FLEETWOOD MAC: Rumor has it

By David Dodds
Herald Staff Writer

Rumor has it Fleetwood Mac original Mick Fleetwood wasn't too crazy about letting Stevie Nicks join his band in 1975.

But he knew the man he really wanted for the job - Nicks' boyfriend, Lindsey Buckingham. He wouldn't join without her. Fleetwood relented. And the rest is history.

There was little doubt Tuesday night who most of the nearly 8,200 at Fleetwood Mac's concert in the Alerus Center came to see.

"By far, it's Stevie Nicks," said Mike Kellog, of Grand Forks, "although Lindsey Buckingham has been very impressive."

Kellog summed it up well: Fans came out to see Stevie, but Lindsey stole the show with his melodic range, fast guitar fingers and animated stage presence.

"He's like a god; he is the coolest," said one man from Detroit Lakes, Minn., who would only give his name as Jim.

The other band members didn't disappoint either. About 8:30 p.m., the lights went down and the steady pounding of Fleetwood's bass drum echoed through the arena as a prelude to the band's first song - "The Chain."

And the bass guitar sounds of fellow band founder John McVie gently shook the building and could be felt in the heart.

Some of the biggest ovations could be heard as Nicks broke into songs such as "Dreams" from the band's best selling album, "Rumours," which has gone platinum 19 times since its release in 1977.

"It's a great show and a lot of fun," Kellog said. "The best part has been hearing all the old songs from the 'Rumours' album."

Kellog wouldn't reveal how old he was when the album was released, saying only, "much younger than I am now."

Other songs fans were treated to included "Gypsy," "Rhiannon (will you ever win)" and "Landslide."

Fleetwood Mac originally was formed as a British blues band in 1967. Floodwood and McVie are the lone original members. There have been 15 members of the band over the years, including Christine McVie, who is not touring this year.

The band was recently ranked 22 on a VH1 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll poll. On a similar VH1 poll, its "Rumours" album was ranked No. 16 of all time.

In Grand Forks, the band performed for longer than 2½ hours, including three encores.

The concert drew young and old, baby boomers and Gen Xers.

Chris Rood, of Grand Forks, representing the younger crowd, gave the performance a good review.

"It was Fleetwood Mac at its finest," Rood said. "If you weren't there you really missed out."