Return of the Mac

'70s supergroup reunites for intoxicating 'Dance' at Palace

After leaving years of romantic and narcotic baggage behind, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham made a collective decision last summer - against going their own ways.

REVIEW
	Fleetwood Mac Nov. 21, 1997 The Palace of Auburn Hills

Now 10 years and a trail of not-so-successful solo careers later, the Mac is back for their 1997 Reunion Tour.

Returning to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday night, Fleetwood Mac brought back the high feelings of their late '70s heyday to a nostalgic crowd, while winning over scores of new fans with their infectious latest effort, "The Dance."

With its mix of hits and new tracks, "The Dance" provided the ideal outlet to bring the five band members back together, to once again link the tattered and worn chain between each other and between the band and the fans.

And Fleetwood Mac proved those links were stronger than ever as they kicked off the show with an anthemic rendering of "The Chain," off their breakthrough 1977 album, "Rumours." As the only song all five have written together, "The Chain," if they continue performing it with such intensity, will keep them together for many years to come.

Following their energetic opening, Fleetwood Mac launched into a 2 1/2 hour set structured around "The Dance." Staying true to the album's numbered tracks, the group performed an intoxicating rendition of Nicks' "Dreams," before rollicking into

Fleetwood Mac is back for their 1997 Reunion Tour: Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and John McVie.

keyboardist Christine McVie's happy yet disturbing "Everywhere," a toe-tapping ode to stalking.

After a few more songs together, the members of Fleetwood Mac were themselves everywhere for the rest of the evening - performing in shifts, each going on and off the stage nearly as many times as they've hopped into the sack with one another.

While Stevie Nicks changed her infamous shawls, for instance, '70s sex symbol and guitar genius Buckingham sent hearts beating with his "Big Love" and "Go Insane," a solo hit - songs he performed with an acoustic guitar and his fast-moving, adept fingers.

Halfway through the show, Buckingham engaged drummer Fleetwood in a heated duel of instruments and presence. Buckingham, armed only with an electric guitar, was matched riff-for-riff by Fleetwood's electronic-vest synthesizer and demanding, incoherent warblings.

But these electric solo performances were not the sole highlights of the evening.

Prior to the Buckingham/Fleetwood tangent, Stevie Nicks took control for her hypnotic "Gold Dust Woman," which hauntingly recounted the dark days of her cocaine addiction.

In another tantalizing moment, Nicks performed her early '80s smash, "Gypsy," sending a magical spell over the audience. With her throaty vocals and her graceful, flowing dance moves, Nicks proved she still has what it takes.

The band put a new twist on Christine McVie's old "Say You Love Me," which required the five to come together at the front of the stage to carry the song's delicate harmony. Bassist John McVie was allowed to momentarily shine, instead of cowering in the corner, by strumming his banjo with vigor and playfulness. Christine McVie's solid vocals pierced through a crowd of thousands as she confessed her need to hear those three little words.

Broken up years ago by Buckingham's hesitancy to say those words, former super-couple Nicks and Buckingham were reunited on the lush, emotive "Landslide," which Nicks dedicated to the fans for allowing the band to "get older, too."

But on Friday night, the members of Fleetwood Mac didn't show their age, as they tore into a hard-rocking track from Nicks' solo career, the pulsating "Stand Back." Keeping the crowd aroused, Fleetwood Mac brought new tenacity to the sexually charged "Tusk" (Fleetwood's endearing term for the penis), the message-driving "Go Your Own Way" and President Clinton's favorite, "Don't Stop."

Concluding a night charged with the confrontational "Silver Springs," the danceable "Temporary One" and the dreamy, tempo-shifting "Rhiannon," Christine McVie added a soaring rendition of "Rumours"' delicate "Songbird," in which she croons: "I love you like never before."

Fleetwood Mac played like never before at the Palace - energetic, happy, inspired, together.

With their strong, charismatic performance and renewed link, Fleetwood Mac assured fans that they "would never break the chain."

11-24-97