Enduring Anglo-American pop-rock five piece Fleetwood Mac played the 83rd show of their On With The Show tour with their second date at East London’s O2 Arena. It’s hard to believe that Fleetwood Mac have been a band in one incarnation or another for almost 50 years given that their hits seem scattered over the decades, but it is certainly the line-up that appeared on stage as part of this tour that has been the most popular and which has produced the most enduring hits.
Fleetwood Mac @ The O2 Arena
Opening with Rumours track The Chain, the only Fleetwood Mac song credited to all five members of tonight’s line up of Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, the group kicked off what was to be an epic night of music.
Next up was Christine McVie-led You Make Loving Fun followed by Stevie Nicks-led Dreams, the setlist so far paying homage to Fleetwood Mac’s bestselling 1977 album Rumours. It wasn’t until fifth track Rhiannon, led by Nicks, that the band’s other albums were explored. But the biggest cheer of the set so far came as the three large light screens, suspended above the stage lit up with a rain effect over the famous opening of Christine McVie-penned and led Everywhere from 1987 record Tango In The Night.
Fleetwood Mac @ The O2 Arena
The five piece continued to switch lead vocal duties between newly re-joined member Christine McVie and mainstays Buckingham and Nicks throughout the set with 65-year-old Buckingham bounding about the stage while thrashing out the killer guitar licks that round out the group’s dynamic. If anything, it was founding member Mick Fleetwood who was screaming to make himself seen behind an immense array of custom made DW drums created from Koa wood and styled in a Hawaiian theme along with a huge 40” Zildjian gong behind him.
Following a three-song acoustic set by Buckingham, with Nicks on-hand for vocal duties on Landslide, the whole band returned to the stage along with a mini “cocktail” drum kit which allowed Fleetwood to sit centre stage for tracks Over My Head and Gypsy. 67-year-old Nicks set about introducing Gypsy from 1981 album Mirage, telling the tale of making it big in 1970’s San Francisco and visiting the expensive Velvet Underground store frequented by the rick and famous of the day. However, her tale seemed to last an age without reaching a satisfying conclusion, telling of a mind perhaps lost in the nostalgia of a freer time long since past.
Towards the end of the set Fleetwood did rise from his kit to introduce the extended band including Nicks’ own ex-Sister-in-law Lori Nicks. It’s safe to say that the entirety of the 12,000+ crowd were on their feet as Buckingham launched into main set closer Go Your Own Way.
The three-song first encore began with the band’s 1975 Fleetwood Mac album track World Turning which showcased Mick Fleetwood’s drumming prowess, extending into a bonkers drum solo with Fleetwood making the most out of his extensive, custom-made kit. Don’t Stop and Silver Springs closed out the first encore but with the house lights remaining down, a final special treat was still in store for the East London crowd. And so it was, as Christine McVie sat behind a newly wheeled-out grand piano for Rumours track Songbird.
Fleetwood Mac @ The O2 Arena
With so many dates of the tour behind them and so many remaining, it’s hard to come away from a night like this feeling you’ve experienced something truly unique. But it was a special night for most in attendance regardless, seeing the core five members of Fleetwood Mac doing what they do best, together again.
– 2015
But in hindsight some nine years on, following on from Lindsey Buckingham leaving the band once again, this time being replaced on a subsequent tour by Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, to the sad passing of Christine McVie in November 2022, it does indeed feel special to have enjoyed a fantastic live performance by one of the greatest rock bands to have existed with their core members all present and accounted for.
– 2024
Live review & photography of Fleetwood Mac at The O2 Arena, London on 28th May 2015 by Kalpesh Patel.
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