No one would disagree that Fleetwood Mac are a hard act to replicate, after all they were the original super-group. Fleetwood Mac are musically diverse and their music spans a good forty years: From their inception in the mid sixties as an essentially male dominated blues based rock band with Peter Green at the helm; to the up tempo female vocal incarnation we have come to know and love.
Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac are not simply another covers band, but group of hugely talented musicians who are able to creatively replicate the enormous body of work that has become synonymous with rock music. RFM pulled off the bands evolution with their superb tribute to the great rock band with aplomb.
From the moment RFM set foot on stage to perform their Rumours 35 year anniversary show they encapsulated the essence of Fleetwood Mac; and the essence of the whole 70's era when the air was infused with the smell of patchouli oil. Louise Rogan performing as Stevie Nicks stared the set with Gold Dust Woman. With her stunning vocals and that very distinctive drum beat you can see the audience are immediately transfixed.She manages to capture Nicks' haunting vibrato seemingly effortlessly. Amanda Kostadinov performing as Christine McVie, also deserves a mention for a stunningly beautiful rendition of Songbird.
RFM continue to play through Rumours in its entirety from You Make Loving Fun and Rhiannon to Dreams and the anthemic Go Your Own Way and The Chain, giving lead guitarist Alan Hughes a chance to shine as he takes on the Lindsay Buckingham role. Seeing the album performed live, it is easy to see why it has had such longevity, selling over 40 million copies worldwide and is frequently sited as one of the best albums of the 70s and of all time.
Midway through the evening, RFM show they versatility by going back to the Peter Green era and wowing the audience with versions of Oh Well (part 1) and Green Manalishi. It is here thatDave Goldberg shows his skills as a keyboard player and strong vocalist. Despite this sudden change in musical direction, the previously subdued St Albans audience are thoroughly enjoying these great musicians and equally brilliant songs.
Ben Hughes and James Harrison (Danny Kirwin and John Mcvie) may not have been around in the 60's and 70's but they both certainly stepped up to the mark when it came to the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue. And of course the band would not be complete without the quintessential powerhouse drumming of Cos as Mick Fleetwood: His tribal drumbeats of Tusk brought the night to a close. Great stuff!
With the original Fleetwood Mac touring again later in the year, this is the opportunity for all FM fans to wet their appetite before seeing the real deal (but could they tell the difference....?)