Last Wednesday night, Fleetwood Mac brought their Unleashed tour to the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston. The tour marks the first time the group has been on the road since 2004. The band, currently a quartet, includes singer/guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, singer Stevie Nicks, bassist John McVie, and drummer Mick Fleetwood.
Fleetwood Mac kicked off their set with "Monday Morning," an upbeat song about Buckingham's frustration with love that dates back to the group's self-titled 1975 album. Without missing a beat, the band launched into "The Chain," a song that found Buckingham and Nicks sublimely combining their voices with urgent intensity. Half-way through, the song transitioned into an increasingly faster section marked by an ominous bass-line and an unrestrained guitar solo.
While Nicks' voice seemed to struggle slightly on songs like "Gypsy" and "Rhiannon," there were other times where it was nothing short of outstanding. Her rendition of "Landslide" was just about perfect. "Gold Dust Woman," a song chronicling her past struggles with cocaine, demonstrated that she is at her most powerful and haunting when harmonizing with former lover Buckingham. Donned in flowing dresses, scarves, top hats, and other eccentric pieces of clothing, Nicks twirled about the stage like it was 1977, a move that would have been more ridiculous if the 60-year old singer did not look so remarkably youthful.
Buckingham once again demonstrated that he is one of the most talented and underrated guitarists in the rock world. Standing onstage alone at one point in the show, he captivated audiences with a reworked version of his 1987 song "Big Love." The tune climaxed with galloping strumming and Buckingham's manic howls. His stage presence is topped by few; wild and primal, Buckingham holds little back and conveys the same vivid emotions that were likely present when he originally wrote the songs.
Though the setlist was primarily comprised of well-known hit singles, there were still a few welcome surprises to be found. "I Know I'm Not Wrong" and "Storms," two tracks off of the band's experimental 1979 album Tusk, stood out in a set otherwise filled with familiar radio staples. The band announced that this was the first tour in which the latter song was performed.
Also exciting was an appearance of the rocker "Oh Well," a track that harkens back to the pre-Buckingham/Nicks era of Fleetwood Mac. McVie and Fleetwood have been the spine of the band for years now and are the only members of the group to have been present since Fleetwood Mac's conception in 1967. Unknown to many, the band had already released ten albums before Buckingham and Nicks joined in 1975. Though they remained in the background for most of the night, McVie and Fleetwood, the British half of the band, provided a hard-hitting rhythm section that drove the songs to epic heights.
The band's encore began with "World Turning," a bluesy rocker that led into a drum solo of bearable length. They followed it up with "Don't Stop," one of their most famous songs which also served as Bill Clinton's campaign song back in 1993. The tune, complete with extended piano and guitar solos, would have been a perfect closer for the night, but the band returned once again with Nicks' "Silver Springs," a track that is heavily rumored to have been written about Buckingham. Though the order of the last two songs should have been flipped, the audience filed out of the arena satisfied with what they had seen in the band's two hour and 15 minute set.
The only thing missing that night was Christine McVie, the band's former singer/keyboardist who retired from touring in 1998. Though the band functions exceptionally well without her, McVie was key to the band's harmonies and provided an arsenal of upbeat pop songs that nicely complemented the often dark and edgy compositions of Buckingham and Nicks.
The concert exhibited why Fleetwood Mac continues to be such an enduring musical entity surrounded by a sense of mystique. The coupling of complex pop songs with the tension-filled history of drug abuse and inter-band relationships makes them a unique outfit. Personal issues bleed into the songs without hesitation, creating a relentlessly honest portrait of five individual lives and giving listeners a sort of voyeuristic opportunity to learn about the band.
Before leaving the stage, the band assured the crowd that this would not be their last tour. Additionally, they insinuated that there was a new album in the near future. As long as their hearts are still in it, Fleetwood Mac has demonstrated that they are more than capable of carrying on their legacy for years to come.
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