Oct. 7 2013 – Since the classic rock bands we love so much here at T-Mak World are no longer touring or only tour very occasionally we often head out to see tribute bands to play the classics. We have seen tribute shows for bands such as Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd countless times but one band we have never seen being covered was Fleetwood Mac. I even flew to Newark, NJ to watch Fleetwood Mac from front row center earlier this year (check out this review if you havent yet to see how front row looks at a Mac concert). Well with a notification from our good friends at CTA Tributes, we finally got a chance to catch a Fleetwood Mac tribute band in our backyard (well almost – the show was in Burlington but hey that’s close enough to the GTA).
The band was called Rikki Nicks, as was the Stevie Nicks singer. Rikki Nicks (the band) consisted of Scott Milligen on drums, Chris Nicoloff on bass, Kyle Wilson on guitar, and Rikki Lee Capek as Rikki Nicks. Upon first watching the band take the stage, one is immediately captivated by the voice Rikki Nikks (the singer) and her enigmatic smile. Rikki took over the audience and cast her Rhiannon like spell over them the whole night and ensured that the magic of Fleetwood Mac would be the soundtrack to a pleasurable night.
The gig consisted of 3 sets and although The Boston Manor did not have a real stage, the band took over from the first minute. The first 40 minute set drew heavily from Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album (obviously) as 5 of the 8 songs were from the band’s multi platinum album. Rounding out the set was a Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks duet from Nick’s first solo album, a song from the album before Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) and one from the album after Rumours (Tusk). The band enabled a great party atmosphere with this particular setlist and the dance floor started filling up with the second song and always had people dancing. This is actually the first time that I can think of where a band had people dancing in this manner and was a pleasurable departure from the traditional environment. The set was very strong but Rhiannon was a major highlight as Rikki elevated her voice to a power level that reminded of Stevie Nicks in the late 70’s. Set 1 consisted of:
- The Chain
- Don’t Stop
- Dreams
- Stop Draggin My Heart Around
- You Make Lovin Fun
- Sara
- Second Hand News
- Rhiannon
As incredible as the first set was, it was the second set that really blew us away. Set 2 a.k.a. the deeper cut segment offered a smattering of songs from Fleetwood Mac’s catalogue. Rumours was again represented but only with 2 lesser known songs that are typically not heard on the radio. Even cooler than that was an unexpected inclusion of a Fleetwood Mac song from 1969 back in the Peter Green era, and that song showed the band is more than just a showcase for Rikki Nicks. Oh Well reminded the audience that before Buckingham/Nicks being in Fleetwood Mac the band was much more Led Zeppelin than most people know.
Set 2:
- Tusk
- 7 Wonders
- Never Going Back Again
- Gypsy
- I Don’t Wanna Know
- Gold Dust Woman
- Oh Well
- Landslide
- Big Love
The third set featured a Dave Matthews Band cover – an odd choice you might think for a Fleetwood Mac tribute band but it turns out Stevie Nicks covered that song so that made much more sense as to why it was included on tonight’s setlist. Hardcore fans were rewarded with a Buckingham Nicks song from their album and the night finished with the anthemic Go Your Own Way. A stagette party that was there celebrating had what appeared to be a very fun night and they sure added to the party feel for the show.
Set 3:
- Edge of 17
- Crash Into Me
- You Make Lovin Fun
- Don’t Let Me Down Again
- World Turning
- Stand Back
Encore
- Go Your Own Way
VERDICT: Overall we had a fantastic time and Rikki Nicks has become a solid must see show for us. Kyle Wilson does a phenomenal job on Buckingham’s guitar emulation and Rikki Nikks vocals are something to be heard to be believed. See you at the next one!PS. We have videos from the show coming very shortly so check back.
Review – Terry Makedon | Photos – Michael Litt T-Mak World: Toronto’s Site for Music, Movies and Culture www.tmakworld.com | Twitter | Facebook Get the T-Mak World Toolbar below to get all the info you need
