Review: Remember That Buckingham and McVie Tour of 2017?
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham performing “Little Lies” in Atlanta, June 21, 2017
Mixing together songs from their 2017 duets album with songs from the Fleetwood Mac catalog, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie began their first tour as a duo on June 21, 2017, at the Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta.
By 2018, Fleetwood Mac underwent considerable changes, with the sudden announcement, that Buckingham would be leaving the band. McVie turned 79 on July 12, 2022, and released a new collection, Songbird. She died on Nov. 30, 2022. Buckingham, who turned 73 on Oct. 3, 2022, released a new album in 2021 and toured again in 2022.]
Interestingly, the Atlanta set began not with a song from the Buckingham/McVie album or Fleetwood Mac but rather “Trouble,” from Buckingham’s solo album Law and Order. The first Mac tune of the evening followed, “Never Going Back Again,” taken from the mega-selling 1977 classic Rumours. “Wish You Were here,” co-penned by McVie for the group’s Mirage album, came next, and then “Shut Us Down,” from Buckingham’s 2006 Under the Skin release.
Watch “Wish You Were Here” from the Atlanta show
It wasn’t until the fifth tune of the evening that the pair got around to something from the new album, “Sleeping Around the Corner,” the opening track. From there they jumped back and forth, sometimes reaching into the lesser explored corners of the Fleetwood Mac catalog (“Hold Me,” also from Mirage; “Little Lies,” from Tango in the Night).
Watch “Little Lies” from the opening show
All told, seven tunes from the duets album were played, alongside Mac staples like “You Make Loving Fun,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Tusk.” [The album is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Watch the Atlanta performances of “You Make Loving Fun” and “Go Your Own Way”
One more video, the Fleetwood Mac classic “Tusk,” as performed by Buckingham and McVie in Atlanta…
The tour ultimately continued into November.
In February 2019, it was revealed that Buckingham had suffered vocal cord damage as a result of open heart surgery. When he tours again, tickets will be available here.
McVie will be the subject of a 2024 biography, Songbird: An Intimate Biography of Christine McVie, from author Lesley-Ann Jones. The 352-page book arrives November 19, via Hachette Books in the U.S.: and Nov. 14 in the U.K. from publisher John Blake. It can be pre-ordered in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
Lindsey Buckingham – Christine McVie, Atlanta, GA, June 21, 2017, Setlist
“Trouble”
“Never Going Back Again”
“Wish You Were Here”
“Shut Us Down”
“Sleeping Around the Corner”
“Feel About You”
“In My World”
“Too Far Gone”
“Hold Me”
“Little Lies”
“Tusk”
“Love Is Here to Stay”
“Red Sun”
“You Make Loving Fun”
“I’m So Afraid”
“Go Your Own Way”
“Everywhere”
“Lay Down for Free”
“Game of Pretend”
Related: BCB’s review of the Buckingham – McVie album
Opening for the tour were the Wallflowers, who did an eight-song set that included a cover of the Box Tops’ “The Letter.
Watch them perform “One Headlight”
3 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationLoved the album and saw their show in Boston, but was disapponted that none of Christine’s solo hits were played; thought that was a missed opportunity as she never toured the US behind her solo album
Yes, Christine did tour after her brilliant 84 solo album. That album is sort of a lost classic. A great album. She always had the best voice in FM ever, the voice of an angel. Her touring band was Steve Ferrone on drums, George Hawkins on bass and Billy Burnette on guitar. Spectacular. She played the Sunrise Theatre in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.
Even in these videos you can see that Lindsey is a driving force on stage in live shows. That’s what I experienced during the last Mac tour he was a part of. I’m a huge fan of Neil Finn, and absolutely loved the last Crowded House show I saw some years back. As well, as a guitar player of a certain age, I’ve always been a big fan of Mike Campbell’s work, although I think he shines more on recordings than he does live. All this said, Fleetwood Mac live (and recordings for that matter) is about Lindsey Buckingham’s energy and intensity, It’s most curious how he’s never been able to really make the jump to success with his solo records, but, as far as I’m concerned, Fleetwood Mac is his band. These shows with the fantastic Christine McVie just underscore what the Mac is missing now if they don’t get it back together with Lindsey. Without him, it’s like watching a painting perform.