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THE term ‘tribute act’ can often conjure up ideas of cheesy, second-rate acts playing a pokey room at the back of a pub. But I was willing to set my preconceptions of what I deemed a ‘tribute act’ aside to experience Rumours of Fleetwood Mac at The Hexagon on Tuesday (7).
What first struck me was just how busy the auditorium was. This, a cold Tuesday night in Reading, and crowds were queuing up to get into the venue. Clearly, my preconceptions had been all wrong.
A further nail in the coffin was the band’s introduction by none other than original Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood: with his seal of approval you know you are in for a good time.
Rumours… are the only Fleetwood Mac tribute act to be endorsed by the band, and to have played alongside them on numerous occasions. Well, if they’re good enough for Mick…
Launching into a huge rendition of Gypsy to open the show, it was clear from the get-go just how professional this ‘tribute’ is. Louise Rogan, as the incomparable Stevie Nicks, was, quite frankly, incredible. The raspy tone of her voice, her power in the high ranges, were all completely on point. Within the opening bars, any sceptics in the crowd would have been swiftly shut down.
Forty years of Rumours
Rolling through a repertoire consisting of Dreams, You Make Loving Fun and Second Hand News, the first half of the show consisted purely of tracks from the classic 1977 Rumours album, which is celebrating its 40th (!!) birthday this year. Solid performance followed solid performance, with Amanda Kostadinov fitting the bill of Christine McVie not only in voice but in looks. Although slightly pitchy on Songbird, her low range is 100% McVie and is thrilling to hear.
The second half began with a trip down memory lane towards more vintage Mac, with keyboardist Dave Goldberg stepping out of the shadows and reprising his role as Peter Green for tracks such as Shake Your Money Maker. The standout track of this session, though, had to be the iconic Albatross, which amazingly saw members of the audience up and dancing in the aisles!
Once the late Sixties had been well and truly rocked out of the system, the ladies returned to drag the audience into the mid-Eighties with tracks from Tango in the Night. Everywhere, Seven Wonders and Little Lies showed off the band’s full talents, with Alan Hughes stepping forward into Lindsay Buckingham’s shoes for Big Love (a big feat you’ll agree).
To rapturous applause, the group concluded the main set with a rousing rendition of The Chain, only to come back for an encore with the foot-stomping Tusk and Go Your Own Way which left the audience on a breathless high.
As good as the real thing
What struck me about Rumours… is how dedicated they are to the spirit of the music. This is more than just a tribute for them, they are paying homage and worshipping at the altar of Fleetwood Mac, and the music is their prayer. Which suited the audience just fine, as they were in attendance for exactly the same reason.
Music aside, the band members’ attention to detail really was the cherry on top of an already exceptional evening. From Rogan’s sultry dancing as Nicks, to Allan Cosgrove’s impeccable drumming as Fleetwood, they had all the mannerisms and quirks down to a tee.
For someone who hasn’t been blessed to be able to experience The Mac for real, Rumours…, or even if you have but are desperate to hear your favourite songs played live more frequently, truly deliver the next best thing. If you closed your eyes, you could be listening to the real deal, and even if you closed your ears your eyes couldn’t be convinced otherwise.
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac play The Swan Theatre, High Wycombe on Thursday (February 9), and The Anvil Theatre, Basingstoke on Saturday, February 18. For more information visit www.rumoursoffleetwoodmac.com.
