all together, locked in place by deep-rooted friendships and relationships. 

So when it was announced that longtime singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham would not be taking part in the celebratory trek, even as much of a shock as it was, it made sense that drummer Mick Fleetwood, a founding member of the group, wouldn’t allow the Mac ship to be steered in the wrong direction. For guitar work, it made good sense to grab Mike Campbell, a man who had recently been left without a band in the wake of the unexpected death of Tom Petty. The longtime Heartbreakers guitarist has ties to the Fleetwood Mac camp that starting with Stevie Nicks, go back for decades. It was easy to see that he’d bring the right vibe to the group. The band’s next choice, singer-songwriter Neil Finn, of Crowded House fame, was a bit more surprising on paper, but for longtime fans of Finn’s work, it was easy to see how he too, would fit well into the framework.

As they rolled through the opening moments of “The Chain” last night at the Q, it was quickly apparent just how well matched Finn and Campbell are for this band. Finn sang the classic lyrics, “And if you don’t love me now/You will never love me again,” with the same emphatic spirit that Buckingham had put into those words for so many years and Nicks trained that same intense gaze on Finn, once fueled by the prior history between her and Buckingham and perhaps now, still driven by the lingering memories. Watching the pair in that moment, you believed. 

Campbell stood stage left, off in his own musical universe a bit, casually playing the classic riffs in a way that was faithfully close to the originals, while adding his own sound into the mix, In the way that he did with the Heartbreakers, he could just stand there and slay you with his guitar work, without having to be the star. He’s a hell of a guitar player and would demonstrate that often throughout the night, but it’s the humble style in which he carries himself that makes him so endearing to the fans. In fact, during “Little Lies,” he walked over to the side of the stage to acknowledge a group of fans, tipping his hat to them and then flicked a guitar pick into the masses. It was a quick but important added personal touch that demonstrates that he recognizes the connection between the music that has given him a career and how that ties back directly to the fans who have supported him through all of the decades. 

So close to Halloween, it perhaps made perfect sense that there was also some Fleetwood Mac cosplay happening, with a good number of fans dressed as Nicks that could be spotted in the concourses and inside the arena. But this is hardly a new thing and the Cult of Stevie needs no excuse to dress up and honor their favorite witch — we’ve seen the same dedicated outfits at other Mac shows previously and in one case at a solo Nicks show in Youngstown on St. Patrick’s Day a few years ago, they worked in a bit of Irish flair. Nicks would not disappoint, extending her arms wide during “Rhiannon,” while later dissolving (thanks to some clever lighting) into a cloud of gold dust at the end of “Gold Dust Woman.” She had visible joy, harmonizing with Finn on a Mac rendition of the Split Enz favorite “I Got You,” playfully wagging her finger at Finn, while later pretending to push him back with her hand. Finn told the story of writing the song “in a small flat in Sydney,” not aware that Nicks was “learning the harmony on the other side of the world as she watched it on MTV.” 

REVIEW Lindsey Buckingham Live in Washington, DC October 19, 2018

Lindsey Buckingham at National Theatre
“We love you, Lindsey!”

“Fleetwood who!?

“I’ll have all your babies!”

Check out the photo gallery at OnTapOnline

Although Lindsey Buckingham’s show at the Warner Theatre on October 19 wasn’t quite sold out, those in attendance showered love and support for Fleetwood Mac’s former singer, songwriter and lead guitarist extraordinaire. Performing songs from a catalog going back 35 years, both from solo work as well as his days with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham turned in a stellar and moving performance.

The concert opened quickly with “Don’t Look Down,” “Go Insane” and “Surrender in the Rain.” But soon enough, Buckingham addressed the matter on everybody’s mind: his recent, and untimely, ousting from Fleetwood Mac, saying slyly “one of the reasons” for this tour was because Warner Brothers had asked him to put together a compilation of his solo work.

“Although I’ve never been one to look back, this was an opportunity to examine a body of work that’s stood up pretty well, and perform some songs we’ve never done live.”

Most fans are now well aware of the controversial and acrimonious aspects of Buckingham’s departure from his former band, but he was in a generous and contemplative mood, saying the situation should be viewed with compassion.

For the man who wrote, arguably, the angriest break-up song ever, “Go Your Own Way,” I found Buckingham’s philosophical attitude revealing, and something to aspire to. Addressing the break-up early on may also have been Buckingham’s way of getting the “unpleasantness,” out of the way so we could concentrate on the music.

After years of performing, Buckingham is an expert at pacing a concert. The first third of the 22-song set was generally fast-paced, up-tempo material culminating with the mega-hit, “Trouble,” from his 1981 debut solo album Law and Order.

The concert’s middle section began with a few solo acoustic numbers before seguing back to lesser known, quirkier pop tunes, including the evening’s first Fleetwood Mac songs.

The slower music demonstrated the breadth and width of Buckingham’s songwriting abilities. Contrasting light melody “Slow Dancing,” with the stunning, deep and dark “Street of Dreams,” the artist’s songwriting mastery was obvious.

“Tusk,” signaled the final third of the performance, its heavy percussion urging the audience to its feet. The Fleetwood Mac slow-burner “I’m So Afraid,” climaxed in a jaw-dropping Buckingham guitar solo. He has a truly unique guitar playing style that uses a combination of finger picking and strumming to perform his solos, a technique that affords incredible range, versatility and intensity.

