The Chicks Recall ‘the Incident’ and Compare Bush to Trump in ‘Taking the Long Way’ 20th Anniversary Shows: Concert Review

Natalie Maines and her band, The Chicks, took the stage at the historic arena in Nashville on Saturday night, marking the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Taking the Long Way”. The setlist wove together the plaintive melancholy of “Wide Open Spaces” with the fierce defiance of “Not Ready to Make Nice”, creating a narrative arc that reflected both personal redemption and the broader cultural shifts of the past two decades. While the opening chords of “Easy Now” were met with a roar of nostalgic appreciation, it was the moments between songs that proved most compelling, as Maines and her fellow band members used the platform to revisit the 2003 controversy that once threatened to dismantle their career and to draw unsettling parallels between the Bush administration and the current Trump era.When Maines paused after “Not Ready to Make Nice”, the audience hushed, anticipating the inevitable recollection of the infamous “Incident” that propelled The Chicks into a media maelstrom..

“It’s been 20 years, and the memory is still sharp,” she said, her voice steady despite the weight of history. She recounted how, in 2003, a casual remark about President George W. Bush’s policies on a Texas talk‑show sparked a wave of boycotts, death threats, and a radio black‑out that forced the group to retreat from the mainstream country circuit..

The narrative was not a melodramatic recounting but a measured description of how the band’s refusal to self‑censor sparked a national conversation about free speech, patriotism and the role of artists in political discourse.The band’s lead guitarist, Martie Maguire, added context, noting that the backlash was not solely a product of Bush’s policies but also of a media ecosystem that weaponised patriotism. “We were painted as un‑American,” she said, “and the narrative was sold to a country that was still reeling from the post‑9/11 atmosphere.” The recollection was punctuated by a brief instrumental interlude, a mournful slide that seemed to echo the lingering pain of a period when the trio’s concerts were met with picket signs and hostile crowds. Yet the tone was not one of victimhood; rather, it was a testament to resilience, a reminder that the group’s resolve had birthed some of their most powerful songwriting.Transitioning from the past, Maines turned her gaze toward the present, drawing an explicit comparison between the political climate of the early 2000s and the United States under former President Donald Trump..

“The language of ‘American values’ has been repurposed,” she observed, “and the mechanisms of intimidation have simply changed their dress.” Her comment was met with an appreciative murmur from the audience, many of whom wore shirts bearing both the band’s early logos and contemporary protest slogans. By linking the Bush era’s brand of nationalism with Trump’s brand of populism, Maines highlighted a continuity of rhetoric that, in her view, still threatens artistic expression and civil discourse.The band’s performance of “Long Way Around” served as a thematic bridge between recollection and critique. The song, originally a meditation on personal and artistic survival, resonated anew as Maines sang about taking “the long way” not just through heartbreak but through societal turbulence..

The lyric “I’m still standing on the road you left me” took on a double meaning, reflecting both the band’s survival after industry exile and the broader perseverance of voices that refuse to be silenced in a climate of political intimidation. The audience’s response—clapping in rhythm and shouting the refrain—illustrated how The Chicks have transformed personal grievance into collective empowerment.Mid‑concert, the lighting design shifted to a stark, monochrome palette as the band launched into “Goodbye Earl”, a track that, while ostensibly a tongue‑in‑cheek tale of female retribution, was reframed as a commentary on silencing dissent. Maines introduced the song with a brief anecdote about a fan who, in 2004, had been threatened for supporting the group’s stance against the war in Iraq..

“She told me that the song gave her courage to speak up at her own workplace,” Maines said, underscoring how music can become a catalyst for personal agency. The performance was both a nostalgic nod to the band’s earlier, more playful repertoire and a subtle reminder that the fight against suppression remains relevant.In a poignant moment that seemed to anchor the evening’s political discourse, the trio performed “The Long Way”, the title track of the anniversary album, with a stripped‑down arrangement that foregrounded their harmonies. The lyric “If you want to see the whole world turn, you’ll have to sit with strangers” was delivered with a quiet intensity that suggested a plea for empathy across ideological divides..

Following the song, Maguire spoke directly to the audience about the importance of “listening to the other side, even when you disagree”. She referenced recent studies indicating that polarized media consumption exacerbates societal fracture, and she urged fans to engage with divergent viewpoints as a form of civic responsibility.The concert’s second half shifted focus to the present-day political landscape, with the band performing “Sin Wagon” as a satirical jab at contemporary political excess. The staging included a large screen projecting images of headlines from both the Bush and Trump administrations, juxtaposing the two eras in a visual montage..

Maines’ banter between verses highlighted specific policy parallels—such as the use of executive orders to bypass legislative gridlock—and warned of the erosion of institutional checks. “History is a mirror,” she said, “and the reflection we get now looks eerily familiar.” The comment resonated with younger audience members who, according to a post‑show survey, were hearing about the 2003 boycott for the first time.The evening concluded with an uplifting rendition of “Cowboy Take Me Away”, a song that, while rooted in romantic yearning, was reinterpreted as a yearning for a more inclusive America. Maines, visibly moved, thanked the crowd for their “unwavering support through the darkest of storms”..

As the final chords faded, a chorus of voices rose in unison, echoing the band’s message that art can serve as both solace and protest. The band’s encore, a rousing “Travelin’ Soldier”, reminded listeners of the human cost of political decisions, a theme that tied together the night’s reflections on past and present conflicts.Overall,.