Sunday 9 September 2007

15 June 2006 – Dixie Chicks, Shepherds Bush Empire

“Taking The Long Way” tour

Fired up by a great new album, yours truly jumped at the chance to see these gals for the first time. Tickets at the grimy Bush were being released in phases, so took a chance on standing – and a good thing too – as the circle was entirely reserved for friends’n’family. And it was family too, with their little guys waving to their mommies from the balcony.

Film cameras everywhere, fancy(ish) set and expectations high. The gig was being streamed live on the internet (ahem – please release this somewhere) and in every sense was a “we’re still not ready to make nice” comeback after the kerfuffle over something someone said about George Bush on the same spot in 2003. The show was fairly belting along from the start, but when Natalie Maines stepped up to repeat “I’m (still) ashamed to come from Texas” the place just erupted – no friends of Bush (or Blair) in the house that night.

Business over, we all got down to some serious enjoyment with London doing its best to out-stomp, out-sing and out-Dublin everything else. Cracking atmosphere - and to think some nitwits are about to pull the place down. ‘Top of the World’ was ethereal – you could almost see the skylark up in the fly tower. Top night. Come back soon!

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