The finale, “Go Your Own Way,” with its incredible guitar solo, was the one song many of us, including me, was there to hear, and it was awesome.

The three-song encore began with “Turn it On,” followed by a stunning “Down on Rodeo.” The surprise, spontaneous final encore, a sublime “Rockaway Blind,” was performed solo acoustic for a “few friends” in the crowd. After profusely thanking the audience, as he’d done repeatedly throughout the night, Buckingham was finished, and the adoring audience went home, deliriously happy. Photos/write-up: Mark Caicedo - OnTapOnline

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in St. Paul, MN October 22, 2018

Fleetwood Mac soldiers through St. Paul concert without guitarist Lindsey Buckingham

The Hall of Famers were revitalized by two new replacements. 

By Jon Bream Star Tribune

The elephant wasn’t in the room but you sensed his presence all night long anyway.

No, guitarist/singer/producer Lindsey Buckingham got kicked out of Fleetwood Mac this year, but it was obvious who was getting under Stevie Nicks’ skin when she came out of her trippy, enigmatic dance during “Gold Dust Woman” Monday night at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

She approached the microphone again, tugged tightly at her spangly gold shawl and started purging in song from deep inside her psyche: “You can’t save me now. You did this to me. You can’t fix me. You can’t fake me out. You can’t save me. You can’t blame me. You can’t change me. You can’t do it.”

Talk about shattering your illusions of Fleetwood Mac.

Fleetwood Mac without Lindsey Buckingham is sort of like the Twins without Joe Mauer. He’s been there forever, right? The band, like the baseball team and Mauer, existed before Buckingham joined in 1975 and still carries on without him.

In their 10th show since booting Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac took a while to find its footing. Oddly enough, it was a cover that sparked Nicks and the rest of the band. Neil Finn, who along with Mike Campbell has replaced Buckingham, was reprising his hit from Split Enz, “I Got You,” and Nicks was relishing vocalizing as if she was in her Los Angeles mansion singing along to MTV in 1982.

Then it was time for “Rhiannon,” perhaps the Steviest of Nicks songs, and she became Stevie Nicks, all bewitching mystery, dangling scarves, shiny beads and mesmerizing vocals. Her voice was clear, she seemed focused and, for a rarity in Fleetwood Mac, relaxed. Refreshed, too.

Nicks and the band — the veterans range in age from 70 to 75 — seemed revitalized by the addition of Finn and Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, who represent guitarists No. 11 and 12 in Fleetwood Mac’s long history. (No, the unofficial record for replacements in one band is held by Spinal Tap’s drum seat. Google it.)

The new players helped to open up the Big Mac catalog, which, of course, dates back to the band’s beginning in 1967 in England. That gave Campbell, 68, an underappreciated guitarist in his Petty days, an opportunity to exercise his blues vocabulary, painting “Black Magic Woman” with a heavier brush than Carlos Santana used on his famous cover version and turning “Oh Well” into something swell if you welcome a Led Zeppelin feel.

The crowd of nearly 14,000 was thrilled to hear Campbell’s signature work on Petty’s “Free Fallin,” which featured the liberating lead vocals of Nicks, the world’s biggest Petty fan. New Zealand’s Finn, 60, who has a Paul McCartney vibe about him, did a lovely understated reading of “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” the 1986 hit by his other band, Crowded House. With his assertive tenor, he was a good surrogate for Buckingham’s vocals on such Mac favorites as “Second Hand News” and “Go Your Own Way.”

His acoustic guitar was all the reassurance Nicks needed to turn “Landslide” — her reflections about the fear of moving on from a relationship because, as she sings, she’d built her life around him — into one of the highlights of the 140-minute concert. As she has often done in the Twin Cities, she dedicated the song to her “one and only husband,” Kim Anderson, who was in attendance with his girlfriend of 30 years. “Minneapolis, St. Paul — quite a place in my heart forever,” she proclaimed as the fans cheered loud and long.

Always a crowd favorite, this tune seemed to have new resonance on this night. It was so obvious that she’s moved on from the elephant in the room.

Full show

Fleetwood Mac Announce 3 New Dates - London, Dublin and Berlin

Fleetwood Mac Announce 3 New Dates:

Legendary, GRAMMY-award winning band Fleetwood Mac announce a European tour, set to kick off in June with three exclusive performances currently announced in London, Dublin and Berlin. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will feature the newly announced line-up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie along with newcomers Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.

Tickets for the tour will go on-sale to the general public starting on Friday, October 26th at 9am local time. A complete Fleetwood Mac itinerary listing all tour dates follows this release. For further information, please visit www.fleetwoodmac.com.

A limited number of LaneOne VIP Packages will also be available, including amazing seats with premium benefits such as transportation, preferred entrance and more. LaneOne premium VIP packages are available here: LaneOne

Lindsey Buckingham Performs Rockaway Blind by Request in Washington, DC

Lindsey Buckingham Live in Washington, DC
October 19, 2018

Rockaway Blind... First time performed on this tour... By special request :)  So cool!!

REVIEW and VIDEO Fleetwood Mac Live in St. Louis October 20, 2018

Fleetwood Mac is back, delivering Buckingham-free show at Enterprise Center
By Kevin C. Johnson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Photo Tim Vizer - View more HERE

Once the members of Fleetwood Mac realized it would take two players to replace one Lindsey Buckingham, did they question whether moving forward made any sense?

