The Dixie Chicks, back on the road after a long hiatus, delivered a wild,
thunderous show at White River Amphitheatre Friday, July 8.
As dark skies gave way to rain Friday (July 8,) the Dixie Chicks provided
the thunder with a dominating, two-hour performance in front of a sold-out crowd at White River Amphitheatre, in Auburn.
It’s been a decade since the popular trio has played the Seattle area,
but they wasted little time reacquainting themselves with fans, nearly blowing the roof off with a rocking version of "Taking
the Long Way." The song felt like a microcosm of the whole show — just a hair too loud and suffering from a terrible
mix that left little room for nuance, yet still compelling.
After so many years playing together — siblings Martie Maguire and Emily
Robison started the band in 1989 with lead singer Natalie Maines joining in 1997 — the Chicks are still a well-oiled
machine.
"Easy Silence," from the 2006 album "Taking the Long Way," was the group’s
first chance to slow down, and it allowed Maines’ vocal a chance to not be drowned out by the frantic assault of the
cranked guitars that started the show.
By the time the Chicks got around to the rollicking "Long Time Gone," their
2002 Grammy-winning hit, they had settled into a groove. Hearing the song felt like throwing on your favorite sweater. It
let them show off their pop sensibilities and was a surprisingly effective lead-in to a Prince cover, "Nothing Compares 2
U," which they sung in honor of the recently deceased pop legend.
The group is fortunate that Maines has a voice that can cut glass, because
the mix was so bass-heavy a lesser singer would have been drowned out. Even though the balance was bad during their acoustic
interlude, a countrified version of Beyoncé’s "Daddy Lessons" was a highlight.
"Wide Open Spaces," the 1998 No. 1 single that catapulted the group to international
acclaim, was a satisfying note for many to leave on as the weather started to worsen. As people started to stream out of the
stands, the Dixie Chicks ended the show with "Better Way," by Ben Harper.
After an unnerving week fraught with tension, Harper’s lyric —
"Everyone I know/Is in the fight of their life/and I believe in a better way" — felt like a simple prayer for a better
future.
