Chicks Who Can Really Sing

This is one of those diversions from the world of pets ... Three friends and I went to the Dixie Chicks concert Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center. It's been three years since lead singer Natalie Maines caused a simultaneous earthquake in the worlds of entertainment and politics when she told a London concert that she was ashamed to be from the same state as President Bush.

All four of us liked their latest album, "Taking the Long Way," and wanted to see what this pop-country group might do or say at a live show. For starters, the Chicks -- Maines, and sisters Emily Robison (banjo) and Martie Maguire (fiddle, madolin), backed by six other musicians -- made it clear there would be no apology forthcoming for the Bush remark. They took the stage to "Hail to the Chief."

But if the fans who filled almost all of the available seats thought this would be an evening of political messages, they were wrong. The Chicks let their music and their musicianship do almost all of the talking. From the passion and power of "Lubbock or Leave It" and "Not Ready to Make Nice" to the quiet introspection of "Easy Silence" and "Lullaby," they showed their incredible range musically and emotionally during the two-hour show.

The evening's emotional peak came with "Not Ready to Make Nice," the group's angry response to those who thought they should be contrite in the wake of the backlash to the Bush remark from the media and fans, including death threats. Tuesday night, Maines sang, "It's too late to make it right/I probably wouldn't if I could/Cause I'm mad as hell/Can't bring myself to do what it is/You think I should."

When the band finished, the crowd's extended roaring ovation appeared to catch even Maines by surprise. The fans seemed to be saying, "Play it again, and thank you for saying what we've been thinking." It was louder than a Springsteen concert.

Maybe Dixie Chicks tickets don't sell as fast as they used to, maybe country radio has imposed a ban on their singles and maybe they won't sell 10 million albums this time, but they haven't sold out. For those whose minds are so closed that they can't listen to the group, they're missing music that says something real -- you won't find that on many Reba McEntire or Kenny Chesney albums. Your loss.

Tuesday night, when the Dixie Chicks played "Travelin' Soldier," a poignant song about the emotional scars of war, it was a reminder that an off-handed remark three years ago helped to bring even more attention today to a group that has something important to say.

P.S.: A big thank you to the Dixie Chicks or the management of the Wachovia Center. Our tickets were in the last row of the upper deck, but in between Anna Nalick's opening set and the Dixie Chicks taking the stage, an arena employee asked to see our tickets. He scanned them, handed over four new ones and sent us off to Section 115. Before we were done, we had floor seats in the last row of the first section. Primo. Thanks to whomever made that happen!