Lindsey Buckingham’s style still evolving (Reading Review & Pics)

[MacMan]

CONCERT REVIEW:
On his own, Lindsey Buckingham’s style still evolving
By Jon Fassnacht
Reading Eagle


For two hours Friday night, the Sovereign Performing Arts Center could have been called Buckingham’s Palace.

Lindsey Buckingham, best known as Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist and male voice, shared a love fest with a fiesty crowd in Reading.

There were standing ovations following nearly every song.

Many were moved to stand up and dance in front of their seats.

And there was one gentleman who bellowed “We love yoooooooouu!” about 50 times during the evening.

Buckingham recently celebrated his 60th birthday, but he doesn’t look or sound anywhere near that old. His guitar playing continues to evolve, a unique style that melds delicate finger-picking with the amplification and noisy chords of electric guitars.

He and his three-piece backing band are promoting his new album, “Gift of Screws,” a title that Buckingham said isn’t as nasty as it sounds, coming from an Emily Dickinson poem.

He played a healthy selections of songs from the new album, and all of them were very well-received. It was clear that those who attended weren’t there to just to hear some Fleetwood Mac songs.

But Buckingham was more than happy to delve into his more-popular and lucrative gig as one-fifth of one of the most popular bands in history.

About half of the set’s 19 selections were songs Buckingham wrote for and performed with Fleetwood Mac. Save for acoustic renditions of “Never Going Back Again” and “Big Love,” the songs were aggressive, loud and fresh, climaxing during the final three songs of the main set.

“World Turning” started slowly before building to its forceful conclusion, which led to an Alfredo Reyes drum solo, during which he did his best John Bonham/Animal impersonation, playing everything with his hands. “I’m So Afraid” followed, featuring a mammoth Buckingham solo, leading into “Go Your Own Way.”

Buckingham said the group of musicians has been touring together for only a few years.

“As we keep touring, things keep evolving and it just keeps getting better and better for me,” Buckingham said.

The guitarist clearly was enjoying his time here, frequently mugging for the crowd and saying multiple times that he’ll be back.

“We should set up a residency here,” Buckingham said. “The Reading tour.”