Going Back Again Live 2003 (Mainstream MAST-073/74)
Worcester Centrum Centre, Worcester, MA – May 27th, 2003
Disc 1 (57:31): The Chain, Dreams, Eyes Of The World, Peacekeeper, Second Hand News, Say You Will, Never Going Back Again, Rhiannon, Come, Gypsy, Big Love, Landslide
Disc 2 (77:05): Say Goodbye, What’s The World Coming To, Beautiful Child, Second Hand News, Gold Dust Woman, I’m So Afraid, Silver Springs, Tusk, Stand Back, Go Your Own Way, World Turning, Don’t Stop, Goodbye Baby
Coming off of the momentum of The Dance, Fleetwood Mac worked on Say You Will, released in 2003. Without Christine McVie’s contribution it seemed at times to be a joint Stevie Nicks / Lindsey Buckingham solo project, but it did well in the charts and the subsequent world tour was likewise successful.
Three weeks into the itinerary they played two shows in Worcester on May 27th and May 28th. Going Back Again Live 2003 utilizes a very good stereo DAT audience tape of the first Worcester show. It’s a bit unbalanced in the opening number and the bass gets distorted in very loud parts.
Attendees shared several interesting observations of the show: “When ‘The Chain’ started, everyone was standing. However, when the band would play something other than their greatest hits, many ‘fans’ would sit down. I wish people would have given songs like ‘Eyes of the World’ and ‘Say Goodbye’ a chance. It was easy to differentiate casual listeners from the loyal fans. It was great to see so many generations of fans dancing and singing together. Fleetwood Mac’s music is really timeless.”
“What really impressed me was their respect for their fans. Whenever they performed a new song they would say ‘We are going to perform song (s) from our new album…..’. They wanted the audience to be comfortable and knew it was a delicate situation for the fans. Yes Christine McVie was missed but they still rocked. The highlight of the night for me was Stevie’s performance of ‘Stand Back.’ She gave a signature twirl. The energy went through the roof when that song came on. I could not stop dancing.”
They give an enthusiastic performance plagued with problems. Buckingham has problems with his guitar from the beginning and finally has to stop “Second Hand News” and change instrument, joking he’s been through four guitar techs already.
Overall it’s an intense show. There’s even a short, three song acoustic interlude in the middle with “Big Love,” “Landslide” and “Say Goodbye.” It turns out to be the most wired part of the show (Fleetwood Mac is anything if not intense). During the encores they sing “Don’t Stop,” the only Christine McVie tune of the night and Stevie sings her lines.
The artwork is decorated with several promo photos from the era with the band looking very serious and morose. I’m sure there are better sounding documents from this tour, but this is the only one on silver disc and generally available.
