Dixie Chicks get political,bring nostalgia, and cover Prince [and Bey] in new tour
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7393598/the-dixie-chicks-get-political-bring-nostalgia-natalie-maines-dcx-mmxvi
..."Since frontwoman Natalie Maine's choice comments about U.S. President George W. Bush in 2004, the band has done battle with the political right and a conservative country music community, which the Chicks dominated during the late 90s and early 00s. That may have stalled the three-pieces forward momentum and led to a prolonged period of limited activity, but the Chicks aren't exactly looking to tow any lines.
There were messages about Planned Parenthood and the social action organization Proclaim Justice, of which Maines is a board member, as part of a pre-show video package that also included Chicks trivia questions and "random tweets" from Maines. And while there was no political verbiage from Maines (who's back to blonde these days), Marti Maguire and Emily Strayer during the show, they did take a brief swipe at presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump by flashing his photo -- with devil's horns and a fake mustache added -- amidst the rogue's gallery shown on the rear-stage video screen during the vengeful "Goodbye Earl.".....
...."It was certainly a different set of Chicks that hit the DTE stage to "The Long Way Around." The chatty irreverence and self-deprecation of previous shows was gone, and there was no running to and fro satellite stages and extended ramp (the evening's steady rain was not conducive to that, anyway). Instead the Chicks were slick, professional and straightforward, flanked by the five members of their band on a clean, wide open stage space. Their rich vocal harmonies were fully intact, and the arrangements were agreeably lean 'n' mean, ranging from ferocious ("Lubbock or Leave It," "Sin Wagon"
to gentle ("Easy Silence," Patty Griffin's "Top of the World," a trio-only version of "Travelin' Soldier"
, with majestic renditions of "Wide Open Spaces," "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Not Ready To Make Nice."
......"Early on Maines promised the crowd that the Chicks "are going to attempt to entertain you." No problem there. It was a welcome return and an equally welcome reminder of the abundant merits that took the Chicks to the top before controversy marginalized their impact."...
The tour schedule is posted here:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dixie-chicks-begin-north-american-tour-the-ram-report-20160601