That question was ultimately answered when the classic band played the Enterprise Center on Saturday night in front of 13,400 fans, many likely wondering how Fleetwood Mac would pull off a Buckingham-free tour with Neil Finn and Mike Campbell as newcomers to the fold.

As we all know, Buckingham was a key singer, songwriter and guitarist with the band as far back as the ’70s, but parted ways early this year over touring conflicts (reportedly everyone was ready to go out on the current tour except for Buckingham, so they went without him).

It has been messy ever since, resulting in Buckingham filing a lawsuit against the band over $12 million in lost touring wages.

Touring without Buckingham is a punch to the gut not only to Buckingham but to fans who want their Fleetwood Mac intact.

“The Mac is definitely back,” drummer Mick Fleetwood said at one point. And it’s true though different from before.

During band introductions, Mick Fleetwood said Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and Finn (Crowded House, Split Enz) had their own stories to tell before joining “this crazy band,” and gave them time to show who they are, within the context of Fleetwood Mac and on their own.

Opening with “The Chain,” the combination of Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie, Campbell and Finn felt tentative initially. It was hard to tell how this would all play out. “Little Lies” and “Dreams” were safe second and third song choices with Christine McVie and Nicks on lead, respectively.

The first real test came with the Buckingham-penned “Second Hand News,” on which Finn assumed lead and to his credit pretty much nailed it. And with that was the realization the new Fleetwood Mac isn’t a bad thing, but rather a different thing. And maybe a shake-up is necessary at times to bring new elements into an old thing.

It was smooth sailing from there, as the band performed expected staples such as “Say You Love Me,” “Go Your Own Way,” “Everywhere,” “Rhiannon,” “Gold Dust Woman,” giving Nicks and Christine McVie their required moments to shine. But there were also a few surprises, and songs unique to Finn and Campbell.

Among the moments that could have happened only with this version of Fleetwood Mac were Campbell augmenting a version of “Gypsy,” Finn on a cover of Split Enz “I Got You” (perhaps not so much a big deal) and more memorably, the cover of Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” showcasing Finn, and Nicks and Finn on “Landslide.”

Finn blended with Christine McVie on “Tell Me All the Things You Do” and with Nicks and Christine McVie on “World Turning.” The latter included an enthusiastic super extended drum solo from Mick Fleetwood as the other players left the stage, with plenty of screaming call-and-response between him and the crowd.

One nice inclusion was Nicks singing lead on “Black Magic Woman,” which was a Fleetwood Mac song before it was a Santana song. If in name only, outside of “Gypsy,” is there a song with a title better suited to her? The song culminated with Christine McVie and Campbell jamming on piano and guitar with her, respectively.

The concert fell on the occasion of what would have been Petty’s 68th birthday, marked here by “Free Fallin” with Nicks on lead, which opened the encore (Fleetwood Mac has actually been playing the song all month on tour). Petty’s wasn’t the only birthday celebrated.There was also a quick nod to Chuck Berry, who would have been 92 on Oct. 18, with Campbell offering a few quick licks of “Johnny B. Goode” before going into “Oh Well.”

Mick Fleetwood addressed the crowd at the end of the show, a St. Louis backdrop behind him, and thanked fans for support and encouraged them to be kind to each other.

Videos at the link below

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Kansas City, MO October 18, 2018

Divorce is no stranger to Fleetwood Mac. The band, founded more than 50 years ago as a British blues ensemble, has survived an inordinate amount of personnel changes and internal turmoil yet remains an unfailing success as an arena band and the object of affection among fans from among at least three generations.

Thursday night, the latest version of Fleetwood Mac visited the Sprint Center.  A crowd in excess of 13,000 attended, knowing from the moment they purchased tickets that one of the band’s most beloved and elemental members had been fired: chief mastermind, Lindsey Buckingham.

Photos by Sprint Center

Back in April, the band announced they’d parted ways with the guitarist/songwriter. Lawyers have since gotten involved and lawsuits have been filed—just more nastiness within a band renowned for estrangements, departures, and internal acrimony.

Nonetheless, the tour, as usual, went on. The band hired two absolute ringers to fill Buckingham’s large shoes: Mike Campbell, lead guitar slinger for the late Tom Petty’s band, the Heartbreakers; and Neil Finn, ace singer-songwriter and guitarist from New Zealand best known for his time in the bands Crowded House and Split Enz.

Despite those top-shelf additions, there was much consternation over how this version of Fleetwood Mac would survive Buckingham’s second departure (he went on “hiatus” from 1987-97).

The answer: just fine, though something definitely was missing.

This six-piece version of Fleetwood Mac (Finn, Campbell, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and founders John McVie and Mick Fleetwood) was fortified with plenty of backup help: two backup vocalists, a percussionist (perched amid a large drum kit aside Fleetwood), plus a keyboardist and third guitarist, both of whom also delivered vocal harmonies, adding luster and heft to nearly every song.

Buckingham’s absence would not affect the set list much, a point made evident from the very first song, The Chain, a classic from the blockbuster Rumors album that is usually commandeered vocally by Buckingham. Not this time, though, and his absence seemed to matter little to the big, rowdy crowd, which sang along with gusto.

