Buffalo New York, January 31, 2015
 

Nearly 50 years after forming, Fleetwood Mac keeps making music

By Jeff Miers | News Pop Music Critic | on Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Buffalo News

http://buffalo.com/2015/01/29/featur...-making-music/

“Bands/Those funny little plans/ that never work quite right …” – “Holes” by Mercury Rev

In Marky Ramone’s memoir “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg,” among the many revelations offered by the riveting read is a particularly disturbing one: According to Marky, leaders Johnny and Joey Ramone didn’t speak to each other for 25 years. They shared a cramped van, thousands of concert stages, a thriving business, dozens of recording studios and countless band meetings during this time. The Ramones stayed together through all of it. But even when Joey was on his deathbed, Johnny refused to break the icy silence.

We’ve all heard the stories behind the splintering of bands – musical differences, arguments over money, betrayals of the perceived and actual variety, spontaneously combusting drummers, and the like. But what makes a band stay together, decade after decade, even if, as was the case with the Ramones, across-the-aisle relationships are about as chummy as chats between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner?

On Saturday, one of the longest-running ensembles in rock music history will perform in First Niagara Center, before an incredibly loyal throng. Fleetwood Mac has been together in various forms since 1967. The version of the band that will perform here – Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Christine McVie – is the one responsible for 1977’s evergreen release “Rumours,” an album that defined the baroque soft rock stylings of the 1970s, and has sold in the area of 50 million copies worldwide. It’s the sixth best-selling album in the U.S. Billboard chart history, the 14th best in the U.K. charts, and has racked up similar status the world over.

Interestingly, “Rumours” almost didn’t get made, so fraught with tension were relations within Fleetwood Mac by the mid-’70s.

Nicks and Buckingham, who had been together for the better part of a decade, had broken up, and the marriage between John and Christine McVie was headed for divorce. Fleetwood and Nicks were engaged in an on again/off again affair. There were serious substance abuse issues fogging up the mirrors as well. All of this mess was poured into the birth of “Rumours,” and quite likely aided considerably in the creation of the emotional intensity that sits at the music’s core, as well as at the core of its massive fan appeal.

Fleetwood Mac had many successes of the commercial and artistic level after “Rumours,” and even before Buckingham and Nicks joined the band in 1975, had already released several bona fide classics and introduced a few guitar heroes to the world, among them Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer. But it’s “Rumours,” and the soap opera-like environment amid which it was created, that keeps fans coming back for more Fleetwood Mac, and helps the band sell out ever more sporadic tours.

Doubt that this is actually the case? Look no further than the current issues of Rolling Stone, which features the still beautiful face of the 66-year-old Nicks on its cover, and boasts a lengthy interview inside, most of which is devoted to Nicks discussing her relationship with Buckingham, 40 years after the couple broke up. By this point, that relationship might reasonably be described as having entered the realm of living myth.

Every member of this particular version of Fleetwood Mac is at least 10 times richer than any of us will ever be, even in our dreams. None of the musicians need the money. Touring when you’re in your 60s takes a considerable toll on the body. Performing songs that detail painful breakups surely reopens old wounds, every time. Why would the band bother?

Surely, it comes down to the music. Christine McVie left Fleetwood Mac after various reunion tours, way back in 1998, but she’s back on board for this go-round. Why? Even in her abundantly luxurious retirement, McVie missed performing with her bandmates. Nicks has a still-thriving solo career that she could easily ride into the sunset. So does Buckingham. Fleetwood has his own blues band that tours on occasion, and John McVie was diagnosed with cancer in late 2013. And yet, none of them could say no to another Fleetwood Mac world tour.

The magnet that keeps pulling the band’s members back to Fleetwood Mac is Buckingham. Or more specifically, it’s Buckingham’s genius that keeps them all coming back for more. Though “Rumours” features songs written by all five Macs – Nicks and Christine McVie in particular are responsible for the album’s biggest hits – it was Buckingham who crafted the sound of the album, aided immeasurably in the arrangements of Nicks’ and McVie’s songs, and provided the majority of the musical direction.

Buckingham is to Fleetwood Mac post-1975 what Brian Wilson is to the Beach Boys – the principal creative force.

“Lindsey had an amazing way of taking my songs and making them wonderful,” Nicks said in Mike Evans’ “Fleetwood Mac: The Definitive History.”

And that, it seems, is worth much more than mere money.

Fun Fact... Saturday
 

Stevie mentioned a little fun fact when dedicating
Landslide.

