The Chicks are as American as Dixieland Jazz and they perform Country music with undiminished passion to further their own world-conquering Pop style.They were formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas by sisters Martie Maguire (nee Erwin) and Emily Strayer (nee Erwin), as the Dixie Chicks.
Multi-instrumentalists with Maguire a virtuoso fiddler and Strayer playing banjo and dobro. Both played mandolin and guitars.
With Robin Macy and Laura Lynch, they were primarily a Bluegrass and Roots Country outfit, appearing at the famous Telluride music festival in Colorado several times without breakthrough success.
Their name does come from the Little Feat song Dixie Chicken.
With the push to a broader style, the other two departed and lead vocalist and guitar player Natalie Maines came on board in 1995.
Overnight success came nine years from inception with the Wide Open Spaces debut album in 1998. With albums Fly and Home to follow, they became music royalty.
With this level of fame, they courted controversy. They voiced their opposition to the Iraq invasion from the Presidency of George W. Bush and suffered a major backlash in popularity.
This also happened to the Beatles in America, as they were among the first artists to publicly denounce the Viet Nam war. Dallas is a worm hole for American Presidents and the psyche of the nation.
They dropped the Dixie appellation in 2020, the year of contagion and madness. This was a sensitivity to the racist connotations of the American South.
The close to sell- out crowd at the Arena tonight still recognise the original group name and they receive a rapturous welcome.
The three women look stunning. They are backed by a six-piece band. The large monitor screens on either side of the stage keep their focus on them all night.
They open with the big Pop sound of Gaslighter and follow with Sin Wagon which includes a great fiddle breakdown by Maguire.
The Arena always has great sound, but tonight it is exceptional. The stringed instruments are crystal clear and come to the fore, even with the sharp drum sound. Acoustic numbers and bigger rocking ones have a seamless balance. There is no aural fatigue in the 22 songs the Chicks perform.
Texas Man has the off-beat accented rhythm of New Orleans. On the screens behind is iconic Pop Art depicting an androgynous cowboy.
Juliana Calm Down has a little Cajun swing from the violin mixed in with a soulful Pop tune. Maines’ solo vocal is a highlight. Just put on you best shoes/ And strut the fuck around like we’ve got nothing to lose.
The Long Way Around is Pop with a Country attitude and is a fair match for the early period (and best) Eagles music.
My Best Friend’s Wedding is a Madonna-style Gospel number, where the fiddle sounds orchestral and transforms into a violin.
Several songs have a Celtic Folk swing, Ready to Run being one of the best. Original American Country and Folk music is based on ancient Irish and Scottish tunes which thrived in their new home.
Americana is a good collective term as it covers many historical lineages of people’s music. It is possibly the country’s greatest gift to the world as it encompasses Black and White. Both are intertwined like DNA.
The Chicks are superior at Pop Americana. It is the key to their massive success.
There are a few key cover songs.
Travelin’ Soldier, written by Bruce Robison, addresses the vexed issue of the Viet Vet. There are several harsh and excoriating ones (try Alan Vega’s one on his Collision Drive album). This one is romantic and idealised. Strayer plays a wonderful dobro part, and it has an older style Folk ambience.
Rainbowland, written by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton is not sentimental at all and has a kick. All the hurt and hate going on here. Audience participation time where they get to shout It’s disgusting!
March March is the most political song of the evening. It spans social and civil rights movements.
Just before the song, there is a body count of mass shootings which includes New Zealand ones like Aramoana. The Christchurch Mosque attack is conspicuously absent. Greta Thunberg appears in the montage.
The song emphasises marching to your own drum. Lies are Truth and Truth is Fiction. From their last album Gaslighter released in 2020 and it is remarkably prescient.
Elle King
Elle King is the stage name for Tanner Elle Schneider, and she is a fast-rising star of Americana music. She is also the daughter of Rob Schneider.
Her first few songs are average Country Rock. Then she hits her stride with a vengeance.
Chain Smokin’ Hard Drinkin’ Woman is a rowdy stomp beat Blues with a John Lee Hooker rhythm. She has a smoking four-piece band behind her. The guitarist lays down some nice Stevie Ray Vaughn licks here and elsewhere.
Ex’s & Oh’s is just as good. She sounds a little mean and tough like Etta James.
Ain’t Country by Choice and Stop Draggin’ Me. She picks up an acoustic guitar and they race off on some classic Fifties Rockabilly with a nice touch of Honky-Tonk piano.
She has a high helium voice at times like Cyndi Lauper. This is the first time I have heard her music. I can see why she is a rising star. She can also rap a little, in the Talking Blues style. There is some affinity with the Black female Blues divas of the Fifties and Sixties.
Love Go By is where she uses that voice to phrase Country Soul. Deep drum drops, sparkling Folk guitar licks. One of the highlights.
Of course, the Chicks cover Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. One of their biggest singles and a crowd favourite.
The whole ensemble power up to finish the show.
White Trash Wedding has fast fiddle breakdowns with the keyboards playing razor sharp lines.
Not Ready to Make Nice and Goodbye Earl. They rage and they rock. Songs of female empowerment.
The Dixie Chicks were captivating when they first appeared with their revved-up Bluegrass. Bill Monroe would have blushed and buck danced. The Chicks today seem to be as good as they ever were.
Rev Orange Peel
Photography by Leonie Moreland
The Chicks
Elle King
