Herald Sun, review 2/24

[Les]

Another review.

Herald Sun, February 24, 2004

Dreams relived for supergroup Fleetwood Mac
by Nui Te Koha

FLEETWOOD Mac, the longest-running soap opera in rock, had their happy ending last night. Admittedly, this feel-good epilogue has already been played out over two reunions tours and dates last year.

But the depth of healing in the Mac, the era-defining supergroup that went to drug, booze and marriage hell, and back, can't be underestimated. Their classic album Rumours was made on copious amounts of cocaine and personal and professional acrimony.

To recap: John and Christine McVie split, Stevie Nicks left Lindsey Buckingham to have a short fling with Mick Fleetwood.

It was never the same after that, especially for the edgy songwriting heart of Mac: Nicks and Buckingham.

But last night, at a sold out Rod Laver Arena, they relived creative spark that fuelled the Mac's greatest songs.

"It's been a long and strange trip," Buckingham said. "But the point is, here we are."

Landslide, performed tenderly and acoustic, became one of many make-up anthems.

"We are in a good place now," Nicks told the Herald Sun last week.

It looked that way. Every glance, embrace, kiss and dialogue was genuine.

Keyboardist Christine McVie opted out of this tour. Consequently, the Mac has reverted to a grittier sound spearheaded by guitar virtuoso Buckingham.

His fierce and stripped-back Big Love and Tusk, a pounding beast that Buckingham fought to record, were standouts.

Nicks' vocal, still distinctive, impeccable and world-weary, wrapped warmly around her anthems, Dreams and Rhiannon.

The Mac, and the sum of its parts, was always best represented on The Chain: McVie's bass enticing Fleetwood's beat, with Buckingham and Nicks eventually joining the fray.

As the band converged on The Chain last night, it became a pact to tell their tale one more time.

Moral of the story: Fleetwood Mac, one of the greatest bands ever, still rock.

They perform again at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

(Photo of Lindsey at the actual link: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...5E2902,00.html)