The original top hat was bought in the 70s
in an antique store in Buffalo

I was born in Buffalo and thought that was pretty
cool to share

well, except Lindsey's genius doesn't really get exercised on a golden oldies greatest hits tour now does it?? Yes, they revisit his past genius on arrangements of old songs, but they aren't being drawn back to TOUR by his genius.

If they were drawn back by his genius, and not the money, they'd have done a new album, and if Stevie in particular was drawn by Lindsey's genius and not the money, she'd be committed to a new FM album and she would have shown up at least once in the studio with the others, and/or would have given them some songs for Lindsey to work his genius on.

Another kool-aid drinker journo.:sorry:

Review of the Buffalo show:

I had seats in the nosebleeds behind Christine. A friend and I made a plan:during Rhiannon we'd walk around and find a better spot. We walked effortlessly into the tier 2 table section and had a blast--with a great view. No one told us to leave or gave us any trouble.

I'll compare the show to the Pittsburgh show the band did in early October.

This time out, all three singers were much better vocally. Christine in particular was flawless. I can't believe how much stronger her voice has gotten since those first shows. Stevie hit some notes on Gold Dust Woman and Landslide that I didn't think she was capable of hitting anymore. I was impressed.

Instrumentally, the band were tighter on some songs, notably Say You Love Me (the best live rendition I've ever heard--seriously), and the band jam on Gold Dust. But they were a bit sloppier on other songs, noticeably at the ends of several tunes. The timing was off in those moments--the kind of kinks you'd think would be worked out in rehearsals.

This time out, Stevie was less crazy on Gold Dust Woman and didn't do her judo dance, nor did she stroke her hair and arms and do the deep oooooohs she did in Pittsburgh. but, as mentioned, she sang beautifully on this song, and the band sounded even stronger as they burned behind her.

Tusk, Silver Springs, and Dreams were less inspired this time out, but still not bad. Over My Head was a genuine surprise: it was really quite good, whereas in Pittsburgh it was a bore. Sisters of the Moon sounded much more energized this time out. Stevie's voice was a million times more responsive, too. Never Going Back Again was tedious. But I know I'm not Wrong was charming.

Stevie and Lindsey both rambled on and on before Gypsy and Big Love respectively, her about shopping and him about cycles. He's as pretentious as she is vapid. But somehow the extremes work very well together.

Don't Stop was similar to the four billion previous performances of it. World Turning was almost identical to former versions (quite good, though missing some great organ as it used to have).

Songbird was pretty much flawless. A beautiful moment.

MICK ended the snow with a heartfelt speech about treating one another with love and respect.

YES, YES AND YES!! I completely agree with your statements.

Totally agree on Christine's voice being stronger. I thought she sounded great at the Nassau Coliseum!

Never Going Back Again IS tedious. Oh, Lindsey, why must you take all the fun out of it for your drama-laiden rendition? Even Stevie must recognize it's a snoozer--she was doing some dance on the side and would stay frozen for a long time. There's just no life to it. Same with Tusk now that it's only 120 BPM.

"He's as pretentious as she is vapid." YUP! I could see his son Will telling him: "Dad, what the heck are you talking about?" "Uh, why are you skipping around the stage?" "Why do you wear jeans tighter than the hipsters do at my school?" lol

There really does need to be some sort of intervention regarding NGBA. It's current state is dreadful and it's pretty grueling to get through. I would rather it not even be in the set than performed as-is. And I say this as someone who loves the song itself - it's one of my favorite FM songs period.

Does anyone actually prefer it this way? (Not hypothetical, I'm legitimately wondering).

I might be the only Ledgie who enjoys it performed this way. I have always enjoyed any live version of this song from any tour. It's Big Love that I'm no longer fond of. Like most, I want to hear BL with the full band rather than the solo Lindsey.

I prefer the original (favorite FM song), but have to say that in concert, I actually didn't mind it the way it is now. Neither did the audience. Maybe it was just because it was my first FM concert (although I have seen it the slow way online in the past and didn't like it then) or maybe it was because of the audience reaction. But overall I would like to see it go back to normal. It'd probably almost be seen as a new song if they'd do it that way.

Do you all feel the same way about Tusk? I love the energy of the 2004 Boston version when Lindsey and Stevie are dancing. I can't hear Chris' accordion at all during this tour.

I'm surprised she didn't do her dance.

I liked OMH on opening night and never understood the claim that it was boring at all. Glad it is improving, but never thought it needed that. Stevie is great on this song and in the old days .... Wow!

