The Chicks review – exquisite harmonies and hard-won vindication in anniversary show

The Chicks celebrate their 20th anniversary of the album Taking the Long Way, revisiting their Iraq war protest and its aftermath.

The full report

The Chicks played the second of three sold-out shows at the Beacon Theatre in New York, commemorating the 20th anniversary of their album Taking the Long Way. The album was a response to the backlash the band faced in 2003 after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized then-president George W Bush on stage in London. The incident led to CD-burning protests and death threats, with many fans turning against the band. The Chicks revisited several clips from the documentary Shut Up and Sing, which chronicled their fall and rise, throughout the show. They also played their album in full, with Maines, sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer, and a full backing band delivering exquisite harmonies and liberatory bluegrass-pop. The album now appears unnervingly prescient, at turns an elegy and a kiss-off to home towns perhaps permanently estranged.

The Chicks' lead singer Natalie Maines addressed the incident on stage, saying that people forget it was never supposed to be that serious. She also joked that she would give George W Bush a big kiss now, because now they're ashamed that the president of the United States is from the United States. The band's music has aged like fine wine, with their harmonies and sound remaining polished and enriched over the past two decades.

The Chicks' album Taking the Long Way was released in 2006, after a 14-year hiatus. The album was a response to the backlash the band faced in 2003, and it included songs such as Not Ready to Make Nice and So Hard. The band used brief interludes to shout out collaborators, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, who played drums on Not Ready to Make Nice.

The Chicks' show at the Beacon Theatre was a celebration of their music and their resilience in the face of adversity. The band's music has been kind to them, with their harmonies and sound remaining polished and enriched over the past two decades. The show was a testament to the power of music to bring people together and to overcome even the toughest challenges.