FLEETWOOD MAC
June 3, 2003
Philips Arena - Atlanta
Let’s just call this Fleetwood Mac Mach Fifteen, okay? There
have been so many variations in the line-up over the years (major and slight) that it’s
not worth actually trying to count. The ’03 version might as well be the classic band
as far as the fans at Philips Arena were concerned. They didn’t seem to notice
vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie or her hit songs were missing. To the majority of the
crowd, the stars of the Mac are Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. At tonight’s
show, however, there was only one star.
Returning guitar hero Lindsey Buckingham tore through everything
he touched with a passionate abandon, making it hard to believe that he could have so
easily given this up for so many years. Whether doing the crowd favorites (“Go Your
Own Way”) or the obscure (“Eyes Of The World”), he alternately abused and
caressed his guitar, coaxing sounds that only guitar legends can muster. Bassist John
McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood seemed all too happy to push Buckingham to even higher
states of inspiration with their backing. When the extended band left the stage to the
three of them, the power trio stomped hard while still taking twists and turns only the
most daring drivers would attempt. The highlight of the entire concert was when the trio
performed the brand new song “Come,” a dynamically intense barnstormer. By the
end of the tune, the entire crowd was standing, which is quite a feat considering that it
was the first time most of them had heard the song. Buckingham also received massive
ovations for a solo acoustic version of “Big Love” and a lumbering “I’m
So Afraid.”
Unfortunately, Stevie Nicks appeared listless and bored. Her
fiery performance style has dimmed into the glow from the embers of what once was. She
gave the fans the songs they wanted, but “Rhiannon,” “Dreams,” “Gypsy”
and “Gold Dust Woman” all seemed (at best) cool and distant. The only emotion
that crossed her face was a bittersweet sadness that actually added to the effect of
“Landslide” and Tusk’s delicate and heartbreaking “Beautiful
Child,” but left the rest of her songs lacking. She did wake up for about 5 minutes
to do a rocking version of her solo hit “Stand Back.” Perhaps she’s had
enough of the confines of Fleetwood Mac again. Maybe it’s time for it to be the boys’
band for a while.
For encores, Lindsey dug out the early (and nearly
forgotten) gem “World Turning.” A truly engaging performance of the tune led to
a flashy drum solo before “Don’t Stop” got everyone singing again. As a
final coda, the new song “Goodbye Baby” was appropriate and sad. The crowd was
respectfully quiet as the lullaby faded. It’s
good to see the Mac back out and creating. If only Stevie could rediscover her passion for
the band, they could truly surpass their legend. In its current form, it’s good to
rediscover the muscle of Buckingham-McVie-Fleetwood, but a bit of a let down that Nicks
won’t even try to compete.
Chris
McKay/concertshots.com
Fleetwood Mac Set List (6-3-03):
The
Chain
Dreams
Eyes
Of The World
Peacekeeper
Second
Hand News
Say
You Will
Never
Going Back Again
Rhiannon
Come
Gypsy
Big
Love
Landslide
Goodbye
To You
What’s
The World Coming To?
Beautiful
Child
Gold
Dust Woman
I’m
So Afraid
Silver
Springs
Tusk
Stand
Back
Go
Your Own Way
---encore---
World
Turning
Don’t
Stop
---2nd encore---
24. Goodbye Baby
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