From there, they bounced about from one hit to another: Little Lies, a porcelain pop hit from Christine McVie, to Dreams, a career-defining Nicks song, to Second Hand News, a Buckingham number that Finn handled vocally and which includes the line, “Someone has taken my place.” Zing No 1.

Then Christine McVie delivered an on-point version of Say You Love Me, a timeless and perfect pop hit from the Fleetwood Mac album, now 43 years old. It’s worth noting that there were plenty of fans in attendance who were half the age of that album, even younger. This band keeps growing fans.

One of the points of this tour, evidently, is to honor the Fleetwood Mac heritage and brand by visiting albums and songs that pre-date the Buckingham-Nicks days. So Nicks led the band through a rendition of Black Magic Woman, a song made famous by the band Santana but written and first recorded by Fleetwood Mac alum Peter Green in 1968.

Campbell had no trouble re-creating Carlos Santana’s leads on guitar, and Nicks’ vocals were fine, but this exercise seemed unnecessary: a group with so many hits in its warehouse turning into a cover band playing a classic-rock radio staple.

The rendition of the Danny Kerwin song Tell Me All The Things You Do, a lively but inconsequential rock-blues number, was equally as unsatisfying. Furthermore, they played nothing off the brilliant Tusk album—Buckingham’s crown achievement–which was a significant disappointment.

They gave Finn a couple of big moments in the spotlight that paid off. First, he and Nicks performed the Split Enz new wave classic I Got You. Later, after a gracious introduction from Fleetwood, he serenaded the crowd, with some help from Nicks, with Don’t Dream It’s Over, a Crowded House number that, somewhat surprisingly, prompted a healthy sing-along.

Things got too jammy a few times. Fleetwood’s drum solo during World Turning, as it has for decades, went on too long. And Campbell passed the vocal test during Oh Well, another Peter Green classic, but the prolonged, bluesy instrumental revived memories of jam-band incidents at the Wakarusa Festival

Nicks, still a rock-star heroine, delivered a few of the evening’s biggest and most memorable moments: Rhiannon, Gypsy and Landside, which never fails to turn a bustling arena crowd into a campfire sing-along choir.

They brought the first set to a rip-roaring close with four blockbusters: Monday Morning, which Finn handled with ease, as if he’d written it himself; You Make Loving Fun, another Christine McVie pop tart; Gold Dust Woman, which was appended by an instrumental jam that went on too long; and then, depending on your perspective, a moment of blasphemy or bliss: Finn and Nicks barnstorming through Go Your Own Way, the definitive Buckingham-Nicks breakup song.

As emotional as that was, that was just a warm-up for what ensued. For the first encore, Nicks, stepped up and sang one of Petty’s biggest hits, Free Fallin’. As the crowd roared back the chorus, the video screen behind the band broadcast portraits of Petty with Campbell, other Heartbreakers and Nicks. So bittersweet.

They followed that with another Rumors blockbuster, Don’t Stop, which could easily be interpreted as a missive to Buckingham’s absence: Yesterday’s gone; don’t you look back.

There was no misinterpreting the closer, however: a lesser-known Christine McVie song from the Time album that she performed with Nicks called All Over Again. It’s an elegy for a fractured romance, a declaration that all was over, but there were no regrets: “I have to let you go” but “in spite of the heartaches … I’d do it all over again.”

It ended the evening perfectly. For amid all the prevailing joy and warm reconnections to longtime favorite songs, there was also in the air a wistful sense that something profound was missing, but life was moving on.

SETLIST
The Chain; Little Lies; Dreams; Second Hand News; Say You Love Me; Black Magic Woman; Everywhere; I Got You; Rhiannon; Tell Me All The Things You Do; World Turning; Gypsy; Oh Well; Don’t Dream It’s Over; Landslide; Isn’t It Midnight; Monday Morning; You Make Loving Fun; Gold Dust Woman; Go Your Own Way. Encore: Free Fallin’; Don’t Stop; All Over Again.

Side note: Gypy was added to the set, Hypnotized and Storms still out.

by TIMOTHY FINN
InKansasCity.com

Videos at the link below

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Indianapolis, IN October 16, 2018

Review: Fleetwood Mac at Bankers Life
Iconic band impresses with Buckingham-less lineup
by Seth Johnson
Music Editor Nuvo.net

Photo Gallery
by Haley Ward

Few bands have a history as interesting as Fleetwood Mac.

The band’s current tour marks yet another chapter of intrigue, as Lindsey Buckingham is no longer in the lineup. In his absence, Fleetwood Mac is digging back into their 50-year-old catalog with the help of Mike Campbell on guitar and Neil Finn on rhythm guitar/vocals. Together, the star-studded pairing did a more than adequate job of filling in for Buckingham at their show in Indy, while also adding a bit of their own flavor to the band’s age-old classics.

Fleetwood Mac stopped by Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the seventh show of their current Buckingham-less tour on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The band kicked things off with a bang, opening the set with the 1977 Rumours standby “The Chain.” This was followed by their ‘80s-tastic single “Little Lies” and the eternal Rumours hit “Dreams.”

Throughout the set, Fleetwood Mac intermingled some older Peter Green-era material into the mix. This was capped off with “Black Magic Woman,” with Stevie Nicks mentioning how Fleetwood Mac was the real band responsible for the rock ’n’ roll staple. Another Peter Green-inspired highlight included a raucous rendition of 1969’s “Oh Well,” with Campbell excitedly leading the way on vocals and guitar for the song. This decision from the band made perfect sense, being that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were also known for covering the Fleetwood Mac throwback from time to time.