Michele

Buffalo News By Jeff Miers | News Pop Music Critic on January 31, 2015

http://www.buffalonews.com/gusto/con...enter-20150131

Fleetwood Mac bewitches crowd at First Niagara Center

There needs to come a point when you believe in the band. Otherwise, you’re watching a classic rock jukebox.

We look for that moment when we forget about the baby sitter, the $200 or so spent on the ticket, the fact that we’ve heard these tunes more than a million times.

On Saturday, during Fleetwood Mac’s close-to-sold-out performance in First Niagara Center, that moment came early. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham strode to the edge of the stage after the lights had been dimmed, looked around, said a brief hello to the front rows, and then dug into the swampy and sultry deep blues riff that signifies the beginning of the Mac’s evergreen hit, “The Chain.”

Buckingham hunkered down, dug into it, and made it plain to all that he had come not merely to collect a paycheck, but to play.

From there on, it was smooth sailing.

Buckingham led the version of Fleetwood Mac that most of us know and love – the group responsible for “Rumours,” “Tusk,” and “Tango In the Night” – through a hits-heavy set that walked the tightrope between easygoing ’70s pop-rock and deep-cutting avant-garde pop.

Of course, Buckingham is not the most famous member of Fleetwood Mac. That would be Stevie Nicks, his ex, and forevermore his partner in pop. Nicks is an icon, but Buckingham is a musical genius. On Saturday, their sparring made for abundant entertainment.

Fleetwood Mac has made a habit of including Buffalo in its tours since re-forming in the late ’90s. But this particular tour stop boasted something more than simply a run-through of “Rumours” and associated hits. This was in fact the first time area audiences have seen keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie perform with the band in more than 15 years. McVie’s tunes – her “You Make Loving Fun,” “Everywhere,” “Say You Love Me” and “Over My Head,” among others – offered soulful highlights. She seems to have lost nothing in the vocal department – she nailed every part she should have, and did so with soul.

This was a hits show, to be certain, but in Fleetwood Mac’s case, that needn’t be a negative. The group has scored platinum with some rather adventurous tunes, and a mid-set focus on the freak manifesto that is “Tusk” made this plain. Buckingham’s “I Know I’m Not Wrong” and “Tusk” led nicely into Nicks’ “Sisters of the Moon,” and earned the crowd’s respect, apparently. The place exploded.

Nicks doesn’t have the voice she once did, but then, who would? She’s in her later 60s now, and if she couldn’t hit the high notes during “Rhiannon” and “Dreams,” she wisely chose the low road, while three backing vocalists, joined by Buckingham and McVie, fleshed out the harmonies. None of it felt fake or forced – this was a band that seemed grateful to be playing for an appreciative audience.

Nicks told a particularly cool story that involved her trademark top hat, an accessory she was rarely seen without during Mac’s “Rumours” heyday. The singer told the assembled that it was during a tour stop in Buffalo – one assumes that it would have been the 1975 pre-”Rumours” stop that is recorded as having taken place at the old Century Theatre – that she purchased said hat. This brought a huge roar from the crowd, which was made up of a cross section of 50-, 40-, 30- and, surprisingly, 20-somethings.

Fleetwood Mac still has it, as Saturday’s show made plain. Everyone pulled their weight, especially the recently returned McVie, whose voice was pure gold.

But like every other Fleetwood Mac show since he joined the band in 1974, this one belonged to Lindsey Buckingham. He is one of the true pop geniuses to have emerged from the ’70s, and on Saturday, he proved it one more time.

Yeah, I'm sure it's different depending on the crowd. Everyone in my audience seemed bored during it and decided it was a song to sit down for [I got yelled at for standing up] so it just kind of bummed me out.

Found myself in the second row in Buffalo, right in front of LB. A great show.

One thing that was not mentioned yet (I don't think) was that there was a bat in the arena. Christine mentioned it early on and Steve swung her arms in bat- like motion. And throughout the show, I saw the bat swirling overhead.

I know others have posted this before, but I was struck by the number of young, attractive women who were allowed to go right in the front of the stage. The folks in the second row were blocked, but in came others, all attractive young women without exception. Some of them did not appear to know half the songs.

The vocals were really extraordinary. Sisters on the Moon was one of the highlights for me. Steve's performance keeps getting better and better on this one. Christine's delivery throughout was stellar, but especially Songbird.

I enjoyed hearing Christine tell the story when she and John were married -- and her asking John if he remembers that. I could not remember if they do that at all the shows.

I didn't mind NGBA. I prefer the original, but enjoyed it.

