Weetwood Mac, You Make Loving Fun

On 10 July, Kirkstall Abbey was filled with a sea of ponchos, beads and flowy bohemian skirts as it hosted Yorkshire’s very own Fleetwood Mac; otherwise known as Weetwood Mac. Originating in Weetwood, Leeds, the band is formed of multiple different groups from Ellen and The Escapades, Hope & Social and Wayward Sons with: Ellen Smith on guitar and vocals; Chris Quick on keyboard; Gary Stewart on bass; James Warrender on drums and Sam Wood on guitar.

The cover band were not alone in bringing music to the ruins, as they were joined by Ultimate ELO and local Kirkstall band Pick n Mix, who kicked off the night. The concert took place within the actual grounds of the Abbey, where people could choose to be in the action under the lit up arches, or take a more relaxed approach and listen to the music from the courtyard on picnic blankets.

Ultimate ELO were the perfect match for Weetwood Mac, keeping the audience engaged and getting the dancing started. The music flew out of the main hall to the outside area where people shared food and blankets and danced towards the bar. The band played classics like Evil Woman, Telephone Line, Last Train to London and of course, ended with Mr Blue Sky which was magical to listen to underneath the blue sky inside of Kirkstall Abbey.

Then it was time for the main event, Weetwood Mac took to the stage, keeping the sounds of the seventies echoing through the Abbey ruins and into the souls of the audience. Transporting people back through the decades, some people revisiting and some people arriving for the first time.

The band captured the essence of Fleetwood Mac perfectly, and Ellen Smith seized the attention of everyone with her mesmerising voice. Closing your eyes, it was like Stevie Nicks was there and despite there being little similarities in the way they look, Smith channeled the energy of Nicks completely.

Smith showed off her voice, taking inspiration from past performances. You could feel the emotion from the stage whilst she belted out Silver Springs, tugging at the heart strings of everyone in the audience, and drawing people in from the courtyard like a siren. She then effortlessly captured the energy Nicks had during a popular 1976 performance of Rhiannon, turning into a woman possessed to perfectly execute the song.

Kirkstall Abbey provided breathtaking acoustics as the sound bounced through the Abbey. Weetwood Mac took the audience through the motions, playing the original band’s upbeat songs and then their more mellow tunes. Each song played into the strengths of the band, allowing each of them a moment in the lime-light to show off just how good they are.

Tusk allowed Warrender his moment to captivate the audience by taking over the stage for an extended drum solo, giving the band a few minutes to recuperate before coming back on for an encore. Wood took over during Gypsy, sending everyone into a trance with his guitar skills during the solo.

Then came the song everyone had been waiting for, The Chain. The excitement grew and grew with Stewart casting a spell on the crowd, as if his instrument had been laced with black magic, making the bass solo look easy as everyone went into a frenzy. Smith and Stewart provided us with vocals that we will never forget, easily flying through the high notes, as if possessing the souls of the original singers.

Weetwood Mac managed to keep the authenticity of the original band, including the ease in which they held the audience's attention, with everyone dancing and singing along passionately, which they did from beginning to end. Even once the band left the stage the crowd was begging for more, and that is a very good sign you have done the original band justice.

The music enchanted everyone there that night and gave everyone a reason to get dancing. Sharing little moments like this in the presence of strangers is one thing, but to share it within a historic landmark, like Kirkstall Abbey, made it even more special and Weetwood Mac made that happen.