Over the course of the evening, Fleetwood Mac made sure to honor the past work of both of Campbell and Finn. In Finn’s case, this included covers of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House and “I Got You” by Split Enz. As for Campbell, Nicks led the band in a tear-jerking cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Free Fallin’,” as images of Petty showed on the big screen.

To close out the evening, McVie and Nicks sang the 1995 Fleetwood Mac song “All Over Again” in unison. After the whole band had taken its final bow, drummer Mick Fleetwood stuck around to thank fans one final time. Before sending them off into the streets of Downtown Indy, the always-exuberant Fleetwood urged the remains crowd to be kind to one another in the “increasingly strange world we seem to be living in.”

The message was delightful to hear and one that would have certainly made Tom Petty himself proud.

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Indianapolis, IN October 16, 2018

5 ways Fleetwood Mac gave Indianapolis a career overview plus a bit of Tom Petty closure
David Lindquist,
Indianapolis Star

Photo Gallery
by Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Fleetwood Mac was a blues-rock act of some renown before Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the band in 1974.

Featuring vocalist-guitarist Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac crafted "Black Magic Woman" (later a signature hit for Santana) and "Oh Well" (a scorched-earth jam Tom Petty frequently covered).

The band played "Black Magic Woman," "Oh Well" and a wealth of hits from the Buckingham-Nicks era Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, giving a packed house the long view of Fleetwood Mac's 51-year career.

Green left the lineup in 1970 and vocalist-guitarist Buckingham was disinvited to participate in Fleetwood Mac activities six months before the current tour launched two weeks ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Buckingham absence is awkward at best (he sued the band for $12 million), but the rock 'n' roll professionals of Fleetwood Mac aren't limping toward the finish line — or bank — without him. The group reloaded with vocalist Neil Finn (of Crowded House) and guitarist Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers).

If listeners are willing to buy into the idea of the Fleetwood Mac brand being bigger than any one member, the new-look lineup is a formidable crew that masters the spectrum from Christine McVie's delicate pop to the darkened-corner raunch Green left behind.

(History shows Fleetwood Mac has soldiered on after Buckingham, Nicks and Christine McVie dropped out at various times. Campbell told Tuesday's audience Fleetwood Mac would cease to exist, however, without drummer Mick Fleetwood).

Check out five ways Fleetwood Mac framed its performance as a career overview and also gave Indianapolis a measure of closure following Petty's 2017 death:

1. This feels familiar

The band signaled its "all for one" approach during opening number "The Chain," when a large video screen was divided into six equal parts showing Nicks, Fleetwood, Finn, Campbell, Christine McVie and bass player John McVie. The song's middle section featured a spotlight on Fleetwood and John McVie, a bit of "fan service" in the tradition of modern "Star Wars" films that give viewers familiar and comforting scenes. The band is named for Fleetwood and McVie, who have played music together since a stint in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967.

Finn's voice rang true as a substitute for Buckingham's on "The Chain," while Campbell's first guitar solo of the night was relatively subdued. "The Chain" stands as an archetype of Buckingham's dual-threat abilities.

Later, Christine McVie's vocals on "You Make Loving Fun" represented a '70s FM radio flashback with Campbell sailing a melodic single-line solo high above the fray. And countless smartphones sprang into action to document "Rhiannon" — a Nicks highlight accented by Fleetwood's earthy percussion at the song's conclusion.

2. Last dance with TP

It’s difficult to overstate the presence of Tom Petty in Tuesday’s show. Indianapolis music fans, who somehow never completely warmed to Bruce Springsteen and have grown fickle even toward Hoosier Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp, absolutely loved Petty.

“We have an Indiana crowd on an Indiana night,” Campbell said Tuesday to thunderous cheers. He took vocal duties on “Oh Well,” and Nicks — who collaborated with Petty on the songs “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around,” “Insider,” "I Will Run to You" and a cover of Jackie DeShannon's “Needles and Pins” — sang a rendition of “Free Fallin’ ” to begin the show’s encore.

Although it would be easy to pick a more imaginative and/or rewarding song for this tribute, the series of photos featuring Petty, Nicks and Campbell on the video screen added up to an emotional wallop.

3. ‘Songbird’ Christine

Introduced by Fleetwood as the band's "songbird," Christine McVie aced a rendition of "Everywhere." The 1987 song is an example of her breezy, bittersweet sensibility that thrived without conforming to pop trends. She paid tribute to late Fleetwood Mac member Danny Kirwan with his "Tell Me All the Things You Do," a 1970 tie-dye jam that found Campbell dueling with Christine's keyboard to great roadhouse effect.

4. ‘Eternal romantic’ Nicks

Introduced by Fleetwood as the band's "eternal romantic," Nicks brought down the house with "Gold Dust Woman." With a giant voice casting its spell, this was Nicks mythology in the flesh. "Black Magic Woman," meanwhile, may be the great missed opportunity across decades of Fleetwood Mac performances. Admitting she previously assumed Carlos Santana wrote the song, Nicks then inhabited "Black Magic Woman" with the gusto she brings to witchy roles in TV shows created by Indianapolis native Ryan Murphy.

