Fleetwood Mac – Target Center – Minneapolis, MN – September 30, 2014

Fleetwood Mac begins their 2014 tour at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN on September 30, 2014. This tour is to be specially noted, as it marks the return of keyboardist and vocalist, Christine McVie, after sixteen years absent from the band. Coined as the band’s “songbird” by Mick Fleetwood, she apparently grew weary of sitting in the English countryside and felt the itch to tour again at the age of seventy-one, bringing together something that many Fleetwood Mac fans, as well as band members, had given up on ever seeing again.

The show opens to a sold out crowd with “The Chain”, a song that kicks off the evening with a bang. The set list is filled with songs from various eras, keeping all fans, new and old, alert and energized. Fleetwood Mac is a band that is just meant to be on stage, regardless of their age. Despite Stevie Nick’s age, she is still able to light up the room with her antics, although they may be a bit slower than in the 1970s. Dressed in a gold shawl during “Gold Dust Woman”, the tone of the evening turns nearly eerie, with her moving from each side of the stage in near inhumane gestures. The great thing is that one can compare that to the absolute contrast of “Landslide”, which sets a mood of great nostalgia and mixed emotions, as fans use their phones in place of lighters.

Each member of the band has a true moment to shine that night. Lindsey Buckingham commands the stage in the manner of the leader of the band. He has such a weird complex to him, as if he could care less what people think of him, but that makes him all the more intriguing. After a grand performance of “Tusk”, he stomps on the ground as if scoring a winning touchdown rather than playing a fantastic song. His solo is one of the more memorable that we have ever seen, as the guitar seems simply an extension of him and not a musical instrument. It should be noted that he plays with his fingers, not a pick, which we have always considered to be interesting.

Mick Fleetwood is a complete ham. There’s no other way to put it. The man is an amazing drummer and it is clarified through not only his solo, but every single song he plays on. He puts his heart and soul into every note that is played and looks like he not only enjoys it, but lives for it. His character makes the show, almost nearly as much as Stevie’s. The two are the talkers of the band, as mentioned by Stevie Nicks, and she couldn’t be more right.

Christine McVie adds so much to the show. She’s the necessity that Fleetwood Mac has strongly been missing over the past decade and hearing his with them makes for such a better experience. Her voice balances out with the rest of the band, mixing with Stevie’s stage antics and Lindsay’s presence. Hearing her sing songs such as “Say You Love Me” and “You Make Loving Fun” makes for utter perfection, as those songs were so missed these years.

Although it makes for a sweet note to end on Christine’s “Songbird” with her at the grand piano, it feels an odd choice for a final encore. There were two sets of encores at the show and they all feel a bit off, with the exception of “Don’t Stop”. Ending a show on a song that isn’t more energetic always leaves us feeling like we need more.