WSJ: Dixie Chicks May Lay Egg With U.S. Tour

[unhappycamper]

The Dixie Chicks have had the top-selling music album in the U.S. for two weeks running. They recently appeared on "60 Minutes" and the cover of Time magazine. But the trio behind the single "Not Ready to Make Nice" is discovering that country-music fans may not be ready to make nice with them, either.

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. Instead, they will "go where the fans are," according to their Web site -- meaning they will likely spend much or all of the period from mid-August to mid-October touring Europe and Australia instead of playing the U.S. dates they had planned.

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The Dixie Chicks say:

June 9, 2006
MESSAGE FROM NATALIE, EMILY & MARTIE:

To our Fans:
Any reports being made about the cancellation of our upcoming Accidents And Accusations tour are completely false.

We have known since March 2003 that our path in this business would have obstacles at every pass. We have enjoyed meeting each one head-on and we will continue to do so. Dixie Chicks fans are as active and dedicated as they come. This time around we are willingly feeling our way through uncharted territory. Things don't come as easy as they might have come in the past, and it makes each accomplishment more exciting and appreciated.

We will go where the fans are with great anticipation and no regrets. To find out (along with us) where that is, visit www.dixiechicks.com for all updates to Accidents And Accusations tour information.

Love, The Chicks


Someone ain't telling the truth.

[wryter2000]

1. The WSJ not telling the truth?

Surely, you jest. :sarcasm:

I wonder if the Chicks will be anywhere around here. Oaktown isn't exactly a hotbed for country music.

On edit: They'll be in Oakland on Sept. 9. :bounce:

[unhappycamper]

6. Here's a link to their tour schedule:

http://www.dixiechicks.com/06_ontour.asp

[shance]

18. The Wall Street Journal? You mean the one owned by the rich white

neocon profiteers of America?

I'm shocked, SHOCKED.

Surely they wouldn't pull a hatchet job on the Dixie Chicks tour?

I mean, we're not talking about a bunch of rich white privileged guys with a vendictive streak are we?

I mean come on, three women against a hidden group of good ole boys safely shrouded behind a media machine?

They wouldn't possibly be threatened by a cute lil three gal band from Texas, would they?

Of course they would.

[Joey Liberal]

2. The WSJ and AOL are spreading this crap around n/t

[EFerrari]

3. So, the WSJ put out a hit piece on the Dixie Chicks. n/t

[LeftNYC]

4. $89 for the good seats here at MSG.

Way overpriced. $39 for the cheap seats...

[flamin lib]

5. Ya' know you'd think country music fans would have learned after

they boycotted Shania Twain. She basically said screw 'em and moved on to pop and has done really well since, taking a two and a half year sabbatical to raise her kid and returning to sold out pop and crossover crowds.

Hang in there Chicks, you don't need the red necks.

[lebkuchen]

9. We'd love to see them in Europe

I saw them perform at the NCO club on Okinawa when they were relatively unknown--fantastic show, and we danced right under their noses.

[deaniac21]

15. I wish I could raise a kid in less than 3 years!

[flamin lib]

27. Gimme a break. Get the kid out of diapers and old enough to

resume your career on your own terms.

If the average mom could take two and half years it would be nice.

[deaniac21]

28. I don't think you got the joke. My mom says that I'm still not

'raised'. I've got nothing against careers (I gots one myself). Thanks for jumping me, anyway!:hi:

[flamin lib]

31. Sorry for being thin skinned. My kid got six weeks off with pay

with our new grandson. I wish everybody got at least that much time off. Then she enrolled him in the day-care center in the building where she works. Takes off every few hours to breast feed him.

When we were raising her it was a week of vacation if you had it coming.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

34. When did they boycott her (Twain)? Never liked her much, but this news

almost makes me want to!

[MrModerate]

7. Hard to believe that Los Angeles is a center of . . .

Wingnut country music fans. I'd have guessed it'd be more the "sex, drugs, and Garth Brooks" school of fans. Does anyone know the LA country scene enough to comment on this?

[Initech]

22. Orange County is insanely right wing. Tons of wingnuts.

Triple emphasis on the word "insane". We're home to Rick Warren's 45,000 member Purpose Driven Church (tm) in Irvine. Same county that spawned Richard Nixon on the world. I dont know if this has an effect on the LA crowd, but considering that we're the closest neighbors, maybe it does.

