REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac Live at Wembley "They Hit The Home Runs Early"

FLEETWOOD MAC Live in London at Wembley Arena

By Sam Hart
9/10
Virgin.com

The debate surrounding whether the legendary big bands from yesteryear should continually reunite, rehearse and play shows - a few extra wrinkles visible with each comeback jaunt - rages on. Everyone has an opinion on damaged legacies, damaged voices and whatever else, but one overriding fact remains: people still want to hear the songs, buy the tickets and fill the arenas. And, let’s be honest, there are some bands for whom many would do unspeakable things to see back on stage (Led Zeppelin, anyone?)

Fleetwood Mac, finally back at Wembley Arena, are one such group who have the timeless songs and the millions of loyal fans that still clamber for them as if they were touring a debut record. And the tracks sound, almost, as good as they always did.

They hit the home runs early: 'The Chain', probably the best and most iconic thing that Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and co ever recorded, warmed everybody up, before 'Dreams' teleported the crowd back to 1977. Indeed, a sentimental trip down memory lane with Nicks, to humble beginnings in San Francisco – "back to the way we were" - preceded 'Gypsy' and had the audience thinking about digging out their 'Rumours' LPs and 70s party gear for Halloween.

Nicks' instantly recognisable voice is still in fine condition, as are Buckingham's fingers. As well as a solo acoustic version of 80s single, 'Big Love', some instrumental highlights from the just-turned-60-year-old showed that, despite its mammoth pop success, Fleetwood Mac are a rock band at heart . As well as the savage guitar playing, there was some tenderness, too. Moments before, the former lovers had shared an emotional embrace that will long live in the memory.

The age demographic of the audience at this show spoke volumes about how great – truly great - music transcends and has the ability to touch anybody willing to listen. From the golden oldies who were there at the time, to the teenagers looking to reconnect to the music they listened to in their parents' car as a kid; everyone was enthusiastically enjoying themselves.

The high point of the night (along with a rarely played, but gorgeous, 'I Have Always Been A Storm') was an elongated version of 'Go Your Own Way', which produced a huge reaction and mass sing-along from the sell-out crowd, Buckingham bending down to allow those in the front row to get their hands on his guitar.

Aside from the absence of the Christine McVie-penned, 'Little Lies', and co-founder Mick Fleetwood briefly seeming to lose his mind during a customary drum solo, it was a rousing performance from one of the biggest-selling acts of all time.

This night, climaxing with the classic, 'Don’t Stop', and this tour, has been a hugely successful reunion for a band whose career has been an emotional rollercoaster. There seems to be a new appreciation, both for the music that made them great, but, more importantly, for each other. And long may that continue.

REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac MEN Arena - Manchester, UK October 27, 2009

Fleetwood Mac
Unleashed 2009 Tour,
MEN Arena 27/10/09
By Aasma Day
Lep.co.uk

THE band once famed as much for their turbulent relationships as their chart-topping success returned with a vengeance to prove that great music is more important than who's sleeping with who.

Fleetwood Mac has seen multiple line-ups and musical change since first forming in 1967, but a delighted Manchester crowd were treated to their best-selling Rumours team of Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, missing only the now-retired Christine McVie.

Looking good and sounding even better, the band showed their tumultuous past was behind them as they delivered almost two-and-a-half hours of top songs with perfect chemistry, tremendous energy and above all fun and vigour.

"We don't have a new album to promote… yet," Lindsey Buckingham teasingly told the audience. "So we thought let's go out and have some fun. "We're going to sing the songs we love - and hopefully you do too."

He even made a cheeky reference to the band's inter-relationships by saying: "As you all know, Fleetwood Mac has a complex and convoluted emotional history".

But although the former lovers may no longer share a personal spark, the magic of Stevie and Lindsey's voices blending together in perfect harmony was there in full force.

Everyone seems to be friends again and the pair even shared a tender embrace.

Seventies sex symbol Stevie is still stunning at 60 and is as blonde-haired, mysterious and bewitching as ever and charmed the crowd from the moment she stepped on stage.

Her melodic voice was hypnotic and haunting and had just the right mix of vulnerability and strength to deliver songs like Gypsy, Sara, Landslide and Dreams with true emotion.

Wearing a flowing gypsy-style black dress and black boots, later changing into a ruby red dress with a gold shawl and then even appeared in a top hat as she swayed, waved a tambourine and did her trademark twirls during the music.

Lindsey was a real live wire and his sheer energy and enthusiasm revealed his guitar playing genius and fantastic singing.

His impressive fingerwork during Big Love and scorching riffing during the early blues Fleetwood Mac number Oh Well had fans on their feet to give him a standing ovation.

