REMEMBER THIS? That time Fleetwood Mac opened for Survivor in Laird

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

It was summer of 1995– the peak of heat and the Laird Fairgrounds’ classic rock band era. Located 40 km east of the Sault, the Fairgrounds in Laird Township had been accustomed to various horse shows, tractor displays, fairs and concerts since the 1880s. But on July 15, 1995, the township tripled in size for a once-in-a-lifetime performance by one of the greatest rock & roll bands of all time: Fleetwood Mac.

It all happened when promoter, Ivan Prevost, caught wind of an opening in Fleetwood Mac’s tour schedule. He had initially pitched Sudbury as the host city, but Sault Ste. Marie was in closer proximity to the band’s origins. The Memorial Gardens venue and a field on St. Joseph Island had already been booked, so Laird was locked in as the chosen site.

The show was officially announced only five days in advance. For $20 per advance ticket, $25 on-site, the Fairgrounds filled with 3,000 music lovers to witness Fleetwood Mac’s original members, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood play alongside Bekka Bramlett and guitarists, Billy Burnette and Dave Mason.

Rolling Stone Magazine has dubbed this time period, “one of the rockiest periods in the band’s history” – a storyline that fits with the July 17, 1995, Sault Star review of the Laird performance. The article describes some show hiccups including the earlier scheduled band, Survivor, showing up so late they became the closing act, a 40-minute technical audio delay, as well as heated arguments between band members Bekka Bramlett and Dave Mason backstage.

Regardless of behind-the-scenes dynamics and delays, the music is what fans were there for and they were served many big hits like show opener, The Chain, as well as classics like, Go Your Own Way, Blow by Blow, Black Widow, The Whole World Turning and Landslide. It was reported that a clear crowd favourite was Don’t Stop and Mick Fleetwood even donned his iconic electric percussion vest, becoming a human drum for an entire 10 minutes.

As the old adage goes, ‘the show must go on’ and for the township of Laird that evening, it certainly went.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.