Fifty years of tours: Fleetwood Mac hits New Orleans

Fleetwood Mac takes a bow after a performance. Photo courtesy of Sean M. Hower 2013

Haley Soares, Staff Reporter

Last Saturday, Feb. 16, legendary British-American power group Fleetwood Mac rocked the stage of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

People of all ages flocked to see the rock group as they stopped here on their massive – and possibly final – world tour, hoping to witness a once-in-a-lifetime show from one of the greatest bands of all time.

Even while on tour, Stevie Nicks noted that the band had already spent a week in the city to take the time to explore all that New Orleans has to offer, fully immersing themselves in the unique culture and lifestyle that the city is known for.

As soon as the band took the stage, the arena erupted into screams, which only intensified as the opening notes to “The Chain” rang out into the air. This classic hit was followed by others of the same caliber, such as “Dreams” and “Second Hand News.”

About midway through the set, the band began to play “World Turning,” stopping halfway through to allow an extended drum solo by Mick Fleetwood himself, completely shaking the stadium as he drummed and shouted maniacally. After a few minutes, percussionist Taku Hirano rejoined the stage and played the bongos alongside Fleetwood, making for a completely entrancing percussion performance. Members slowly flooded back onto the stage, finally completed by Nicks who finished out the song strong.

At one point, the band covered the classic song “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House, a performance and song that could only be followed by “Landslide.” Nicks’ performance of the song was dedicated to the soon-to-be grandchild of one of the band members and was particularly solemn to a crowd who have watched Nicks and the rest of Fleetwood Mac grow older through the years.

The second to last song of the main set was the highlight of the show, with the band putting their all into performing “Gold Dust Woman,” complete with Stevie Nicks singing and dancing as she did in her prime.

The concert finished out with an incredible tribute to Tom Petty and his classic “Don’t Stop,” and finally a duet between Nicks and Christine McVie – ending the night on a truly unforgettable note.

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