Dixie Chicks to Fly Across America : Rolling Stone

That wife-beating Earl isn't the only one on the Dixie Chicks' list of good byes. Natalie Maines, Martie Seidel and Emily Robison will bid farewell to their homes at the end of May as they set out on a headlining tour of North American indoor arenas. Beginning June 1 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Chicks' Fly tour will span five months and hit a dizzying seventy cities.

Although the Dixie Chicks are no strangers to large crowds -- having already performed before thousands on such package tours as Lilith Fair and the George Strait Country Music Festival, the Fly tour marks the first time they've gone out as headliners. For their opening acts, the trio has hand-picked edgy singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, bluegrass veteran Ricky Skaggs and Lone Star legend Willie Nelson. Griffin -- who wrote the title track on the Chicks' latest album, Fly -- is currently scheduled to open thirty-nine shows (June 1-25, July 20-Aug. 13, Sept. 7-10, Sept. 28-Oct. 10), Skaggs fifteen (June 29-July 16, Sept. 14-17, Oct. 19-22) and Nelson six (Oct. 12-14, 27-29), with the opener for ten shows (Aug. 17-27, Oct. 15, 26) yet to be announced.

Tickets for the first four shows, all in Canada, go on sale May 6. The next batch, including the first U.S. date in Spokane, Wash., and extending through June 25, go on-sale April 22. Prices will vary, but will be under $40, plus service charge. Further on-sale dates will be announced at www.MusicCountry.com, the tour's sponsor.

The scope of the tour speaks volumes about how far the Chicks have come since their major label debut, Wide Open Spaces, came out three years ago. In that time, the trio has shipped well more than ten million albums, with Wide Open Spaces certified nine-times platinum by the RIAA and last year's follow-up, Fly certified four-times platinum. The sales represent significant crossover appeal for the country act, as evidenced by "Goodbye Earl," the third single from Fly, which is currently No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Although exact details of the show have yet to be revealed, the smart money says it won't be understated. Maines says it will be "eye-catching, but not your standard rock & roll light show." The set was designed by Cirque de Soleil designer Luc Fafortune, and the Chicks promise a dizzying array of activity even before the show starts and between sets. Among the surprises hinted at are instant seat upgrades for fans.

"Pee before you get there," warns Maines, "because you won't want to leave your seats between acts."

The schedule for the Fly Tour is as follows:

6/1: Winnipeg, MB, Winnipeg Arena
6/2: Saskatoon, SK, Saskatchewan Place
6/3: Edmonton, AB, SkyReach Centre
6/4: Calgary, AB, Canadian Air Saddledome
6/8: Vancouver, BC, General Motors Palace
6/9: Spokane, WA, Spokane Arena
6/10: Tacoma, WA, Tacomadome
6/11: Portland, OR, Rose Garden
6/15: Sacramento, CA, Arco Arena
6/16: San Jose, CA, San Jose Arena
6/17: Anaheim, CA, Arrowhead Pond
6/18: Phoenix, AZ, America West Arena
6/22: San Diego, CA, Cox Arena
6/23: Las Vegas, NV, Thomas & Mack Center
6/24: Salt Lake City, UT, Delta Center
6/25: Nampa, ID, Idaho Center
6/29: Little Rock, AR, Alltel Arena
6/30: Lafayette, LA, Cajundome
7/1: Biloxi, MS, MS Coast Coliseum
7/13: Chicago, IL, United Center
7/14: Milwaukee, WI, Bradley Center
7/15: Minneapolis, MN, Target Center
7/16: Fargo, ND, Fargodome
7/20: New York, NY, Radio City Music Hall
7/21: Albany, NY, Pepsi Arena
7/22: Worcester, MA, Centrum
7/23: Buffalo, NY, Marine Midland Arena
8/3: Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
8/4: Kansas City, MO, Kemper Arena
8/5: Oklahoma City, OK, The Myriad
8/6: Lubbock, TX, United Spirit Arena
8/11: Dallas, TX, Reunion Arena
8/12: Austin, TX, Frank Irwin Center
8/13: Houston, TX, Compaq Center
8/17: Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
8/18: Detroit, MI, Palace at Auburn Hills
8/19: Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
8/20: Grand Rapids, MI, Van Andel Arena
8/24: Philadelphia, PA, First Union Center
8/25: Washington, DC, MCI Center
8/26: Winston Salem, NC, Lawrence Joel Coliseum
8/27: Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena
9/7: Hampton, VA, Hampton Coliseum
9/8: Charlotte, NC, Charlotte Coliseum
9/9: Greenville, SC, Bi-Lo Center
9/10: Birmingham, AL, Jefferson County Civic Center
9/14: Richmond, VA, Richmond Civic Center
9/15: Raleigh, NC, Sports & Entertainment Arena
9/16: Roanoke, VA, Roanoke Civic Center
9/17: Nashville, TN, Gaylord Entertainment Center
9/28: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, National Car Rental Center
9/29: Tampa, FL, Ice Palace
9/30: Orlando, FL, Orlando Arena
10/1: Jacksonville, FL, Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10/6: Moline, IL, Mark of the Quad
10/7: Ames, IA, Hilton Coliseum
10/8: Lincoln, NE, Bob Devaney Center
10/10: Wichita, KS, Kansas Coliseum
10/12: Columbus, OH, Value City Arena (Schottenstein)
10/13: State College, PA, Bryce Jordan Center
10/14: Cleveland, OH, Gund Arena
10/15: Pittsburgh, PA, Mellon Arena
10/19: Cincinnati, OH, Firstar Center
10/20: Knoxville, TN, Thompson Boling Arena
10/21: Charleston, WV, Civic Coliseum
10/22: Indianapolis, IN, Conseco Field House
10/26: Evansville, IN, Roberts Stadium
10/27: St. Louis, MO, Kiel Center
10/28: Memphis, TN, The Pyramid
10/29: New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena