Did We Learn Nothing From The Dixie Chicks?

The State Theater in Kalamazoo is a beautiful concert venue. Although we live only an hour away and go to a fair number of concerts, we had never been there until last night. I am no where near the music enthusiast that my husband is- he's terribly insulted when I put both his television and music habits in the category of "will watch/listen to anything." I like to gaze at the television screen when I say this, and mumble in pretend awe, "...oooh! the screen is moving! there's something on the screen and its moving and I can watch..."  Really I just do this to push his buttons. I completely understand that movies and music are two things he really enjoys, which is why I can't understand his confusion over my enthusiasm for shoes and purses.

Anyways, the headliner we went to see last night was John Prine. I hadn't really heard much of his music beforehand, but it was easy enough to listen to, even though the two margaritas I had with dinner were making me very sleepy. What got me all worked up was his opener, Maura O'Connell. I enjoyed her first song very much. But I was way up in the balcony and even wearing my glasses I was confused by the shape of her hair-- I mentioned something about her hat to my husband, to which he replied, "she's not wearing a hat." Okay, time for a new prescription perhaps? I was liking her voice though, both singing and talking. She's from Ireland and has a pleasant lilt to her speaking voice, while her singing voice would peg her solidly from the good 'ole southern USA. We were there for entertainment, and everything was going fine until Miss Maura had to go dragging her politics into the evening. After telling us about her immigration, she was met with much applause after announcing that she had recently been granted her citizenship to the U.S. There was some Bush-bashing, which really who isn't doing, but then two sentences later she announced that many people around the world still see the U.S. as a "mecca"...something she finds "troubling."  Like...so "troubling" that you left your native country and became a citizen of ours? No, Maura, the U.S. is not perfect. We're fully aware that we have our share of problems. But it deeply offends me that someone who chose to come here as an adult and apply for citizenship takes the opportunity to make derogatory comments about her chosen country, rather than point out any of its virtues when given the opportunity to speak in front of a large crowd. And anyways, we were there to listen to music, not hear about the artist's politics.

I fully realized that I was letting this color my impression of her, because suddenly everything about her was terribly wrong. The hair was Sideshow Bob. When she leaned over there was something...a bald spot that she didn't know about? Did it occur to her that we were seeing her from the top? I don't know. And the outfit she chose could really only be described as a bathrobe, which she kept adjusting the tie to, and sometimes pulling open to put her hands in her pockets. Weird. But in all fairness, I probably would have let it all slide had she not pissed me off with that troubling mecca thing. So I know I'm not being fair- I'm sure she is a decent person who does not deserve to be judged on a poor fashion choice. (Look how pretty she looks here!) And she has a beautiful voice, which really was the whole point of us being there. Even though I may have been in the minority as someone who didn't share her opinions, it ruined the whole entertainment factor for me. Why oh why can't entertainers just stick to being entertaining?