Dixie Chicks Concert Review

Dixie Chicks at TD Waterhouse Centre - Orlando, FL.

By Steven Ridenour

I had already worked a 12 hour day and the last thing in the world I wanted to do on this night was cover another concert.

If you have been following the news, the Dixie Chicks pretty much went from the A list to the B list over a couple of comments that they made about the war with Iraq.

There was a lone protester that night. He stood outside of the T.D. Waterhouse Center. There was a microphone shoved in his face. TV camera to go along with it. When I walked by, I told them that if they put that on the news that they were out of their minds. Newspaper did the next day. We didn't. I don't know if the crew got their story or not, but I am so tired of the media trying to create news instead of just reporting it.

I went on and picked up the ticket at will call. Cowboy hat city. Women and men of all ages were getting geared up for the show.

I wanted to run. Nothin' against country music. Hell, I love country. It was just one of those days where I was just in concert overload.

I grabbed a beer and made my way to my seat. Great seat. At T.D. Waterhouse there are few bad seats. Cool Stage. Probably the coolest stage that I've seen in person. This thing took up the entire Orlando Magic basketball court.

Still felt like work.

People started to fill the arena. Joan Osbourne took the stage. It started feeling a lot less like work. She's got a great voice. Put on a great show. She might make the Mr. Blackwell's worst dressed list, but she's got a great voice. Buy the CD titled, "How Sweet It Is," and I'm sure you will agree with me.

I'm feeling a little better after Joan's performance. I run outside, grab a few smokes. People enjoyed her performance and they are getting geared up for the Dixie Chicks.

I go back to my seat and there is a couple of beautiful people sitting to the right of me.

I ask them, "Who are you with?" Because usually they stick me next to other media bums like me. They say, "We are here to support the Dixie Chicks." And I thought, "Oh really ... give me a break."

Well, it turns out that the guy next to me lost his brother in Iraq. I didn't know what to say. You know? I mean we kicked ass over there. It was on the news every day. Bomb here. Bomb there. Planes coming in and out of there unscathed. Ground war. No problem. We're still kicking butt.

I was up in the middle of the night when the report came in. Soldiers dead due to a suicide bomber. Six dead if I remember right. Gerry Williams, the young good lookin' kid sitting next to me ... one of the men that died was his brother. He told me that they were working on some music just before his brother went to Iraq.

Dixie Chicks took the stage. Wow, what a stage. I know I said that before, but, at this point I had no idea that the stage lit up like a giant TV screen. They cranked. The back-up band was great too. They said if you want to boo us. Boo us. I didn't hear anyone booing. And then came "Traveling Soldier". They dedicated it to Gerry's brother. We stood up together. I patted him on his back. And on the jumbo-tron there were falling leaves. Gerry kept his chin up. I freakin' lost it. I cried my eyes out. I am not that emotional of a person. But that was it for me. The leaves fell on the stage graphically and slowly changed to snowflakes. And my tears were falling on the seat in front of me about at the same pace.

All I can say, bottom line ... forget what the friggin' media is saying. The Dixie Chicks put on a fantastic show. And if they come to a town near you, don't miss it. The Dixie Chicks are A list in my book.

Bands on Tours

Review a Dixie Chicks concert.

Orlando Florida Guide reserves the right to publish what you write.

Visit our Orlando music calendar.

advertising info