All -- Here are some shots that I took from last night's show that turned out well.

My worst nightmare. I know the bat wouldn't get close enough to the crowd to touch anyone, but I still just freak out at the thought.

Michele

They are lovely. You caught them in great positions. Michele

that first one of the band taking their bows is amazing! It could totally be an album cover (you know, for the album that will never be!:lol:) It also reminds me a lot of the 1980 Live album cover. Very cool.

Incredible Show. I've seen 11 Fleetwood Mac related shows since 2003 (5 fleetwood Mac 4 stevie and 2 Lindsey) From start to finish was it the most I enjoyed any of those concerts or what I consider to be the best... No. Stevie's 2012 IYD show in Niagara Falls is still the best show from start to finish I've seen. And of just the 5 Fleetwood Mac shows, again maybe not start to finish the best, but the peaks were so high that I think I can call this the best Fleetwood Mac show I've been to.

Christine being back in the band is a great thing in every way, but by far the best aspect is just the vibe on stage. I had a great close up view of them and could see all the interaction between songs and they just all seem so happy up there. And something about trading off with 3 voices speaking between songs was so great as opposed to just hearing stevie and Lindsey talk all night. And her banter is so much less intense then stevie and Lindsey making every song intro they do sound like either a college lecture or in Stevies case a silly novel.

But as far as actual songs go, from what they chose to play, Christine's songs just aren't highlights of the show for me for the most part. Although I guess it was nice to relax to say you love me after the intense 3 song tusk set, it's sad how many songs of Chris's could be highlights: think about me, why, isn't midnight, even oh daddy would of at least given her something other then the most bubbly songs imaginable to play.


I'm not gonna go songs by song but these were the highlights:

1. Sisters of the Moon, I wanted this to be a highlight in 2013 but it just wasn't. But I still hoped it remained in the set for at least one more tour, since stevie has a real habit of building on her songs tour to tour. I mean just watch GDW on live in boston and then see how the song grows with each tour. LIB is still great but it doesn't compare to 2009 on. and the best part was I was right to wish they kept the song, because it was the best song of the night for me. Her ad libs have gotten so much better and plentiful. And her growl at the end was amazing. Also Christine's piano intro adds so much to the song that was missing in 2013.

2. Gold Dust Woman, this truly is always the best song of the night, and it truly highlights every single band member. This is Micks best drumming of the night, the jam while stevie dances is just the best instrumental moment of the night and of course stevie vocal is at its best here. I love it most when she adds emphasis to words that normally don't have it. Like this night she yelled rulers make BAD LOVERS.

3. I'm so afraid, Mick steals this song for me

You Make Loving Fun Little Lies and Songbird were my only actual Christine highlights. I loved how up front the guitar was during the middle portion of songbird and during Little Lies I just had a moment while staring at the 3 of them in a row and was kind of in awe that I was watching the 3 of them sing together again and I really never thought I would see that. Stevie's harmonies on YMLF were very unexpected as I haven't ever heard her harmonize like that in any past performance Christine's best contributions to the other two vocalists songs was definitely her harmony on Rhiannon's second verse. Definitely gave me chills there. Also her presence on silver springs makes a huge difference, but surprisingly couldn't detect a difference on the chains harmonies

Lindsey was Lindsey which is a good thing. big love I know can seem the same every time but somehow it's always different for me and it was amazing again to me last night. I also want to hear this full band but I don't see how this absolute guitar showcase can be removed. He hams it up on a lot of songs but big love really focuses on that guitar playing which is needed in the set. And I'm 100 percent in agreement that NGBA is terrible.

Can I just give either stevie or the band as a whole (not sure how the make decisions like this) for her song selections this tour. It would've very convenient and obvious to keep Sara in their tusk set instead of Sisters and they made the brave and correct choice. And as much as I expected it to be an eh song, gypsy was incredible. I love the way she sings it this tour, and the rain backdrop is my favorite backdrop of the night. Stevie's only eh song was Dreams. I even enjoyed Rhiannon a lot.

The standards that I'm truly sick of at this point are SHN, Dreams and most of all NGBA. Everywhere and over my head are very good live but I still feel theyre taking the place of many other Christine songs that showcase her more moody or rocking side.

Oh and I can't forget the bat, I saw it multiple times. I saw mick, Christine and Lindsey spot t and point at it a few times. stevie must truly get in a zone up there because the bat floated closest to her multiple times and she didn't flinch or acknowledge it once.

Maybe Stevie is friends with bats.

