CheekyChicago

It isn’t everyday that one gets the chance to watch a legendary band perform. But last Friday, Chicago was visited by one of music’s most celebrated music groups in modern rock history, Fleetwood Mac. The group played a show at the Allstate Arena, and performed hit after hit to its loyal crowd. It was my first time seeing Fleetwood Mac, and it proved to be exactly as I expected it to be: upon entering the arena, the band had just taken the stage and was playing one of its most famed tunes, “The Chain.” I found myself instantly captivated by Stevie Nicks – as expected. Just as I had seen her look on TV, in photos and on live DVDs all these years, she looked exactly the same – she presented her trademark gypsy aura, clad in a flowing black dress and draped with a long shawl, fabric pouring over her mic stand, her long, blond hair cascading down her back. The combination of Nicks, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood created a musical powerhouse laden with palpable history and personal chemistry. (The lineup lacked the presence of former singer/pianist Christine McVie, who retired from the music business years ago.)

“Dreams”, another celebrated hit was played early in the set, followed by “Rhiannon”; both songs seemed to captivate the audience. There were definitely moments in which Nicks opted to remain in the lower vocal range, and thus opted to not hit certain higher notes. I wouldn’t say she seemed to no longer be able to hit them, because she certainly did during some songs, but her vocal range was noticeably deeper and remained at a more comfortable, attainable range. Buckingham, however, played with the same enthusiasm and heart he introduced years ago. He pulled out virtuosic guitar solos in multiple songs, mesmerizing the crowd with his finger-picking skills.

“Second Hand News” was introduced by Nicks as the “first song recorded for Rumors… during the recording process, we reconciled many emotional opposites, and the songs on Rumors, like “Second Hand News”, represent the time we were in.” “Sara” set a softer tone during the set, as Nicks woefully crooned, “When you build your house, then call me home.” As the song neared its end, Nicks left her mic, slowly walked over to Buckingham, sang the closing words of the song in his mic, and gracefully left the stage, leaving Buckingham and company to end the song.

Nicks returned to the stage, clad in a new outfit, to perform one of the band’s most beloved ballads, “Landslide”, with only Buckingham by her side on an acoustic guitar. Nicks’ vocals were impeccable during the song, and the nostalgic feeling among the packed crowd was palpable during “Landslide.” As Nicks sang the known line, “I’m getting older too…” the crowd erupted in applause for Nicks, who stands before her fans 30 years after writing “Landslide”, still a captivating, beautiful woman, but proving the inevitable truth of which she spoke.

Buckingham had his moments in the spotlight during songs like “Never Going Back Again”, which he lovingly dedicated to his wife and three children, who were in the audience. “I Have Always Been a Storm” was a slow, haunting tune with deep harmonies. Nicks described the song as being one that they “have to be in the right place to play,” and luckily, for Friday’s crowd, Fleetwood Mac felt they were in just the right place to play it. Nicks pulled out a gold shawl, which she draped around herself during “Gold Dust Woman”, a highlight of the evening; Nicks embodying her signature gypsy look during the song.

“Stand Back”, fueled with a synthesizer on keys, got the crowd back on its feet after a few slower songs. Its up-tempo prompted dancing and sing-alongs, and Nicks finally delivered her signature “twirl”, which caused some shouts of approval from her adoring crowd. During “Go Your Own Way”, Nicks donned a black top hat, as she led the band in what would be its last song before the encore. “Don’t Stop” was an energetic, crowd-pleasing performance, and it was clear as one looked around at the crowd that people of every age knew the words and were singing along. The second encore consisted of one song, “Silver Spring”, as the stage was lit in a sea of blue, and Nicks sang the emotional and haunting lyrics of a woman so in love she vows to follow her love “’til the sound of my voice will haunt you.”

Mick Fleetwood stepped out from behind his drum set to introduce the band (including the endearing description of Stephanie Nicks). The band thanked its Chicago crowd and gracefully left the stage. What hit me the most during Fleetwood Mac’s performance were two things: first, each and every member is a classy, talented, professional musician, delivering nothing less than near-perfection during a set’s entirety, which is rare to witness these days. Second, and the most pleasing part of the evening (aside from the music), was the fact that the crowd was so varied – I was seated behind a married couple in their sixties, while a row of teen-aged girls were seated behind me. As I scanned the crowd, I realized everyone there knew Fleetwood Mac’s songs and everyone was enthused to sing-along, proving that Fleetwood Mac is a timeless band – their music has traversed time and generations and will continue to do so.