CONCERT REVIEW: Dixie Chicks at BB&T Pavilion

Dixie Chicks
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for PMK)

For the first time in a decade, the Dixie Chicks brought their stirring country rock through the Philadelphia area on Saturday, June 18th. Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire delivered a pointed and lively show at the BB&T Pavilion in Camden.

Opening with their striking silhouettes at the back of the stage and emerging into the light like a reverse end to a western movie, they launched into “The Long Way Around.” Aiming for the right balance of imagery in widescreen behind them and memorable music being projected to a welcoming crowd, the Dixie Chicks are a band at the top of their form.

So many great musical moments echoed through the pavilion. The brilliant “Travelin’ Soldier” acoustic brought tears and goosebumps. A fantastic rendering of Beyonce’s “Daddy Lessons” will not soon be forgotten. A stirring version of Price’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” brought hints of Sinead O’Connor’s version to mind while making it the Dixie Chicks’ own. And of course their incredible take on “Landslide” is seared into the auditory memory of all who witness it.

Their blunt politics were also on display. Donald Trump was projected with devil horns briefly during the pointed “Goodbye Earl” and it sure brought out the laughs. “Ready to Run” was accompanied by heaps of red, white and blue confetti as well as hilarious takes on many of the presidential candidates this year on the big screen. Fun, sprawling and leaving no doubt about their displeasures, the Dixie Chicks reminded everyone that popular music is rooted in activism.

With the name of DCX MMXVI World Tour, the Dixie Chicks promised something timeless and cinematic. They certainly delivered from first note to last.