Flicking through record albums in a store, Sheena Beckett came across a Fleetwood Mac greatest hits album and thought it would be the perfect birthday gift for her mum.

It was the late ‘80s. The pre-teen Beckett didn’t know Fleetwood Mac but knew that her mum, a professional singer on the road, was a fan of the rock band that for 20 years had produced hits like Dreams, The Chain, Don’t Stop, Everywhere, Rhiannon and Songbird – today’s timeless staples of radio, film and streaming playlists worldwide.

“She started playing the album,” recalls Beckett, “and I was genuinely captivated by Stevie Nicks’ voice. I’d never heard anybody sing like that. I honestly thought, what’s this magical sound. I really, really fell in love with her and, from there, I discovered Fleetwood Mac.”

Beckett’s mum told her stories from her youth, listening to Peter Green’s original Fleetwood Mac, the band’s name splicing together the surname of drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.

“From that point, I fell in love with all of it,” says British-born Beckett, who followed her family into entertainment and has been a singer, dancer and actress in theatre and television since she was seven.

Fast-forward to the early days of COVID by which time Beckett, who’d been touring in ABBA shows for years, had become a diehard Fleetwood Mac fan.

COVID’s downtime suddenly became the perfect time for Beckett and her musician husband Allan Beckett to do a passion project by writing tribute show Go Your Own Way, which itself has become a hit show globally, masterfully bringing Fleetwood Mac to life on stage – and it’s coming to QPAC’s Concert Hall for two shows on June 11.

You might like

Music

How Stephen Cummings got his rhythm back

Music

Tempo change in the tropics as AFCM comes to town

Fleetwood Mac’s legacy in music spans more than five decades, influencing generations of artists across rock, pop, folk and contemporary music. With their trademark blend of soaring harmonies, poetic song-writing and emotionally charged storytelling, the band redefined what a stadium‑filling rock group could be.

“Fleetwood Mac didn’t just write songs — they wrote confessions,” says Beckett, 45, who channels her icon in the show. “That’s the heartbeat of this show. We’re not simply performing the hits. We’re guiding audiences through the stories and tension that shaped them.”

You might like

Music

How Stephen Cummings got his rhythm back

Music

Tempo change in the tropics as AFCM comes to town

One of those “confessions” is the song Silver Springs, which Nicks wrote after a painful break up with the band’s powerhouse lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist, Lindsey Buckingham.

“In the show my favourite song as a performer, singer and director is Silver Springs – a wonderful song Stevie wrote with the intention of being included on the Rumours album, but it didn’t make the cut because the other members of Fleetwood Mac didn’t feel it would fit.

“I tell that story in the show and how … in the ‘90s, Fleetwood Mac did a performance called The Dance, which we recreate in our show, and that’s when Silver Springs was given a new lease of life. It was nominated for a Grammy Award after that.

“And now the story continues with Silver Springs, because it’s become a bit of a TikTok sensation and a viral sensation, so we see a lot of younger people, teenagers, cheering when we say Silver Springs.”

 ‘I did so much research into her life, her story, her relationships’

Beckett says that to channel Stevie Nicks she had to dive deep into the singer’s background.

“Where she’s coming from is key for me,” says Beckett. “To know what the songs are about. Going into production for the show, I did so much research into her life, her story, her relationships – with Buckingham, the band, her parents – that’s where her music comes from.”

Beckett says the show’s most difficult Fleetwood Mac song to sing is Sisters of the Moon, recreating the Tusk Tour from 1979 when Nicks was going through personal trauma.

“All of her emotion, and this guttural Stevie Nicks vibe comes out in her performance at the time. It’s mind-blowing how good she was and to try to emulate that is challenging but also rewarding.”

Because Nicks’ style of singing is very different to Beckett’s, to protect her vocal folds she “steams a lot”.

“Lubricated, vocal rest. Warm up, cool down,” she says.

Beckett has never met Nicks and admits she would be “very star struck” if that was to happen, as “she really is an idol for me”.

Fleetwood Mac’s enduring appeal lies in the authenticity and vulnerability woven into their music, transforming personal turmoil into some of the most iconic recordings in modern music history.

For Go Your Own Way, Beckett is accompanied on stage by Damon Downs (vocals, guitar and banjo), Allan Beckett (bass guitar), Greg Ison (drums and percussion) and Carley Lyons (keys, piano and vocals).

While Nicks (Beckett) is the big voice and the show’s narrator, voices interweave throughout, giving it that lush harmony Fleetwood Mac fans expect, with Lyons’ contrasting sweet vocals as the late Christine McVie blending beautifully. Think Songbird.

In the meantime, rumours of a renewed partnership between the real-life Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks have recently gained momentum, with the guitarist posting a video to social media updating fans on several projects — including  an almost-completed solo album, an upcoming Fleetwood Mac doco (directed by filmmaker Frank Marshall for the streaming platform Apple TV+) and what Buckingham described as a growing sense of renewed connection between himself and Nicks.

“I believe it will translate to something good and wonderful,” he said online, hinting at a possible reunion with Nicks.

Naturally, Sheena Beckett is excited at the prospect of her idol’s reunion with Buckingham. Fodder for future tweaks to the show, perhaps?

“I know. I’m watching intently,” she enthuses. “We’re keeping an eye on what’s going on.”

Go Your Own Way plays QPAC’s Concert Hall, June 11, 3pm and 7pm (sold out); and Adelaide Convention Centre, June 13, 7pm.

gyowtour.com