« Fleetwood Mac at the Air Canada Centre, October 18th, 2014 »

I caught Fleetwood Mac at the Air Centre two springs ago, realizing a bucket list dream to hear them perform live. At the time, their line-up included everyone but Christine McVie, who had left the band more than a decade earlier. It was, I believed then, as close to the magical ‘Rumours’ supergroup as I would ever experience, and it was a remarkable evening. It left such an impression on me that I was unable to review the concert immediately, preferring to give myself time to absorb what I’d heard before committing my ideas to paper. Much to my surprise as I went digging into my blog archive, I never did write my thoughts down.

I still have strong recollections of the April 2013 show; like last night, it was sold out and at the Air Canada Centre, but our seats were much closer to the stage and there had been huge anticipation building due to a four-year absence from touring. The excitement in 2014 was for the return of the songbird, as Christine McVie joined her old band once again.

The similarities were easy to find: stellar musicianship from all five members, especially Lindsey Buckingham, whose guitar-picking and overall talent is in my opinion hugely underrated. The set list once again borrowed heavily from “Rumours” and they played for over two and a half hours.

Those generalities aside, I witnessed a more nostalgic, emotionally charged show in 2013: it was perhaps because of Christine McVie’s absence then that Buckingham and Nicks opened the vaults of their catalogue and reached in for some deep cuts; by choosing songs from their turbulent history, they enabled longer conversations and explanations of lesser-known tracks that connected the audience on a personal level with their troubled past and the steps they took to repair the relationship. Last night, despite the obvious adoration bestowed upon McVie, the mood was lighter and joyous. I was delighted that she sang her most famous pieces, especially closing the evening with a stirring rendition of ‘Songbird’. With just her voice, a piano, and the tender plucking of Buckingham at the side of the stage, it was perfect.

Buckingham and Nicks perform ‘Landslide’.

The 2013 show got under my skin, which is why I needed time to process the emotional minefield I’d waded through at the time. I remember shedding a tear or two as Nicks and Buckingham spoke candidly about the hurt they’d caused each other and the power of time to heal and forgive. In contrast, last night was like revisiting one of my favourite eras in music and simply enjoying the stroll down memory lane. The only brief moment where I felt choked up was during ’Landslide’, but that has more to do with my emotional connection to the song and its power to evoke a strong reaction. When it was all over, Stevie Nicks came out and addressed the audience, thanking us for the warm reception we had given them in 2013. She spoke of dreamcatchers and universal love, and the idea that our positive energies had allowed Christine McVie to return to Fleetwood Mac to continue the dream. It was a beautiful, heartfelt moment from the poet soul of this band, and all I could do was nod my head as if I not only understood her words but believed them to be true. She, Mick Fleetwood, and Lindsey Buckingham all made mention at some point during the show that this is a renewed group, ready to begin a new chapter that will include fresh music. I can only wish them well on this journey together and look forward to the results.

All photos courtesy of Austin Ziegler.