another review
Up Close and Personal with Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie
CONCERT REVIEWS, HOMEPAGE | Nov 10, 2017
I feel attached to the music of Fleetwood Mac in more ways than one. The lyrics, melodies and the combined personalities of the band are a few of the more obvious reasons for my enchantment, but what really captures me most of all are the voices of Fleetwood Mac.
Hearing those voices in person for the first time four years ago was a special dream come true. Looking back to that moment, I remember realizing just how much this band was affecting me personally. It’s been easy for me to take the messages in their music quite literally, especially the ones about love and loss, and I believe they’ve helped me make it through some of the most confusing moments in my life, stemming back to when I discovered Fleetwood Mac at 16 years old. Now, hearing two of those voices, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, isolated profoundly in the quaint Northrop Auditorium where I graduated High School, was more than a special dream come true – it was a euphoric call to new beginnings.
Each member of Fleetwood Mac has a story to tell. While some are individual, most of their stories involve one another. They’re told strategically and openly through their music, and I can’t think of many bands who have that same type of deep connection. I didn’t realize the depth of that until I spent the evening watching Lindsey and Christine perform alone together for the first time. Their story is one that I didn’t know much about prior, and the best part about that is the fact that it’s not done evolving. It was inspiring to watch something as personal as that unfold on stage, and I feel like the two of them needed to go through that collaboration together.
If you know me well, you know how much I love Stevie Nicks. I admire her lyrical craftmanship and fearless sense of self-identity. With Christine McVie, the feeling is mutual, but also includes a different type of fondness – one that’s locked in specifically on the sound of her voice. It’s crystal clear, full of volume and structurally her own. I loved singing along with the Fleetwood Mac songs she’s made so charming like You Make Lovin’ Fun and Everywhere. One song I was really sad to miss was Songbird, which I love because she wrote it entirely on her own. Perhaps it would be more suitable for a large-scale Fleetwood Mac concert, as a part of a Rumours type of flow. Hearing Christine sing Little Lies with Lindsey by her side made me feel so happy. I confidently sang along using Stevie’s harmonies, which made me yearn for a time when I could see the entire Fleetwood Mac family perform together again. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for that.
Forgive my millennial lingo here, but Lindsey Buckingham is hot AF. The amount of talent and intensity that man has is stunning to see in person. To hear the sound of his guitar combined with his powerful voice in such an intimate setting was extraordinary. How he can range from a soft whisper to a huge, drowned out yell in an instant blows me away. He has a lot in him, and it’s attractive as hell. On-stage, my favorite moments of his are were the ones full of angst heard mostly vividly in Trouble and Never Going Back Again. It’s really cute how he geeks out about performing; you can tell he really enjoys it. It was very obvious that he was meant to go through this music making process with Christine McVie and vise-versa.
The new songs off Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie were enjoyable to hear live. In My World sounded hip, and felt like it would be well received by my generation in either a club or swanky bar setting. I feel like Christine’s keys are the main reason for this assumption. She easily caters to today’s popular electronic scene but doesn’t lose her rock and roll foundation while doing so. In Love is Here to Stay, I liked how Lindsey Buckingham matched up his vocals to his chords, creating a something new and fresh out of nothing. Out of all the new material I heard that night, I’ve decided that my favorite song off their new album is Feel About You. It has that old-school Fleetwood vibe that I just can’t seem to rid myself from.
Despite the break-ups and differences Fleetwood Mac may have had along the way, it’s the integrity they have for themselves and for one another that has kept them going strong. I really like exploring all the different relationships and musical connections within the band, making this time with Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie perfect for me as a die-hard Fleetwood Mac fan. Above everything else, I give them credit for continuously exercising their creativity and passion for the music they make. Their songs, new and old, always represent them, and I think that’s what making music is all about.
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"kind of weird: a tribute to the dearly departed from a band that can treat its living like trash"
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