Since forming, the only thing that hasn't changed in Fleetwood Mac is the rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

Mick Fleetwood's famed ponytail which was on the Rumours album cover may now be white, but his enthusiasm and entertaining personality hasn't waned at all.

He came across as a real character and wearing drawstring pants and bright red shoes, he played the drums with passion and skill coupled with comical facial expressions and was superb during a drum solo.

In contrast, John McVie was quiet and calm as he played his bass with skill.

With the footstomping Tusk, the singalong Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way, Rhiannon, Say That You Love Me, Gold Dust Woman, World Turning and Silver Springs among the many songs delivered, fans simply could not have been disappointed.

But with such an extensive back catalogue to choose from, tracks such as Seven Wonders, Everywhere and Little Lies weren't there and the band could have played a whole other set of the great songs they didn't do.

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REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac Live in London October 30, 2009 "Fleetwood Mac stick to what they do best"

Fleetwood Mac
Wembley Arena
by: David Smyth
The Evening Standard

Fleetwood Mac stick to what they do best

How heartwarming it is when a band of a certain vintage recognises that another new album would be about as welcome as rheumatism and heads out to play everyone’s favourite songs with no ulterior motive.

“This time we said: ‘Let’s just go out and have fun,’” claimed guitarist Lindsey Buckingham as Fleetwood Mac’s Unleashed tour arrived in London for the first of three arena shows. There have been rumours of a new album and even of Sheryl Crow taking the place of the long-departed Christine McVie but perhaps they got bored waiting for inspiration and decided to remind themselves of their many finest moments.

With a set drawn largely from the classic Seventies album trilogy of Fleetwood Mac, Rumours and Tusk, there could be few complaints about song choices. Other bases were briefly covered with a solo composition each for Buckingham and co-vocalist Stevie Nicks, a nod to the band’s early hard-blues incarnation with Peter Green’s stormy Oh Well and even a gibbering Mick Fleetwood drum solo.

But the music that dominated was that written by Buckingham and Nicks when they were in the middle of an agonising relationship break-up. Dreams, Second Hand News and Go Your Own Way all summoned glorious melodies from a painful place.

Here the ex-couple arrived on stage arm in arm and embraced after Nicks had finished her ballad Sara. In his sixties, Buckingham has become more of a rock singer than he was, often barking his lines and offering a finger-bruising solo interpretation of Big Love.

Nicks remained instantly recognisable in floaty outfits that were only missing a maypole. In black here, if she had appeared on your doorstep this weekend you would have handed over all your sweets quick for fear of being egged. That reedy voice, though, remains a thing of witchcraft.

With Rumours still high on the list of the biggest-selling albums ever, the band can’t be journeying the globe again just for the money.

Furious drawn-out versions of Gold Dust Woman and World Turning demonstrated an undimmed passion for playing and suggested a simple truth: they still love these songs as much as the rest of us.

OVER 35,000 TICKETS SOLD FOR FLEETWOOD MAC HOPE ESTATES GIG

FLEETWOOD MAC AUSTRALIA

The Sunday Telegraph

One of the most influential rock bands of all time, Fleetwood Mac formed in 1967 and experienced huge success during the 70's and 80's.

Despite affairs and drug and alcohol addictions making for a tempestuous history, the supergroup re-formed in 1997 for their 20 year Rumours Anniversary and in December, 2008 announced their new tour Unleashed - minus Christine McVie - which they've been performing throughout North America since March.

"The chance to work together again without all the conflicts that had once made things so difficult and hard to restart" Stevie Nicks said.

Classic tracks such as Go Your Own Way and Black Magic Woman have fans lined up to see Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie perform in Sydney this year, and their Hunter Valley date in December will be the largest ever held in the wine growing region selling over 35,000 tickets.

For Tickets go to ticketmaster.com.au and ticketek.com.au

"DON'T STOP" FLEETWOOD MAC DOC. BBC ONE

"DON'T STOP" FLEETWOOD MAC

BBC One's iplayer is loaded with the new Fleetwood Mac documentary "Don't Stop" that just aired in the UK. New Interview footage is included from each member of the band including John McVie who NEVER gives interviews in print, on the radio and definitely not for tv! So that's a bonus right there... Sadly Christine McVie didn't contribute to the documentary but does appear in the program via older interview footage taken from previous documentaries.

If you missed it, and you live in the UK, check out the BBC iplayer BBC One.

On TV the program will broadcast again:

Fri 6 Nov 2009 21:00 BBC Four

Sat 7 Nov 2009 02:25 BBC Four

Mon 9 Nov 2009 01:30 BBC Four