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.
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.
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.
Reunited Fleetwood Mac prove Dreams can come true
by Nick Hasted The Independent
Fleetwood Mac can actually remember the idealism which spawned 1969’s original Isle of Wight festival. But the catastrophic marriage collapses and cocaine mountains which catalysed the classic Rumours, an album which they no longer try to live down, meant they embodied the Seventies far more.
So while their Sunday headline set taps into this festival’s founding traditions, they play the smoother, harder rock of later, and far more cynical times.
Dr Showbiz has cured the unnamed ailment which cancelled two UK shows in the nervous run-up, letting them at least make it on stage, as they were always somehow going to. A bounding Mick Fleetwood is first, arms aloft in premature triumph. He is the pounding, insistent motor, musically and personally, without which the band he co-founded in 1967 would sputter and die.
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, by contrast, show steely determination. Buckingham, the band’s Brian Wilson-like songwriting mastermind since 1974, looks faintly above a band he has tried to put behind him many times, as if he’s too old for this foolishness.
But he gruffly leads the charge with “The Chain”, the charge of hearing its great, bass-heavy riff electrifying the huge crowd. Few have headed for the ferries with Fleetwood Mac in town.
The band’s secret, only recently returned weapon, Christine McVie dominates the early, Anglo-Californian harmonies; the English purity of her voice raises the band above the soured innocence which spawned Rumours.
When all their voices join in hippie harmony on that album’s “Dreams”, for a moment the AOR sluggishness and personal battles which have dogged them fade away.
Fleetwood Mac storm Isle of Wight Festival stage with incredible performance: See the excited reaction
by Rebecca Pocklington, Ben Mitchell Mirror- Photo Gallery
Isle of Wight Festival 2015: Fleetwood Mac, Paolo Nutini, review: 'the best Isle of Wight in years'
by Patrick Smith Telegraph
Fleetwood Mac managed to do the impossible at Isle of Wight: top Blur's performance from the previous night, says Patrick Smith.
If any act were to top Blur's glorious Saturday-night set, it would surely be folk-rock behemoths Fleetwood Mac. And so it proved, as the sun went down on what's been the best Isle of Wight festival in years, overflowing with nostalgia thanks to its affectionate nod to the 45th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's famous performance here.
Weary bodies, battered by rain on the Friday night, hauled themselves to the Main Stage to witness the American-English quintet, who seemed to have shrugged off the illness that forced them to cancel their Birmingham and Manchester gigs earlier in the week.
It was marvellous to behold. Making their first ever appearance at Isle of Wight, this volatile soap opera of a group are now restored to their original configuration, with singer-pianist Christine McVie returning after a 16-year hiatus. That they were here to close proceedings represented a major coup for the festival – especially when you consider Michael Eavis has been trying to sign them up for Glastonbury for ages.
The Mac, now in their 48th year and in the middle of a 130-leg reunion tour, opened with the familiar driving riff of The Chain, which saw thunderous drums, coruscating guitar lines and sweeping melodies collide to devastating effect, while its chorus of, "we will never break the chain," felt rather apt.
From there the hits kept coming. Vocalists Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and McVie, each dressed in black, all shared the limelight willingly, with the former's voice, admittedly less honey-toned than it once was, anchoring the beautiful Dreams, taken from their 1977 break-up album Rumours. "Welcome back Mrs Christine McVie," said a Nicks in one of many heartening showings of camaraderie. Everywhere, their gorgeous, twinkling ode to all-encompassing love, soon followed, with McVie taking centre stage and providing one of the high points of the festival.
Later, Buckingham stressed the importance of change, before a virtuosic performance of 1987's Big Love. How pleasing that the brilliance of Fleetwood Mac's music hasn't changed.
Earlier, in a packed-out Big Top tent, The Lightning Seeds, fresh from their appearance on TFI Friday on Friday night, were by turns wistful and energetic. Spearheaded by their charismatic frontman Ian Broudie, the Liverpudlian alt-rockers, who formed in 1989, began their 50-minute set with Sense. But it wasn't until a polished rendition of The Life of Riley, a song synonymous with Match of the Day's Goal of the Month segment in the Nineties, that the audience began to embrace them fully.
Because of the phenomenal success of Three Lions, the football anthem made with comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel for Euro '96 and rejigged for the 1998 World Cup, it's easy to forget that, in their pomp, Lightning Seeds were actually pretty inventive, purveyors of catchy, fey pop songs such as their 1990 track Pure which closed their set to grateful applause. Demands for Three Lions, meanwhile, were kept to a minimum – a good thing really, given that it didn't make the cut.
The news has come as even more of a blow as it is Christine McVie's first tour in 16 years with the band.
