Dixie Chicks a hit with large Mission crowd

DYNAMIC: Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines in action at the Mission Concert in Napier tonight. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR.

The Dixie Chicks put the Mission Concert firmly back on the Hawke's Bay calendar tonight with a powerful performance that wowed a near-capacity crowd.

Led by pint-sized dynamo lead singer Natalie Maines, the trio from Texas, which also features sisters Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Burns Strayer, gave the crowd at Mission Estate Winery more than their money's worth with a two-hour show of the highest quality.

Backed by a five piece male band and with a slick set, the band barely took a breath as they powered through song after song.

One of the early songs the band played was the 1960's Thunderclap Newman hit Something in the Air, which Natalie Maines indicated was the band's response to Donald Trump being the new President of the United States.

A crowd favourite was the Stevie Nicks Hit Landslide which the Dixie Chicks have made their own over the years. Wide Open Spaces was also well received, but the song of the night was the band's biggest hit "Not ready to make nice". The song, a protest about the way the band was treated after criticising the then US President George W. Bush in 2003, has not lost any of its power and meaning after all these years.

It was the second last song of the night because Natalie Maines told the crowd they did not want everyone leaving the concert angry "because there is too much anger in the world at the moment".

The concert ended on a positive note with the rousing Better Way.

Earlier the crowd was treated to good performances by Badger, Kaylee Beel, Morgan Evans and supporting act Avalanche City. Avalanche City has opened for the Dixie Chicks throughout the Australasian tour and gave a strong performance.

However, one of the surprise highlights of the day's entertainment was Australian country singer Morgan Evans, who got the crowd in a party mood early on.