The Chicks
28th October 2023
Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand
Review by Charlotte Lightbody, with photography by Doug Peters.
Global country superstars, The Chicks performed to a roaring crowd in Auckland as part of their global world tour. The biggest-selling US female band of all time returned to Aotearoa for the first time in 6 years and judging by the cowgirl hats and denim dungarees I saw filling up Spark Arena, it was incredibly well-received.
The show began with the support act Elle King, and I immediately fell in love with her stage persona. She wore a white cowgirl tassel shirt tied at the waist with knee-high boots and a mini skirt, exuding a southern vibe with her cigarette and whiskey raspy country vocals. She played her global hit Ex’s & Oh’s among other country and blues-style tracks. In between songs, she lived up to her Instagram bio: “Touring MILF and musician”. We loved to see it.
After an interlude featuring music and videos from female rockers throughout history, The Chicks’ intro hyped the audience to their feet with strikingly remixed beats and visuals of southern imagery like cowboys, beauty pageants, 50s housewifery, consumerism and the US war machine. The Chicks’ political message has not softened into the now.
Opening with the track ‘Gaslighter’ from their first studio album in 20 years (2020) The Chicks kicked off to an exhilarated crowd. This was followed by earlier bluegrass hits like Sin Wagon and Texas Man to keep that high-paced, toe-tapping energy rolling along. Lead singer, Natalie Maines bellowed out with that Southern accent ‘Hello Auckland’, before cheekily mentioning that “This was way better than sleepy Australia… just an observation… but I’ll deny it when I’m there next”. We Kiwis know how to have fun and love country music, and they were eager to give it to us.
The lengthy 22-song setlist took us on a journey of fast and slower-paced tracks, and when it was time to lower the energy we were treated to tracks like Tights On My Boat, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Travelin’ Soldier and Daddy Lessons (Beyonce cover).
They brought their six-piece band and showcased a range of instrumental talents including electric guitars, mandolin, tambourine, piano, organ, violin, bass, xylophone, and steel guitar. I am always amazed by people who can play multiple instruments, especially since I struggled to even play the recorder in school. A guitarist in the band by the way, turned out to be lead singer Natalie Maine’s son – Not to be confused with the drummer, Natalie joked, referencing an American tabloid article, wrongly crediting renowned drummer, Jimmy Paxson as her son she’d had at “zero years old”. Her son’s confused blank stares at the audience at being introduced and highlighted drew continual laughs.
Mid-show they brought their political voices to the fore. I remember them being publicly shamed back in the early 2000s for criticising the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, which drew the ire of the southern community that comprised a great deal of their core audience. In the 2020s they continue to speak powerfully through their music about key issues, LGBTQI+ rights, racism and women’s rights. They drew a strong focus on mass shootings also, which chillingly had multiple instances from NZ and the people lost during those horrible events displayed on screen alongside US and Australian events.
As the concert was drawing to a close, I had a gut feeling that they would perform the Fleetwood Mac classic ‘Landslide’, and to my delight, they did not disappoint. When the band started playing the song, it seemed like the audience took over and sang along with the famous lyrics. It was a magical moment that everyone had been waiting for throughout the show.
They rounded out the evening by premiering a new cover, especially for this world tour ‘Rainbowland’ – a Dolly Parton/Miley Cyrus special. The stage lights transformed into a spectrum of colours, with the lyrics displayed for the audience to join in. The Chicks are known for many talents, but one of their most impressive is their ability to perform amazing covers of songs. I was particularly moved by their acoustic rendition of Patty Griffin’s “Don’t Let Me Die in Florida” during this performance. There were several reasons why this song resonated with me and it was a highlight of the night.
The Chicks excel at capturing the nostalgic charm of country music and infusing it with meaningful lyrics and captivating rhythms. They remind me of the importance of appreciating the simple things in life, as is often celebrated in country music. During their concert, I found myself moved to goosebumps as certain riffs transported me back to a time when I was travelling through the Southern states.
