Considering Fleetwood Mac have achieved music royalty status over the last forty years, it's not surprising that Gen Xers and millennials can sing along to their hits. DJs Alex Oxley (Smooth Sailing) and Lisa Jelliffe (Roxanne Roll) are tapping into the iconic band's generational appeal with Fleetmac Wood. The husband and wife DJ duo serve as curators for the dance music project, which strictly features Fleetwood Mac mixes and edits. After drawing crowds to clubs and festivals around the world, Fleetmac Wood will bring their mobile remix party to the Wayfarer on Saturday night.
“It's the first time we've played Orange County, and we're really looking forward to it,” Oxley says. “We've hung out in Costa Mesa a bit and that area, and it feels good to take our project there.”
Fleetmac Wood has made multiple appearances at the United Kingdom's Glastonbury and Secret Garden Party, as well as a stop at America's own desert destination Burning Man. They've also packed clubs stateside and abroad, inciting raucous sing-alongs and drawing crowds dressed in Fleetwood Mac attire. No matter the venue, their sets span eras and work in everything from bluesy Peter Green tracks to contemporary releases from the late 80's and early 2000's.
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The British DJs met in a dance tent at the Secret Garden Party, and their shared love of music and performing paved the way for their relationship and their remix project. The inspiration for Fleetmac Wood was initially born out of Jelliffee's solo gigs, where she noticed a particularly positive response to her Mac tracks. From there she teamed up with Oxley for the concept project, dedicated to Fleetwood Mac original remixes and featuring cuts from contributing DJs.
“We're very mindful that this music belongs to the fans, and we're trying to delve deeper into the back catalogue,” Jelliffe says. “It takes a lot of time to get the right remixes. We've been working on this project for three years so we've got a good arsenal of tracks. We've had plenty of time to create our own and gather mixes from others.”
Oxley notes that after moving from London to Los Angles two years ago they were greeted with a line around the corner for their first gig at Echo Park's Short Stop. The warm reception was encouraging for the couple, who found themselves coincidentally residing on the same street in Laurel Canyon that Mick Fleetwood lived on during the 70's.
Their tie to the band goes beyond proximity and dance music. Jelliffe shares that she grew up listening to the classic rock band, and considers their tunes part her childhood. There's a fair chance her experience is familiar to many Gen Xers and millenials who come out to their parties. Fleetwood Mac are among the great rock bands in history that have been able to survive (barely) over the decades, and Jellife and Oxley build on their nostalgic appeal and give it new life with their wildly hypnotic dance parties.
“Sometimes people actually bring their parents to the parties,” Jelliffe says. “We like to go and chat with people in the crowd, especially people who come earlier, so we can hear about their connection to Fleetwood Mac. It's not really about being cool or being seen, it's about the connection and loving dance music. People really lose themselves at our parties.”
Fleetmac Wood perform at The Wayfarer, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 764-0039, www.wayfarercm.com. Saturday, November 14, 9 p.m. $10. 21+. For more Fleetmac Wood visit www.facebook.com/FleetmacWood.
See also:
The 50 Best Things About the OC Music Scene
The 50 Worst Things About the OC Music Scene
The 25 Greatest OC Bands of All Time: The Complete List
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