5. The ‘new guys’

Here's where we tackle the "How do they sound without Buckingham?" question. On guitar, Campbell vs. Buckingham is a matter of personal preference. Campbell gravitates to a muscular, more conventional rock style when compared to Buckingham's acoustic-meets-electric tone. Either way, Campbell's performance on "Go Your Own Way" in Indianapolis was one for the ages. Finn's vocals may be a bigger challenge for Buckingham loyalists to accept. He can't summon years of love/hate chemistry with Nicks because it didn't happen. To his credit, Finn attacked "Second Hand News" with rapid skiffle pacing, and his Down Under roots elevated "World Turning" into an Outback hootenanny.

Videos at the link below

Side Note: Hypnotized and Storms were dropped from the set with no replacement.

REVIEW / PHOTOS Lindsey Buckingham Live in Chicago Oct 17, 2018

Lindsey Buckingham
Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago
Wednesday, October 17, 2018

View the Photo Gallery

The first time Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac, it was on his own accord, though by all indications including a very public lawsuit, the latest round was a result of being asked to leave. But one band’s loss is another man’s gain, at least as far as the singer/songwriter/guitar slinger’s Solo Anthology Tour through the intimate Athenaeum Theatre was concerned when the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was able to expand well beyond the commercially-minded limitations of the arena-filling juggernaut into decidedly experimental, eccentric and personal territory.

Even so, Buckingham never lost his knack for an infectious hook, launching the almost two-hour concert with the jangly, jittery “Don’t Look Down” and barely taking a breather before diving unflinchingly into the unshakable eeriness of “Go Insane.” For the entire front half of the full band offering, the 69-year-old who remains at the top of his game stuck entirely to solo contexts (“Not Too Late,” “Trouble,” “Street Of Dreams”), but after unplugging all by himself with the fittingly-named “Shut Us Down,” he cast fresh light on FM’s “Never Going Back Again” and completely deconstructed “Big Love” (much like the version from The Dance).

His four kick butt backers returned for “In Our Own Time,” “Slow Dancing” and “Soul Drifter,” then Buckingham took a rare but entirely welcome trip down the “Holiday Road” from National Lampoon’s Vacation. Granted, that cut may have been a bit of a soundtrack novelty compared to strictly following an artistic compass, but it was a front to back dog-barking blast and opened the door for a trio of other big Macs (who the headliner insists he still loves while reaching a point of acceptance that “everything happens for a reason”).

In other words, none of the “Second Hand News” that’s been floating around the gossip circles stopped him from tearing into the stomping “Tusk” with gritty abandon, keeping the raw emotion building with “I’m So Afraid” and unfurling an onslaught of guitar pyrotechnics during “Go Your Own Way.” The encore of less familiar but no less satisfying tunes such as “Turn It On” could be considered either an epilogue to this specific concert or a hint of what might be coming – which probably won’t reach the masses to the degree of a Fleetwood Mac undertaking, but may prove even more rewarding and fulfilling for a restless creative who seems ready for the challenge.

-Review and photos by Andy Argyrakis

REVIEW and PHOTOS Lindsey Buckingham Live in Chicago Oct 17, 2018

Lindsey Buckingham at Chicago’s Athenaeum Theatre
By William Fanelli
Eponymous Review

Photos by Laurie Fanelli
Photo Gallery

Fans flocked to the Athenaeum Theatre last night for a solo performance by legendary singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. The Oct. 17 show took place less than two weeks after his fellow (and now former) Fleetwood Mac bandmates took the stage at Chicago’s United Center but band differences (and a subsequent lawsuit) couldn’t hold Buckingham back and, in fact, there was a feeling of freedom in the air as the artist explored the boundaries of rock with an expansive, well-rounded setlist packed with inspired tunes, youthful energy and dazzling musicianship.

The setlist, which Buckingham called “cathartic to curate,” spanned the artist’s expansive catalogue, weaving together an eclectic yet cohesive concert experience for listeners. The bulk of the artist’s solo records were represented over the course of the evening, some of which amounted to the night’s most engaging moments. Lynchian lullaby “Street Of Dreams” creeped quietly through the venue while “Shut Us Down” packed a powerful punch with its driving vocals, impressive fingerpicking and a bit of interpretive handiwork from Buckingham.

Buckingham inarguably came to play last night. His guitar work was in top form, as were his vocals… utterly guttural one moment, vulnerably tender the next. High energy renditions of Fleetwood fan favorites like “Tusk” and “Go Your Own Way” — the latter which saw the singer enlist folks in the front row to help strum his guitar — had the crowd dancing and singing along, while softer tracks like the goosebump-inducing “Never Going Back Again” entranced the theater in waves of introspection.

The intense and noisy rendition of “I’m So Afraid,” one of the many highlights of the night, built slowly before peaking with a mind-blowing, deceptively-effortless solo by Buckingham while the playful National Lampoon’s Vacation theme “Holiday Road” offered a lighter juxtaposition to the night’s more serious material. Other notable moments included the ultra-primal performance of “Big Love,” which saw the frontman crafting more distinct sounds with a single strum of the guitar than thought humanly possible.