The Chicks have always stood for something, and that’s one of the things I love about them, they’re brave and honest. Last night’s performance was full of fast-paced, energetic emotions, and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. They played multiple instruments throughout the show, showcasing their immense talent. The Chicks’ music has something for everyone, from fighting for your beliefs to the simplicity of waiting for your lover to return home from travelling. I always find their music thought-provoking.
A huge shoutout to The Chicks, and Elle King – as well as all the talented musicians they brought along with them on the tour. It was an incredible night.
The Chicks:
Elle King:
Were you there at Spark Arena for this Country extravaganza? Or have you seen The Chicks perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Gaslighter
- Sin Wagon
- Texas Man
- Julianna Calm Down
- The Long Way Around
- My Best Friend’s Weddings
- Sleep at Night
- Ready to Run
- Travelin’ Soldier [Bruce Robison cover]
- Wide Open Spaces
- Tights on My Boat
- Daddy Lessons [Beyoncé cover]
- Long Time Gone
- Cowboy Take Me Away [acoustic]
- Landslide [Fleetwood Mac cover][acoustic]
- Rainbowland [Miley Cyrus cover][acoustic]
- Don’t Let Me Die in Florida [Patty Griffin cover][acoustic]
- March March
- For Her
- Everybody Loves You
- White Trash Wedding [encore]
- Not Ready to Make Nice [encore]
- Goodbye Earl [encore]
Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.
If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by visiting our PressPatron page.
Couldn’t understand a word Elle King sang as her backing group drowned her out. Didn’t think she was particularly good either.
After the Intermission we were left to watch some old video clips & seemed to be quite boring -didn’t pay good money for that
Then the chicks came out and it started off well but ruined it by turning it into a political rally and they too were hard to hear as well, overall very disappointed- especially as it wasn’t cheap.
Awesome concert! Loved every minute, not too loud, not too long, great mix of songs even if I didn’t know some of the new ones. Such a talented band, and so what if they can be rather outspoken? They highlight some worthy causes even if I may not always agree.
Enjoyed Elle King even if I had never heard of her. Especially enjoyed the total package, they rock!
Second time I’ve seen the Chicks, they just keep getting better .
Saw them in Brisbane 5 years ago there not the best selling female band in the world for no reason thought they were great & Elle King im a new fan of her she’s excellent:-)
Interesting comments so far. By contrast, I loved every minute of it and by the roar of the crowd, I’d say a majority had a good time too. The banter was light-hearted and well-spaced. I think the material was a good balance of old and new too. They played a lot of their well-known hits. This tour is to promote their latest album so naturally, it’s going to be heavy on songs from Gaslighter, which in my opinion is musically one of their strongest albums. If you are not familiar with it, I would suggest you take a good listen, you will find they are neither at the twilight of their career, not are they mediocre. If you knew anything about the band, you would know the reason for the man-hating (specifically one man) and activism themes. And if you go to a concert not expecting it to be loud then yes, you probably shouldn’t have bothered going. To this or any concert.
I thought it was very clever the way the stage was arranged and rearranged. Fun and high energy . Loved our NZ Chicks reference. Lots of favourite songs and some new. Loved every minute. Thanks for coming down under!
Saw them at The Mission a few years back and again last night at Spark Arena. Bass was booming, far too loud and overshadowed all singers, lyrics muffled and couldn’t hear anything they said or sung. A big shame as I really like Elle King too but again the audio mixing let her down. 2nd and last time to The Chicks.
Ellie King what a waste of time awful singer spoiled a decent night out
Must admit some of the Chicks songs never heard before and I their albums
Glad I finally got see them but a little political and don’t pay for that or need it
Not happy at all. Very disjointed and far too loud. Not many songs that everyone knows. Wish we hadn’t bothered going
It’s too late baby now – it’s too late !
Couldn’t hear a word Elle sang and the Chicks were flat, uninspiring, the whole concert was disjointed, first half all about man-hating, the ‘intimate acoustic section’ was boring and emotionless, then it turned into a political rally on ideology with a pathetic sing along, felt like they did a few hits because they had too, couldn’t wait for it to end, we’re witnessing the end of a mediocre band
We were there couldn’t understand Elle King she was drowned out by her backing band disappointment and the wait for the chicks was annoying. There talent is amazing but got a bit monotonous.
I agree