Who Would Have Ever Thought The World's Spokespeople For 'Anti-GWism' Would Come From Country Music?

Sydney Morning Herald music reviewer Bruce Elder was on hand as the Dixie Chicks' "Accidents and Accusations tour" hit Sydney's Acer Arena Monday night (10/9) before heading to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne:

"In more than 30 years of reviewing concerts I have never seen anything like it. When Natalie Maines, the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, sang Not Ready to Make Nice, her swingeing attack on those who threatened her life after she had the affront to say she was ashamed George Bush was from Texas, the whole audience sang along."

I witnessed exactly the same thing in August when I watched the Chicks perform before a packed John Labatt Center in London, Ontario.

Don't ask me to explain what it means for their future as artists inside and outside their home country, because I have no idea. But, it's very clear that they are giving voice to something visceral in audiences from England to Canada to Australia, even as they are being forced to cancel dates in at least 14 U.S. cities from Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis, Memphis, Milwaukee and Knoxville.