REVIEW Fleetingwood Mac at The Queens Hotel, Southsea: 'A scene to behold'
The Queens Hotel Garden Parties have undoubtedly been an unqualified success in reintroducing live music this summer in a safe environment.
They are rewarded with a sold out show featuring Portsmouth's Fleetingwood Mac, a tribute to the Anglo-American rock giants.
It was certainly a four-season day, with early showers threatening to curtail proceedings but despite dark clouds ominously gathering, the rain mercifully held off and blue patches started to appear, leading to bright sunshine.
Fleetingwood are certainly a class act.
Thankfully they don't try to look like the real thing, just as well because let’s face it, they are an an odd bunch. What they are, though, is exemplary musicians, led by guitarist Paul Caruana.
Kicking off with a blistering Don't Stop, the pace and quality doesn't stop for the next 90 minutes. They are helped with a hatful of genuine classics in the locker, highlights of which are Rhiannon and the Peter Green-era classic Oh Well.
Star of the show though is vocalist Bethany Raine, dressed all in black she exudes the right amount of resonance in a superb vocal performance.
The crowd of course lap it up. Starved of live music for five months they respectfully adhere to the new Covid-19 regulations, which must be incredibly difficult. That is until the final few numbers, starting with the immortal Chain, when it all becomes too much for some people, and with the opening chords of Go Your Own Way dozens of people are up dancing – some on tables.
Of course it was harmless natural exuberance – there was indeed a sense of letting go of five months of frustration, but done in a friendly way that was certainly a scene to behold.