[MacMan]

Supergroup Fleetwood Mac reunites

By Paul de Barros
Seattle Times jazz critic

After a lackluster start, the reunited '70s supergroup Fleetwood Mac turned up the throttle halfway through its two-and-a-half-hour show at White River Amphitheatre Thursday.

Even at that, it was an average performance, with few memorable highs. Stevie Nicks, in particular, showed signs of wear and the band's energy felt forced, particularly during several long instrumental jams.

It was a lovely summer night, nonetheless, graced by a full moon, and the band's mystico-mellow brand of rock pleased, if it didn't quite ignite, the mostly 40-something fans.

The show was part of a reunion tour that has produced two new albums, "Say You Will" and "Live in Boston." The familiar foursome (Christine McVie stayed home) — Nicks, guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood — was backed up by two singers and five instrumentalists.

As always, Nicks' blond tresses, red lipstick and Gypsy lace shawls — she wore several as the show progressed — were the visual bull's-eye of the evening. Her voice, always odd, has gone a bit froggy and has acquired a hard, unpleasant edge. She and Buckingham, once the model of folk/rock perfection, sang together raggedly.

By contrast, bug-eyed, madcap Fleetwood, in waistcoat and knickers, played with crackerjack authority, though a prancing-across-the-stage solo with electronic drums hidden under his vest was tedious.

From time to time, singing songs mostly old but sometimes new, the band reminded us that its combination of complex beats, Celtic drones and sweet melodies was a creative cornerstone of rock's heroic era.

Dedicating the infectious "Landslide " to a niece and uncle in the area, Nicks stood behind ex-lover Buckingham and coyly tapped her red-painted fingernails on his shoulders as he played.

On the yearning ballad "Beautiful Child" and the pretty hit "Sara," Nicks' raspy voice took on a Marianne Faithfull-like pathos. "Gold Dust Woman" rocked. Buckingham, still in great voice and looking fit, offered some lively finger-picking on "Never Going Back Again." The pìece de résistance, of course, was the irresistible anthem, "Don't Stop" (thinkin' about to-mor-row), which brought down the house.