Monday nights aren’t typically crackling with excitement.  This Monday night, however, we couldn’t help but feel the excitement and anticipation as we headed to Toyota Center.  The iconic British-American rock group Fleetwood Mac has been creating excitement since their beginning in the late 60’s.  More than a dozen studio albums later, that remains the case.  This night, however, had a big bonus.  Former member Christine McVie had come out of retirement to join the band on tour.

The opening notes to The Chain gave me goose bumps…and it just got better from there.  Lindsay Buckingham pronounced this tour a ‘poetic, prolific, and profound chapter’ in the history of the band.  Fleetwood Mac may have reached a pinnacle in 1977 with the Rumours album.   Stevie Nicks, though, was quick to put the new rumours (British spelling) to rest, confirming early in the show that McVie was ‘here to stay’.  Nicks said at the beginning of the tour she was saying ‘welcome Chris’, but since this night was their 40^th performance on the tour McVie was now, once again, just one of the family. 

So it was a wonderful discovery that this ‘family’, albeit with an infamous dysfunctional history, was redefining roles, re-energized, and creating beautiful music.  Highlights for me were Lindsey Buckingham solo on stage, his acoustic guitar delivering the intense Big Love, and Steve Nicks telling her story about the inspiration for Gypsy (her reference to the Velvet Underground was actually a real funky boutique in San Francisco) before dramatically launching into the crowd favorite. 

It was also great hearing Christine McVie take the vocal lead again on Little Lies and Over My Head.  Her husky voice is familiar and still strong…and she is a damn fine looking woman at 71, or any age!  She was also fantastic on accordion during Tusk.

If one band member gets points for ‘time of possession’ it would be Lindsey Buckingham.  He was clearly ‘on’ and so much better than the last time I’d seen him on his solo tour.  Mick Fleetwood continued to bang out the beat on his drums, smile on his face, looking like everybody’s favorite uncle.  And the impressively successful business man, John McVie, was his usual unassuming self, taking his turn at the bass guitar and purposely staying out of the spotlight.

The spine tingling, perfect moment and forever memorable performance for me was clearly the incomparable Stevie Nicks wailing out Gold Dust Woman.  The dress, the dance, the drama were everything the fans came for and more. 

After over 20 songs in the set, several encore tunes were offered with Don’t Stop a big crowd favorite.  This was not the tight, well (almost OVER) rehearsed set along the lines of the emotionally disconnected members of the Eagles.  This was a family reunion with everyone happily taking turns and showing their stuff, then coming together in a harmony that only Fleetwood Mac’s history could deliver.  It was a full house and I’m going to guess everyone walked out feeling like they got their money’s worth…plus a very nice Christmas Bonus! I know for sure we were impressed. If you were there, were you?

Until next time please remember there is no time to kill,

dwc