I couldn’t imagine The Chicks ever receiving a poor reception, so the band’s recent performance at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, as part of a wider Australian tour, was as predictable as they come.
And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. 22 songs all delivered with seething wit and precision, nuanced by a tight band of seasoned musicians – and Natalie Louise Maines’ son – to really dial up the vibrant, brutally honest reputation The Chicks have built since 1995.
The hits were there. The pitch-perfect renditions of “Wide Open Spaces” and “Landslide,” each lifted by deafening singalongs. That one Beyonce cover that feels like it was custom-made for Natalie’s voice (“Daddy Lessons”). The dramatic closer of “Goodbye Earl”. Not one single step was missed, the band deftly blending bluegrass and country in a way that has been unique to The Chicks since Maine joined the band.
And the concert was a swift reminder that Maine very much fit the sound like a glove. She stretches her voice exactly when it needs to stretch. She maintains a serious tone when she belting out biters like “Not Ready To Make Nice”. She knows exactly when to joke with the crowd, and when to let her voice fly like on the beautiful “Cowboy Take Me Away”.
Most of all, she’s a stadium-sized presence – a descriptor that’s often reserved for solo songstresses like Adele and Beyonce. But being a part of a band shouldn’t prevent her from being mentioned amongst some of the greatest and most distinctive female vocalists of our time.
While I’ve never been a big of anything off Gaslighter, what I feel are some of The Chicks’ weaker songs make complete sense live. Smart, timely and insightful songwriting just sounds better live.
There’s a sense that The Chicks aren’t as present on the scene enough to sell out arenas anymore. Sydney’s show dulled any doubts. I looked around and could see the absolute joy in the venue, most evident before The Chicks even took to the stage with their complicated meme-esque visuals.
Even the house music felt like it was part of a spectacle. And that helps build an atmosphere that truly makes a concert like this unmissable.
