By Emily Smurthwaite
smurthwaite@newsroom.byu.edu
Last year the Dixie Chicks were the opening act for Tim McGraw.
Last year, only one Chick was married.
Last year, they had one album released.
Last year, when they sang 'Goodbye Earl,' they got strange looks.
Last year, they were all blondes.
But that was so last year.
This year, the Dixie Chicks said goodbye to Tim (and Earl too, for that matter), and went on a 70-city tour to promote their second album, 'Fly.'
They landed Saturday night in the Delta Center. Although the arena is typically used to Jazz, it adjusted to the country stars nicely.
The impressive thing about the concert was the Dixie Chicks actually sound good live. Emily Robison really plays the banjo, Martie Seidel goes crazy on the fiddle and Natalie Maines' voice obviously isn't altered much, if at all, in the sound studio.
The trio, who have been together for 12 years, started the concert with 'Ready to Run,' their hit that is also on the 'Runaway Bride' soundtrack.
Shortly after that song, Natalie announced that she not only had new pigtail extensions, but she also had a new husband. She got married the night before in Las Vegas. She married her boyfriend Adrian Pasdar at midnight after she finished the concert. Emily was also married last year.
The Chicks' simple dancing wasn't exactly N'Sync choreography, but it was enough. It was mostly shaking and spunky stomping from Natalie along with moves that would look stupid if anyone else did them.
Accompanying their unique dancing were their distinctive outfits, which probably weren't purchased in a Utah department store. The Dixie Chicks seemed to have started a new trend in country fashion, as well as music. At the concert, the traditional cowboy get-up of Wranglers was replaced with accessories like neon and zebra-striped cowboy hats.
One bonus during the concert was when they showed old pictures of themselves -- big bangs and all.
'U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi, you ugly!' Natalie chanted during the slide show.
'Didn't anyone have Hammer pants in Utah?' Emily asked.
The group also brought out a couch and departed from the songs on their CD and sang other numbers, including Sheryl Crow's 'Strong Enough to Be My Man.'
The momentum and enthusiasm of the concert picked up even more toward the end. The Dixie Chick's final number was 'Sin Wagon' -- not to be confused with the pioneers' mode of transportation.
The fans who had front row tickets didn't have the best seats for the Dixie Chicks' first encore song. Each member of the group appeared at different locations in the crowd to perform 'Goodbye Earl.' The Chicks enthusiasm rubbed off on the crowd as they all screamed the song lyrics, 'Earl had to die!'
The Dixie Chicks went back on stage to sing their final song and title cut from their first CD, 'Wide Open Spaces.' The crowd joined in as well.
The opening act, Patty Griffin, was an odd choice and not very enjoyable. Her band was more alternative; she seemed like a Gwen Stefani wannabe. I noticed her group sounded better when I covered my ears, which is probably true of any loud, unfamiliar band.
Besides, hardly anyone goes to concerts to see the opening act.
Unless the opening act is the Dixie Chicks.