Last night’s midwest performance — part of a larger solo tour spanning the U.S. from now until late December — was in support of Buckingham’s newly-released Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham. The singer expressed his unbridled enthusiasm for the new album, noting the exciting opportunity it presented for him and his band to perform some of the songs that previously never really got a chance to shine in a live setting. “Surrender The Rain” and the title track from 1984’s Go Insane, both of which were a big hit with fans, come to mind.

Buckingham continues his U.S. Tour with a show tonight at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall in Homestead, PA. And while some of us are already mourning Fleetwood Mac as we knew it, “you have to accept,” said Buckingham. “Look at things in a positive light. I still love those people.”

Videos at the link below

PHOTOS Lindsey Buckingham Live at the Boulder Theater Oct. 15, 2018

Lindsey Buckingham Live at the Boulder Theater Oct. 15, 2018

Photos by Nancy Isaac (Nancy Isaac Photography)

Photo Gallery

REVIEW Lindsey Buckingham Live in San Diego Oct 13, 2018

Lindsey Buckingham Shines in Concert: Review
by Thomas K. Arnold
The Classic Bands

Lindsey Buckingham is making headlines with his lawsuit against Fleetwood Mac for firing him, and for launching his own solo tour at the same time as his former bandmates, who are out on the road with new members Neil Finn (of Crowded House) on guitar and vocals and Mike Campbell (from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on guitar.

But judging from his Oct. 13 show at San Diego’s historic Spreckels Theater, the man who, for more than 40 years, reimagined the venerable British blues band into a power-pop hit machine (with a little help from musical partner Stevie Nicks, of course) has emerged a compelling and commanding solo performer. Buckingham’s flair for innovation and delicious finger-picking guitar work are more than worthy of a turn in the spotlight.

Indeed, Buckingham needed neither the band nor Christine McVie, with whom he toured last year, to shine. Much like Brian Wilson, one of his idols, the essence of Lindsey Buckingham is easier to digest, and appreciate, when he’s out on stage on his own.

There, the artistry of his songwriting truly becomes apparent. The carefully crafted pop songs, the often unconventional structures and clever melodies—it’s a musical show-and-tell from an artist who throughout his career has been stretching the limits of conventional pop music, as he did on Fleetwood Mac’s famed Tusk, for which he was soundly criticized for straying from the “formula” perfected on predecessor Rumours, which went on to sell more than 40 million copies.

Touring for just two months in support of the newly issued compilation Solo Anthology – The Best of Lindsey Buckingham, Buckingham from the stage of the Spreckels performed more than 20 songs spanning his career, from his early days with Fleetwood Mac through half a dozen solo albums. It made for an eclectic, and electric, evening of musical expressionism. Buckingham and his first-rate band had the crowd on its feet as he sang Mac hits like “Go Your Own Way,” “Never Going Back Again” and “I’m So Afraid.”

His solo rendition of “Tusk” surprised in that it sounded remarkably like the record. So did all his versions of the Fleetwood Mac hits he played, and one was left with the feeling that his firing is more the band’s loss than anyone else’s.

But the evening’s true delight was the assortment of songs from his various solo efforts. Fondly remembered hits like 1981’s mischievous “Trouble,” the feel-good 1983 “Holiday Road,” written for the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies, and 1984’s vindictive “Go Insane” were clear crowd pleasers.

So was the 1984 near-hit “Slow Dancing,” which he’d reportedly never performed live before this tour.

Some of the newer, less familiar songs showed Buckingham’s musical progression over the years, a path oddly similar to Brian Wilson’s, who also pushed further and further against conventional boundaries in his body of post-Beach Boys work. “In Our Time,” from 2011’s  Seeds We Sow, is a remarkable song that defies categorization and truly showcases the brilliance and dexterity of Buckingham’s signature finger-picking. And “Treason,” the final song of Buckingham’s three-tune encore, from 2008’s Gift of Screws, is a haunting tale of betrayal and redemption that could easily have been directed at his former bandmates in Fleetwood Mac:

Deep down there’s freedom
Deep down there will be a reason
At the end of the season
We will rise from this treason

Videos at the link below

REVIEW Fleetwood Mac Live in Des Moines October 14, 2018

Behind new members, Fleetwood Mac haunts a snowy Des Moines with a night of hits

Photo: Reese Strickland (View Gallery)

by: Matthew Leimkuehler,
Des Moines Register

A thump on the kick drum lurches a restless audience to its feet. A light jingle on the wind chime sends hands flying in celebration.

An opening twang on the guitar and a sweltering, unified scream washes away thoughts of the outside world.

Harmonized vocals fill the room and the ride begins.

Behind new members, Fleetwood Mac haunts a snowy Des Moines with a night of hits
Matthew Leimkuehler, Des Moines Register

A thump on the kick drum lurches a restless audience to its feet. A light jingle on the wind chime sends hands flying in celebration.

An opening twang on the guitar and a sweltering, unified scream washes away thoughts of the outside world.

Harmonized vocals fill the room and the ride begins.

“Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise …”

It’s “The Chain,” the first of a 24-song set from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Fleetwood Mac, playing Des Moines for the first time since 2015. An estimated 10,000 journeyed through spitting October snow to see the famed outfit perform at Wells Fargo Arena, Iowa’s largest indoor stage.

REVIEWS Fleetwood Mac Live in Lincoln, NE October 12, 2018

Little different sound, same Fleetwood Mac

Live Daily Times

Yes, Fleetwood Mac sounds different with Mike Campbell on guitar and Neil Finn replacing Lindsey Buckingham as the primary male vocalist.

