"You're probably wondering, 'When's she going to say something about the elections?'" singer Natalie Maines told the audience, seventeen songs into the Dixie Chicks' November 11th Tacoma, Wash., show. "So how about the elections?"
Even during a show more about the music than the politics, that raised a raucous cheer. It wasn’t the evening’s first. The crowd had clearly cast its vote for the Dixie Chicks, who came onstage to the triumphant refrain of "Hail to the Chief" and rode that wave all the way through the set.
The show began with "Lubbock or Leave it", one of many songs from their latest album, Taking the Long Way. Songs from previous albums dotted the setlist as well, including "Goodbye Earl", possibly the most cheerfully homicidal song ever penned.
The mostly-female crowd joined in with remarkable gusto. On the opposite end of the spectrum was the amazing musical and emotional build of "Top of the World." A special nod must also be given to "White Trash Wedding", primarily for its tongue-in-cheek dedication to FedEx himself, Kevin Federline. "[Federline has] probably had a rough day," Maines explained, "and no one else has sent a song to him. 'Cause we're nice people, and we care what other people think about us."
The Chicks' current songs, obviously affected by such public perception and how they've faced it over the last few years, included a gorgeous "Taking the Long Way Around", "Easy Silence", “The Neighbor” (a song written for the Dixie Chicks documentary Shut Up and Sing), and their mission-statement declaration "Not Ready to Make Nice," which was one of the night’s real showstoppers. It was part of the show's stellar second half. While things were strong all the way through, the set got a real injection from the bow-sawing, fast-picking instrumental "Lil' Jack Slade”, which showed off Emily Robison, Martie Maguire and the band to full effect. From there on out, the show really flew.
The main set closed with "Wide Open Spaces" and a rousing take on "Sin Wagon", which was answered by a standing—and stomping—ovation loud enough to make the bleachers feel like they were in the midst of a low-grade earthquake. That brought the Dixie Chicks back onstage for a three-song encore. "Travelin' Soldier" hauntingly showcased the three girls alone before everyone returned for Bob Dylan's "Mississippi" and a Chicks classic, "Ready to Run." Both high-energy jams that were just the right note to end on.
Perhaps most impressive was the job the sound engineers performed. With little infractions, they managed to provide some of the best-mixed audio and clearest vocals I've heard in ages at an arena show. Nonetheless, technicalities aside, the Dixie Chicks proved they they've earned all the buzz surrounding them throughout their career. On record, the band is dynamic and inimitable, but live, they put on such a fun and inspired show, I hardly minded the mile-long uphill walk back to my car at the end of the night.
