Chicks Tix Going Quick Despite Bush Controversy

Billboard ^ | Ray Waddell

[Pharmboy]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Billboard) - Despite some backlash at radio and retail for negative comments about President Bush (news - web sites), the Dixie Chicks (news - web sites) are flying high in preparation for their upcoming arena tour, according to Rob Light, the act's agent.

"To be brutally honest, there has been no effect, other than the odd phone call to a building inquiring about a refund. There's a lot more noise than action," says Light, head of the music division at Creative Artists Agency.

"Actually, the buildings are getting more asking, if there are refunds, can they buy the tickets." Light says there are no refunds.

He says that of 59 shows, only six have seats left, and those are all 85%-90% sold out and expected to go clean.

The tour, sponsored by Lipton, kicks off May 1 at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., and concludes Aug. 4 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville. Joan Osborne (news) supports on the first leg; Michelle Branch (news) on the second. The tour is working with several promoters, cutting separate deals in each market.

The Chicks' March 1 national on-sale moved 867,000 tickets worth $49 million at the box office during one weekend.

The Dixie Chicks' album "Home" has tumbled down the charts in the weeks following singer Natalie Maines (news)' declaration in London that she was ashamed to come from the same state (Texas) as Bush.

[Pharmboy]

Sounds like a load of cowpies to me.

[wideawake]

I can't believe their own agent would lie about their sales.

[Tahoe3002]

Proof's in the pudding. (Seems like there is a pun in there somewhere.) Anyway, I much prefer Toby Keith's way of doing business, like "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue"...

[Leroy S. Mort]

Tomato sales are up in the same markets.

[Cordova Belle]

I r-e-a-l-l-y wish country music fans would put their money where their mouth is ans STAY AWAY in droves. I'm disappointed in this report--and no cracks about Tom Daschle! :-)

[cubreporter]

Well maybe people are wanting to go so they can boo or walk out? Who knows?

[jagrmeister]

Concerts are for hard-core fans and constitute a small portion of the recorded music buying numbers. The drop-off the Dixie Chicks face will be amongst their "peripheral" fans- and the consequence will and has been less radio play and album sales. A vicious cycle will likely ensue whereby without such exposure, selling out venues may be more difficult. Theirs is a self-inflicted wound that probably won't heal.

[Timesink]

We watched the sales on eBay when this first broke out, and I looked again just this morning. The day the story broke, but before most people had heard about it, most Chicks tickets on eBay were going for very high prices ... $750 here, $1200 there, etc. Within a week, the very best seats were going for more like $250-350, and less than perfect seats were barely getting above face value. I even bid on a pair for something like 7¢, and nobody bid higher than me for a solid week; the seller had to cancel the auction. And I just looked today, and it's even worse. Unless you've got tickets to a Chicks concert in an ultraliberal city, the odds are better then even that you won't even get a single bid.

Remember, the majority of these tickets were sold well before Fatalie opened her Big Stupid Mouth of Hate. When you just blew $250 on two tickets, you're probably going to go regardless. The proof will be in how their NEXT tour does.

[mewzilla]

Wonder if they cut ticket prices?

[Warren_Piece]

What he's not telling you is the majority of the venues sold out BEFORE Maines made her comments in England. Pure spin.

[RepPhil]

I think the die-hard fans will go to concerts, but it might take more than just die-hards to buy CDs.

[johnb838]

Really? Maybe the American public is not for the Bush War after all. :(

[gridlock]

The fact that the agent even sees the need to tell his pack-o-lies is a good news. Fact is, most of the DC Tix sold before Natalie opened her mouth about GWB. The fact that there are still some available speaks volumes.

And notice that nobody is talking about adding on extra shows...

This is not good news for the Chix.

[Newbomb Turk]

I suspect this is BS due to the fact that all the concert venues were supposedly sold out on the opening day of ticket sales.

Damage control ?

[Timesink]

Don't believe this guy. He's their AGENT. He has a vested financial interest in seeing them be as popular as possible. He's lying through his teeth.

[johnb838]

Thanks, I forgot my sarcasm tag.

[Darksheare]

Sounds more like someone is buying up a bunch of tickets to cover the embarrassment of having half the concert empty come opening night.

[aCookieMomster]

...also Clint Black's: "I RAQ, I RACK'EM UP AND I ROLL
I'M BACK AND I'M A HIGH TECH GI JOE
I PRAY FOR PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR..."

[gridlock]

Tickets on eBay now for $50 - $100 per ticket for sold out shows, just about every venue available.

They're scalping above face value, but just barely.

This is real bad news for the Chix.

[Caipirabob]

Concerts are for hard-core fans and constitute a small portion of the recorded music buying numbers.

However, concert receipts are a major source of direct income for the given artists. Record sales are mainly profitably for the label, not the artist.

Pretty sad that so many people are willing to subsidize such a disgusting message.