Gutted Fleetwood Mac fans have vented their disappointment at tonight’s cancelled Manchester Arena show.
Promoters announced earlier today that their On With The Show tour could not go on after all due to a band member falling ill.
It is the second date the 60s and 70s rock legends have had to call off on the UK leg of their tour after dropping out of their Birmingham gig at the last minute on Tuesday.
But while the Genting Arena show has been rescheduled for July 7, it is understood promoters have failed to find another Manchester date to fit the band’s tour schedule.
The news is especially disappointing as it is Christine McVie’s first tour in 16 years with ex-husband John McVie and bandmates Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Christine is the songwriter and voice behind some of the band’s most enduring hits, including Don’t Stop, Little Lies and You Make Loving Fun.
The band’s second show in Manchester on July 1 is set to go ahead as planned but is already sold out, leaving fans with no option than to pay ramped-up resale prices or barter with touts to get their hands on tickets.
Among those hit hardest by the news was Hannah Owen, who wrote on Facebook: “Absolutely gutting. My dear dad bought tickets for my mum and him to go for Christmas. He has sadly passed away and poor mum was so keen to go as it’s what he wanted.
“No reschedule and no tickets left for 1st July show. Such a shame.”
Fans had been due to travel from far and wide for the Manchester gig and some had already arrived in the city before hearing the news.
Among them was Jeroen van Drunen, who flew in from Hungary yesterday just to see them perform.
Fran Haselden had also planned to travel across England for the show. She wrote on the MEN’s website: “I’m so gutted. I’ve been waiting for this since the tickets were released with anticipation.
“We were heading up from the south east this afternoon. We’ve lost a day of pay each to be able to drive up, and it was our last chance. I am so gutted, I cannot believe they are not rescheduling it.”
Amongst the disappointment was also sympathy and concern for the afflicted band member, whose identity has not been revealed.
Smalley (@nicksmallshaw) tweeted: “Hoping for a swift recovery, but no rescheduled gig is devastating. Can’t see me ever getting tickets again.”
Kay and Geoff Harrison wrote on Facebook: “Absolutely gutted, but do hope whichever band member is ill gets well soon!!! Sob sob!”
A few fans remained upbeat enough to see the punny side, with some questioning whether it was just rumours and others hoping the news was ‘lies, sweet little lies’. If only...
We are very sorry to announce that tonight’s Fleetwood Mac ‘On With The Show’ tour date in Manchester has been cancelled due to illness.
Refunds for tonight’s cancelled date in Manchester are available from the point of purchase. Please contact your ticket seller directly for further information.
Review: Fleetwood Mac at Genting Arena, Birmingham
BY ENDAMULLEN Birmingham Mail
Birmingham marked a homecoming of sorts for Fleetwood Mac as they played their 88th date on a world tour that started out in the US in September 2014.
This tour sees the welcome return of singer-songwriter and keyboard player Christine McVie, the former Bearwood native making a big deal of the fact she was back in her old stomping ground.
"Well, hello Birmingham,"she said, as she stepped up to the mic to sing the smash hit Everywhere.
"This is my old stomping ground, many many years ago I used to go to art college here.
"It's fantastic to be back playing with Stevie, John, Lindsey and Mick."
Clearly the band really are firing on all cylinders with her back on board.
Always a slick, polished and consummate live act, there's no doubting there's a special synergy with McVie, her former husband John, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood reunited.
Arguably that synergy is as much about the musical bonds that hold them together as the broken relationships that drove them apart in their turbulent history - some which was alluded to by Buckingham during one of his many song introductions.
This Genting gig did not disappoint with the hits coming thick and fast, from the Formula One anthem The Chain, which got the evening off to a rousing start, John McVie's thundering baseline almost shaking the arena walls.
You Make Loving Fun, Dreams, Second Hand News and Rhiannon were next, the last of these demonstrating Nicks' voice is as rich and warm as ever.
I Know I'm Not Wrong, Tusk, Sisters of the Moon and Say You Love Me followed before an acoustic interlude featuring Nicks and Buckingham, with blistering versions of Big Love, Landslide and Never Going Back Again.
Next it was Gypsy, McVie's voice shining on Little Lies, Gold Dust Woman and I'm So Afraid featured some fine musicianship before Buckingham virtually raised the roof with Go Your Own Way.
That was the final song two hours in but it wasn't long before the return of The Mac for a singalong encore performance of World Turning featuring the requisite Mick Fleetwood drum solo and Don't Stop.
Despite their decades in the business and those previous 87 tour dates, Fleetwood Mac have still very much got it.
Will this be their last tour as some are saying? Who knows - but let's hope not.
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