Yes, they did make some interesting choices with Stevie's songs. I never would have believed they would drop Stand Back and keep in SOTM. I applaud that. I miss Sara, but Seven Wonders is more upbeat (and familiar to a new audience right now), so I guess they weighed those choices. Glad you enjoyed the show.

Michele

Cool review Hawkeye.

"Only" three Christine songs as highlights? I'd say that's pretty damn good!

I agree that SOTM is a good choice for this tour. I wish they would drop Gypsy (and the long speech before it) and I wish they'd drop Big Love (and the long speech before it) and replace these songs with more adventurous numbers. And yes, Think About Me and Isn't it Midnight would be great additions. I'd swap out Over My Head (though I loved the way it was played at that show) and Don't Stop any time. And while we're at it, rid the show of Dreams. Such things will never happen, unfortunately.

But I loved, loved, loved the show.

don't stop! That's another highlight from Saturday for me. Top 10 song for sure. I think Big Love should just drop the speech. It's just painful t listen to. Stevie's gypsy speech is too long for sure, but at least her rambling is more entertaining to me at least. Can I ask why you want the actual song Big Love dropped?

And I forgot another sort of minor disappointment I have with the show. world turning let me down. It was still a great performance and is always a highlight, BUT I Felt it should've been MORE of a highlight. With Christine back and able to take back the parts of the song Stevie's been singing for 10 years mixed with the fact that Stevie has been taking a lot of extra vocal leaps this tour, I was more then 50 percent confident that she would Add a few of extra lines like She would do in the 70s and that we all have officially released now on the live rumours disc that came out

Could this be because she is "Blind as a Bat?:shrug:

I'd love it if Lindsey and Christine still shared a mic on World Turning, like they did in the 70s.

That would be fun. Of course, they probably don't want to do that sort of thing these days. Too afraid of the measles.

Michele

The Buffalo News By Rebecca Brandel February 5, 2015


http://www.buffalonews.com/life-arts...-show-20150205

Last Saturday, people poured into the First Niagara Center to see an act that last performed in Buffalo almost 30 years ago.

Fleetwood Mac played the 46th show of its “On With the Show” tour, and it went off with a bang.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the group did not disappoint.

The show was all about the music, the band stopping only a few times to tell a few brief anecdotes, and welcome back keyboardist Christine McVie.

There was no opening act. The band came out and immediately went into “The Chain.”

Stevie Nicks’ distinct voice seemed to put the audience in a trance, especially during “Rhiannon,” despite Nicks no longer being able to hit the high notes.

The set was simple, just the band’s instruments on stage with psychedelic backgrounds changing as the set list went on.

The group performed with passion and enthusiasm, especially Lindsey Buckingham’s performance of “Big Love.”

Fleetwood Mac, a band that started in 1967, has spanned generations and is finding a new following thanks to the hit FX show “American Horror Story.” In the show’s second season, Lily Rabe plays Misty Day, a witch obsessed with Stevie Nicks. Nicks also has appeared on the show.

During Saturday night’s performance, Nicks thanked the TV show, and told the audience “Keep watching, it’s crazy!”

Eight Fleetwood Mac songs have been featured on “American Horror Story.” In her TV appearance, Nicks performed “Seven Wonders” while wearing one of her signature top hats.

She told the First Niagara crowd that she purchased her first top hat in Buffalo, and that’s when the fad began.

She then went on to dedicate the song “Landslide” to Buffalo, saying “My top hat thanks you!”

The band performed two encores, and the audience stayed put for both of them.

Overall, Fleetwood Mac did not disappoint its fans who came out to support them after all these years.

Rebecca Brandel is a junior at Mount St. Mary Academy.

This video is amazing for 2 reasons. I love that Christine accepted 2 flowers from the crowd and blew them kisses. So freaking cool! But check out during the bows where Lindsey sees a fan in the front row with a Rumours album and he signals to Stevie to sign it. Ha ha. But she does not and mouths something.
I did see her sign a Buckingham Nicks album during this tour in Pittsburgh. I would LOVE to be front row and have a 1984 Christine McVie solo album for Chris to sign. And I bet she would sign it!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwtrkBPx_9E

For no other reason than he's done it again and again and again. I initially loved his reinterpretation of it in 1998 (possibly earlier for solo shows), but now I wish he'd re-interpret another song in an equally intriguing way.

I wish this, actually, for all of the songwriters' songs. More risks. I Know they have the chops to mix things up, so I dont know why they don't.

That was awesome to watch!!

I remember sitting in the stands and seeing this and saying, Awww, she got roses! She deserved them, too.