But, with its classic catalog and the core quartet of Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and the 50-year rhythm section of bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood intact, the Mac endures.

That was apparent almost from the instant Fleetwood hit his kick drum to kick off "The Chain," the first of the 24 songs in Fleetwood Mac's nearly 2 1/2-hour show Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Campbell's bluesy/jangly guitar - instantly identifiable from his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - gave familiar Mac classics such as "Say You Love Me" a fresh, appealing feel and texture.

And Finn, of Crowded House and Split Enz, is a fine, distinctive from Buckingham-voiced singer, both while harmonizing and taking the lead, which he did for the first time on "Second Hand News."

As promised by Fleetwood when I spoke with him last month, came the first of the songs that revisited early Fleetwood Mac - the Nicks-sung, Peter Green-penned, bluesy "Black Magic Woman" from 1968 that Santana later made a hit.

From 1969 came Green's "Oh Well," with Campbell rock 'n' rolling it up on guitar and his Florida-accented vocal.

The 1970s provided the rhythmic rocking "Tell Me All The Things You Do," written by Danny Kirwan, sung by McVie (who struggled a bit with pitch throughout the night), and 1973, the smoky, Bob Welch-written "Hypnotized," sung well by Finn.

REVIEW Why losing Lindsey Buckingham will haunt Fleetwood Mac for years

Why losing Lindsey Buckingham will haunt Fleetwood Mac for years
By JIM HARRINGTON
The Mercury News
Check Out The Photo Gallery... Photos by: Nhat V. Meyer

SAN FRANCISCO — Lindsey Buckingham is definitely still on top of his game — even though the game has changed for this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

Most notably, the man standing before us on Oct. 9 at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts Theatre is no longer a member of Fleetwood Mac. He was fired from that band in April for convoluted reasons that might, possibly, maybe have something to do with Buckingham not wanting to tour with Mac this year.

Perhaps.

Whatever the back story — which is apparently as complicated as pretty much everything else about Fleetwood Mac — the result is that Buckingham is now a full-time solo artist playing intimate theaters, instead of the big sports arenas.

And the change seems to suit him very well.

The Bay Area native’s sold-out show at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, which holds just under 1,000 people, served as a brilliant summary of all that Fleetwood Mac lost with Buckingham’s departure. He sounded great on vocals and even better on guitar, as he thoughtfully and skillfully moved through ballads, mid-tempo numbers and real rockers.

Sure, Fleetwood Mac has lined up some pretty amazing replacements — including Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fame, and Neil Finn of Crowded House — for its upcoming tour, which touches down Nov. 21 at San Jose’s SAP Center, Nov. 23 at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center and Nov. 24 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena. (See www.ticketmaster.com for more information on those shows.)

But there’s no real replacing Buckingham, not when it comes to Fleetwood Mac. There’s just something about his sheer musical intensity, especially on the frets, that lifts that band up to places it could never have originally reached without him. And the firing of Buckingham — who grew up in Atherton — will likely haunt Fleetwood Mac for years to come.

Backed by a solid four-piece band, the singer-songwriter-guitarist came to town in support of the generous new career retrospective, “Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham,” released by the Rhino Records label.

Like the “Anthology” itself, the nearly 2-hour set was a real treat for big Buckingham fans, covering a broad range of material and including many tunes that the star hasn’t regularly played in recent years. There were a few rough edges to the performance, which shouldn’t surprise anyone since this was only the second show of the tour, but they really didn’t detract much from the overall enjoyment of the 21-song show.

He opened the show with “Don’t Look Down,” one of a half-dozen numbers chosen from his third solo album, 1992’s “Out of the Cradle,” and then followed with strong takes on “Go Insane” and the rarity “Surrender the Rain.”

Some of the best moments of the night came during a solo spotlight, as the rest of the band left the stage and the star of the evening finger-picked his way through stellar versions of “Shut Us Down” and the Fleetwood Mac tunes “Never Going Back Again” and “Big Love.” Buckingham’s playing was jaw-dropping, somehow making his one guitar sound like three as he knitted through one complex rhythm after another.

Of course, the Fleetwood Mac numbers drew big reactions from the crowd, but his solo material held up quite nicely in the mix as well.

The main set closed with a flurry of highlights, starting with “Holiday Road,” the catchy theme to the Chevy Chase vehicle, “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and then continuing through three straight Fleetwood Mac offerings — “Tusk,” “I’m So Afraid” and “Go Your Own Way.”

It was Buckingham’s second appearance in San Francisco in a five-day period. He also took the stage during Chris Thile’s set at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park on Oct. 5.

Set list:

1. “Don’t Look Down”
2. “Go Insane”
3. “Surrender the Rain”
4. “Not Too Late”
5. “Doing What I Can”
6. “Trouble”
7. “I Must Go”
8. “Street of Dreams”
9. “Shut Us Down”
10. “Never Going Back Again”
11. “Big Love”
12. “In Our Own Time”
13. “Slow Dancing”
14. “Soul Drifter”
15. “Holiday Road”
16. “Tusk”
17. “I’m So Afraid”
18. “Go Your Own Way”
Encore:
19. “Turn It On”
20. “Down on Rodeo”
21. “Treason”