Americans Not Buying the Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks’ concert at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, July 21, was “several thousand people shy of the venue’s typical concert capacity of about 14,000 — and down from the group’s quick sellouts in previous Detroit performances.”
Aw, too bad. At least they’re doing well in Canada.
Reports of slow ticket sales had dogged the tour since seats went on sale last month, the presumed fallout of lingering controversy over the the Chicks’ 2003 criticism of President Bush and war in Iraq, which prompted much of the country establishment to abandon the superstar group — and prompted the group to stubbornly turn its back on the country establishment.
On hand Friday night was an unconventional mosaic of concertgoers, as denim-clad fans with Stetsons gathered amid obscenity-laced anti-Bush shirts and banners.
Then a Saturday concert at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburg, the Chicks played to a 1/2 empty a auditorium.
“Anybody seeing us for the first time?” [Natalie Maines] asked, near the end of the show.
About half of the 8,500 ticket holders applauded.
No poll was necessary, however, to feel a different vibe among The Dixie Chicks’ smaller new following. “Travelin’ Soldier,” which used to elicit a patriotic swell from the crowd, barely drew a smattering of applause.
Some fans in the audience wore “Not My President” shirts that pictured President Bush’s face and “idiot” stamped across his forehead. Classy. The Chicks are attracting obscenity laced, anti-Bush crowds that can’t fill a stadium.
Ah, capitalism!
Cross-posted at Amy’s Blog: Bottom Line Up Front
July 25th, 2006 at 6:24 pm
I don’t agree with everything the Chicks have said, but I think this article at Liberal Country Fan provides a better balance than the report here. You’ve left out all the news reports indicating the high quality of the crowd. The Liberal Country Fan article mentions both the quantity (admittedly lowER) and the quality.
By the way, most of us liberals don’t express our dislike of the president in immature ways like wearing t-shirts. We have real grievances, but most of us would like to have discussions with conservatives about them, not shout (visually or aurally) them at ya’ll.
July 25th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
“Travelin’ Soldier,” which used to elicit a patriotic swell from the crowd, barely drew a smattering of applause.”
1/2 the people, non-patriotic, overwhelmingly disliking Bush… I guess it depends upon your definition of “quality”.
I am unfortunately around alot of liberals. I even counter protest against them weekly. They DO indeed wear t-shirts and act distastefully. This is not of course all liberals. It is, however, the vocal core.
Your last paragraph is something I cannot take seriously, unfortunately. My on-line experience with liberals has been 99% negative. They use profanity, hide behind anonymity, distort and name call. I feel like this is a conversation I should be having with a Muslim while saying, “I’m sure not ALL Muslims are bad…” Of course not, but the fruit of the liberal tree is poison.
July 25th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Snicker
Piss off your base and see what happens
I still like alot of their older music but i balance that with my hatred of them by thinking patriotic thoughts or immediately playing toby keith
July 25th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
the high quality of the crowd
LOL!
What does that mean exactly? I guess it means that there were BDS suffering liberals in the crowd instead of those “bible thumpin’, gun totin’, NASCAR lovin’ repuginazi supporters of Chimpy Bushitler”?
No matter how much lipstick you try to put on the Ditzy Twits pig it is still a pig.
Money talks, hun. That IS reality, not “reality-based”. I know that reality is a difficult concept for you to grasp. You see, reality is a harsh mistress. No matter how you try to spin things, no matter how many times you repeat “the sky is green and the earth is flat”, no matter how many times you click your heels together and wish that it is still the summer of love it just ain’t gonna happen, hun. Why? Because that isn’t reality. And that is why you and the Ditzy Twits are losers.
July 26th, 2006 at 7:17 am
I agree that money is the bottom line. I admire the Chicks’ persistence in their right to free speech, although I deplore the substance of their speech. I admire even more fans who are willing to forego good, quality entertainment in the name of principles. I think that says a lot about the qaulity of fans they’ve alienated themselves from.
I used to like the Chicks but won’t buy a CD. I’ve never seen Fahrenheit 9/11 because I won’t donate a cent to Michael Moore. This is the same strategy that blacks used to muscle their way through injustice via the Civil Rights movement. The transportation boycotts sparked by Rosa Parks crippled the industry, and they refused to fund their own oppression.
While this isn’t exactly a civil rights issue, it’s important that people of principle don’t sell out for temporal gain their own morality and principles.
And we’re blessed to live in America where we can make it happen.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Back to the War on Terrorism. Dixie Chicks you rock. Good for you for excercising your fundamental right “Freedom of Speech”. I am from Canada, but the U.S. citizens would not have all of the freedoms they enjoy today, if people who had gone before them, hadn’t spoken up and stood for something. Stand proud as you should. I find it ironic that you gals were chastized by some many other fellow American’s, when even the troops that they so proudly support, think they should come home. The latest headlines from the show 60 Minutes, read as follows: “To many in America’s armed forces, these men and women are doing the unthinkable: Active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines speaking out against the ongoing conflict in Iraq. They’ve signed on to what’s called “An Appeal for Redress” - and they say it’s time for U.S. troops to come home”
Wow, makes you think. You just had to confidence to say, what the majority of the troops think. Cudo’s to you Dixie Chicks. Rock on…..continue using your talents.
Glenn
February 26 9:15 PM