Dixie Chicks May Lay Egg With US Tour

The Wall Street Journal ^ | June 12, 2006 | Ethan Smith

[KingofZion]

*** Due to disappointing ticket sales, the country-pop trio is postponing as many as half the 42 dates announced for their coming "Accidents and Accusations" concert tour, which starts July 21. After playing 11 U.S. shows, the Chicks will for the moment steer clear of cities like St. Louis, Los Angeles and Jacksonville, Fla. *** It isn't clear that any one factor has caused the trio's recent problems, but there are plenty of candidates. The conventional wisdom has held that they were hurt by lead singer Natalie Maines's 2003 comments to a British audience that the band was "ashamed" that President Bush comes from their home state of Texas. But it might be the band's changing image and music that is at fault, and in the process, it offers up a textbook lesson in the dangers of popular musicians trying to cross over to reach broader audiences. *** Ms. Maines and her band mates have recently criticized mainstream country-music fans themselves. For instance, in the Time article, band member Martie Maguire said "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do." Then there is the band's recent, distinctly un-country musical direction, which owes less to Nashville than it does to Southern California rock. A recent abundance of black eyeliner and dark fashions has made their look more goth than Grand Ol' Opry. *** Some in the industry lay the problems at the group's own feet. "The Bush thing may have died down, but then she went and said that stuff about 'Country listeners are a bunch of rednecks, we don't need 'em,' " says Lynn West, program director at WXBM, a country station in Pensacola, Fla. "Every time things seem to die down, she opens her mouth again."

[KingofZion]

Isn't it funny how the liberal media (see other FR posts) spins weak sales as a result of political backlash, when the truth is that the band has alientated and insulted all of its fans.

Good riddance.

[monkapotamus]

Poor Ditzy Chicks. They are losing all of their supporters.

[Gator101]

I am waiting for the announcement that the DC's want to restructure their tour in order to play "cozier" venues for their fans.

[Gay State Conservative]

Isn't it funny how the liberal media (see other FR posts) spins weak sales as a result of political backlash, when the truth is that the band has alientated and insulted all of its fans

Actually that is a form of political backlash.They have a First Amendment right to insult the President and their fans have a First Amendment right to boycott their concerts.

Ain't our Constitution wonderful!

[World_Events]

Ahhhh, I'm so sad.....

Funny how their ugly mugs were on the magazine and trying to stir up controversy yet again, not cuz they actually believe in anything but because they know that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

[Gay State Conservative]

I am waiting for the announcement that the DC's want to restructure their tour in order to play "cozier" venues for their fans

I think that would be very tough to do.Phone booths have essentially disappeared from this country.

[Darkwolf377]

I am waiting for the announcement that the DC's want to restructure their tour in order to play "cozier" venues for their fans.

You nailed it.

Also, they will rush out a new single, "I Hate The President" and follow it with more interviews telling everyone to "Get over it, we released that song DAYS ago and you're STILL going on about it!"

[cripplecreek]

ROFLMAO

As Larry the cable guy says "That fat one needs to shut her damned mouth."

[Kenny Bunkport]

The poor Victims!!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[gcruse]

Due to disappointing ticket sales, the country-pop trio is postponing as many as half the 42 dates announced for their coming "Accidents and Accusations" concert tour, which starts July 21. After playing 11 U.S. shows, the Chicks will for the moment steer clear of cities like St. Louis, Los Angeles and Jacksonville, Fla.

It isn't clear that any one factor has caused the trio's recent problems, but there are plenty of candidates. The conventional wisdom has held that they were hurt by lead singer Natalie Maines's 2003 comments to a British audience that the band was "ashamed" that President Bush comes from their home state of Texas. But it might be the band's changing image and music that is at fault, and in the process, it offers up a textbook lesson in the dangers of popular musicians trying to cross over to reach broader audiences.

 Ms. Maines and her band mates have recently criticized mainstream country-music fans themselves. For instance, in the Time article, band member Martie Maguire said "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

Then there is the band's recent, distinctly un-country musical direction, which owes less to Nashville than it does to Southern California rock. A recent abundance of black eyeliner and dark fashions has made their look more goth than Grand Ol' Opry.

 Some in the industry lay the problems at the group's own feet. "The Bush thing may have died down, but then she went and said that stuff about 'Country listeners are a bunch of rednecks, we don't need 'em,' " says Lynn West, program director at WXBM, a country station in Pensacola, Fla. "Every time things seem to die down, she opens her mouth again."

[Neoliberalnot]

The dirty chicks have crapped in the face of fans that made them millions. These are the typical, stupid, liberal comments that let people see the ingratitude of those made rich by their supporters and protectors of freedom.

Liberal mantra-- "boycotts never work"

[no dems]

Crash and burn!!!!

[elmer fudd]

Marty: The last time Tap toured America, they where, uh, booked into 10,000 seat arenas, and 15,000 seat venues, and it seems that now, on their current tour they’re being booked into 1,200 seat arenas, 1,500 seat arenas, and uh I was just wondering, does this mean uh…the popularity of the group is waning?

Ian: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no…no, no, not at all. I, I, I just think that the.. uh.. their appeal is becoming more selective.

[HamiltonJay]

Well, honestly I think the Bush thing was stupid and that probably pissed off about 1/2 to 2/3 of their audience.. but then after that to say "we're through with country, you are all stupid rednecks" and piss off 100% of your fan base after that was beyond stupid.

Chix clearly aren't tanking just because of the Bush comment... There are more than enough liberals out there that even in the reddest states they could find 20,000 to buy tickets to a show.

No, these fools alienated their company (SONY, who spent more money to promote them than any act in their history) by making themselves a hot potatoe with their antics about the war.... basically shooting themselves in the foot.. but then to come out and say you are done with country and the fans are all stupid hicks.. went from shooting themselves in the foot to slicing a jugular.

They were handed success on the backs of HUGE amounts of SONY money... and basically got too big for their britches and threw it all away... and part of their deal to get more $$ per album was that they had to pay SONY back for the money SONY spent promoting them I hear... so on paper I'd say Chix are likely still in the hole.

[Hildy]

OH Goody...I'm going to go on their website now and see how they've justified this. If it was just about the "incident" it would be one thing. But they have systematically sabotaged their career with the utterance of single sentences at a time. I've never witnessed anything like it in my life.

[ArtyFO]

Ditzy Chits are number 1 on NPR.

[Hildy]

OH Goody...I'm going to go on their website now and see how they've justified this. If it was just about the "incident" it would be one thing. But they have systematically sabotaged their career with the utterance of single sentences at a time. I've never witnessed anything like it in my life.