By Kate Bartlett
The Fleetwood Mac Experience brings the complete live experience of one of America’s most beloved bands to stage, performing on stages across the country for over 11 years. An evening with The Fleetwood Mac Experience brings listeners back to the classic concert era when rock music ruled the stage, and will be playing a free show at the Ellicottville Rock & Roll weekend at the EVL Winery Main Stage on Saturday, September 14th at 1pm.
The group originated over 11 years ago with founders Stacey Rybarczyk and Matt Hake. The couple played in a local rock band and noticed the crowds’ response to Fleetwood Mac songs. “We couldn’t help but notice the songs were crowd favorites,” recalls Stacey. “We added more and more Fleetwood Mac songs to the set list and noticed our shows gaining momentum.” They decided to do an entire show dedicated to the “Rumours” album and had a great turnout.
From there, Stacey and Matt officially formed a group of 5 musicians, practiced for 5 months and played their first show as The Fleetwood Mac Experience in August 2013. While the group has changed slightly over the years, the core sound and energy has stayed the same. “A couple of members have come and gone, but we’re actually back to our original group and we’re thrilled.”
The group currently consists of Stacey Rybarczyk as Stevie Nicks on vocals, Matt Hake as Lindsey on guitar Lizzie ‘McVie’ on keyboard, Ryan Gaines on drums and Mario Nobilio on Bass. While Mario is from Nashville and Lizzie is from NYC, the other three members all have Western New York roots. “We have such a good time playing together,” says Stacey. “Our energy is upbeat, energetic and the crowd can really feel our musical chemistry. We feed off each other, including the crowd. When they’re having a good time, we’re having a good time too.”
Stacey loves watching the crowd sing along to their favorite lyrics, sparking their memories and reliving their favorite songs. “It’s such a blessing to be keeping this music alive,” says Stacey. “It unites generations and it’s emotional; we see everyone singing along from our youngest fans to the oldest, some even in their 80’s. So many people know all the lyrics, and the energy from the crowd conveys to us on stage.”
While most shows are energetic, the band also plays more intimate, mellow shows in their ‘Storyteller’ series. During these concerts, the band brings listeners into the world of Fleetwood Mac on a more personal level, sharing stories behind the lyrics of the iconic ‘Rumours’ album from 1977, helping fans appreciate the music on a deeper level.
Stacey and Matt have not only studied the music of Fleetwood Mac, but also their gestures and body language. “We hope it makes for a more authentic show,” says Matt. “We mimic the movements and hand gestures of Stevie and Lindsey during certain songs, and we hope this creates a more realistic performance.”
While it’s hard to pick a favorite song, Stacey and Matt agree a crowd favorite to be Silver Springs. “The crowd always loves this song. We don’t use any backtracks or harmonizers; our shows are 100% live and it shows through this song. We don’t fake what’s on stage; the chemistry between us is real.” Stacey and Matt have officially been a couple for many years, and even before they were ‘official’, audience members noticed their chemistry and assumed they were together. “Our shows are powerful, and the crowd can feel the energy between us. It’s authentic, and it helps us portray the chemistry between Stevie and Lindsey.”
The Fleetwood Mac Experience tours cities around the country and even on the Carnegie Theatre Stage in Pittsburgh. “It’s an honor to play there,” says Matt. “The energy of the crowd is just incredible and we always have a great time in Pittsburgh.” The band played Ellicottville Rock ‘n Roll weekend in 2015, and enjoys the intimacy of the festival. “While we enjoy playing large shows, we appreciate the smaller events on a different level. It’s one thing to play in front of a huge crowd, but it has a different meaning to play just a few feet away. We enjoy the intimacy of the smaller gatherings; it’s special on a different level and we strive to keep that energy in our hearts.”
For more information, visit www.thefleetwoodmacexperiencelive.com/, follow on social media @ TheFleetwoodMacExperience. Come see their performance at the Ellicottville Rock ‘n Roll weekend on Saturday, September 15th at 1pm at the EVL Winery Main Stage.