[MrModerate]

25. Not a churchgoing type of person, so had to look up . . .

Purpose-Driven Church (silly me, I thought they ALL had a purpose of one sort or another). PDC doesn't sound inherently deranged. A 45,000-member ANYTHING does seem a bit excessive, but are they crackpots of the righty persuasion?

The Nixon reference is perhaps telling.

[Initech]

37. Most definately.

Do a search on DU for the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game. There's a really long article about Warren's church (plus his connections to Left Behind author Tim La Haye) and how it leans very favorably for the repukes.

[MadHound]

8. Hmmm, second article I've seen in a week

Speculating that the Chicks' tour might be a bust. Sounds to me like somebody is wanting this out there, talk the tour down as revenge for the Bush, and other, remarks. After all, talking down their albums has failed, the last two have done exceedingly well despite getting very little airplay. Now they're trying to talk down the tour in hopes of it being a bust.

[deaniac21]

16. Billboard and WSJ are hardly credible sources.

[LA lady]

10. I think Houston's out.

I was supposed to see them in Houston on Septemeber 30th for my anniversary. We called about tickets and it seems to be a no go. We may try for Dallas.

[Joey Liberal]

13. I'm hoping to see them at the Ford Center in OK City

Would love to meet somw DUers there.

[politicat]

17. Website says tix aren't on sale yet in Houston.

They just went on sale for Denver, and that's a week earlier.

[glitch]

11. Who is afraid of the big bad Dixie Chicks? Excuse me while I laugh my ass

off :rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

12. Like the WSJ knows anything about country music n/t

[Patsy Stone]

14. I love the smell of propaganda in the morning...

It smells like victory!

[Stargazer99]

20. Have some balls and see what happens to you

under this administation. At least someone (Dixie Chicks) are willing to speak truth to power. Those of you who feel the Dixie Chicks ought to be punished can't put two and two together without your master telling you what the answer is...think for yourself....you might be surprised.

[Patsy Stone]

32. Welcome to DU

You are preaching to the choir here. Take a breath, look around. It's all good.

:hi:

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Everybody knows the WSJ editors are all Billy Ray Cyrus fans.

They just can't get enough of that Achy-Breaky Lovin'.

[Sadie5]

21. Went to tour site

Something must be amiss in Indianapolis. Says to check back later for concert info. I had heard that it might be canceled,

[deaniac21]

26. The article isn't an editorial. You can email the lousy turd

that wrote it though. [email protected]

[cmkramer]

33. Billy Ray Cyrus is a Democrat

FWIW, the cancellation of many of their dates -- not the entire tour -- more than likely has more to do with economics than politics. People don't have the money for concerts like they used to.

[Warren DeMontague]

35. Cool.

That song still sucks, however.

Still, my bad.

Maybe the gang at the WSJ favors the 'Nuge.

[alarimer]

40. And ticket prices are outrageously expensive

I saw on another thread that someone paid $150 to see them in Boston. Is that typical? I don,t go to many concerts because the last time I did I paid $85 (plus numerous service fees etc). But for that show that was about the highest.

[zbdent]

23. Gee, that Charlie Daniels sure sells out

them state fairs, do he?

[Johonny]

38. I saw him twice

in the 70s. He use to put on a good show:(

[zbdent]

39. Sure, but now he's a RW shill - wonder how many of his "fans"

remember "Uneasy Rider" . . . could be read as an anti-war (VietNam) song . . .

[Initech]

24. Why does the WSJ hate the Dixie Chicks so much?

I mean considering they're a bunch of rich wingnuts, why would they be concerned with a group from Texas? Huh? Maybe they're all closet cases?

[deaniac21]

29. They hate them for their french fries.

[cmkramer]

41. Read the story

First of all, it's not on the editorial pages -- it's in the MARKETPLACE section.

Secondly, it's a very straightforward article, In no way does it criticize them for what Nathalie said. In fact, they point out that other country stars have been even more critical of Bush and haven't faced any kind of backlash.

And the article does say that the Chicks deny that they are cancelling any shows.

FWIW, the author seems to think their problem may be more about them changing their sound than anything else. It's not uncommon for someone to take an artistic risk and have it backfire -- at least temporarily.

Again, there is absolutely zero rightwing spin on this article.

[Catherine Vincent]

30. The WSJ must be desperate that they have to write an article

about the Dixie Chicks ticket sales. :eyes:

[Warren DeMontague]

36. Well, everybody's *tired* of hearing about small children shot "execution

style" in Iraq, silly!