What to expect at The Chicks’ Taking the Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour: Setlist, start time and more
Oct 7, 2026
·Tricia Despres
Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where music writers share their tips for attending the biggest concert tours around the country. For this edition, longtime Chicago-area entertainment writer Tricia Despres breaks down what it’s really like to see The Chicks' Taking the Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour in person, from the songs they sing to the merch they sell and everything else in between.
If your sole reason for purchasing tickets to The Chicks’ Taking the Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour is the chance to devour the live performance of their 2007 Grammy Award-winning “Not Ready to Make Nice,” the price of admission would already be worth it.
But luckily, there are 22 more amazing reasons awaiting you.
Indeed, over the course of 23 songs spanning more than two hours, The Chicks make this show one of the year’s best and most satisfying live experiences, further cementing not only their role in the history of music but also, and maybe even more importantly, their role in culture as we see it.
Because while this is a live concert filled with singalongs and standing ovations, it also serves as a commentary on the days that have passed us by and the days that could lie ahead –– if only The Chicks had their way.
What is The Chicks’ "Taking the Long Way" anniversary concert really like?
Anyone who attends concerts regularly instinctively knows that you can never be quite sure what you are going to get. But The Chicks’ shows are different.
They feel like home from the get-go.
For this particular show, maybe it was the documentary running on the theatre’s historic drapes before the very first note was sung, setting the scene for the time and place in which the country trio made up of Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer –– along with the rest of us ––once lived, and where the talented group created and formed their record-breaking studio album Taking the Long Way.
There was also a certain sense of comfort in knowing that the first half of the show would feature The Chicks performing the groundbreaking album in its entirety for the first time, offering scene-setting stories between each increasingly impressive cut and reminding everyone in attendance of just how deep that album went in terms of content and conviction.
Of course, not everyone in attendance seemed to know the game plan.
“If this is a surprise to you, you’re welcome,” Maines told the crowd in the opening seconds of the show.
Following a super short intermission, the three singers left their stools behind and came to the front of the stage for the first time all night –– as if they needed the steady footing to pour their intrinsic power into some of their biggest hits such as “Goodbye Earl,” “Gaslighter” and the obvious fan-favorite and concert-concluding “Sin Wagon.”
What time do The Chicks go on stage?
While The Chicks’ show at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on October 4 was just the third show of the tour, it was fairly evident that they had the timing of this show down pat.
Heck, they even had a countdown that started exactly at 8:25 p.m., alerting everyone in the historic venue that the show would be starting at 8:30 p.m. sharp. And yes, the warning caused many to step it up and take their seats as the audience shouted off the last ten seconds before show time with increasing anticipation.
Granted, performing the entirety of Taking the Long Way while carving out moments for laughs and stories in between took some time –– roughly 90 minutes.
From there, the group informed the audience there would be a very short intermission – 11 minutes to be exact –– returning at 10:11 p.m. with the rousing “Goodbye Earl” and ending at 10:53 p.m. following “Sin Wagon.”
What is The Chicks’ setlist?
There was something so very comforting about taking in an album in its entirety.
Not only did avid fans know what song would come next, but more casual fans were exposed to the songs between the hits –– the ones that perhaps never got the attention they deserved way back 20 years ago and the ones still worthy of even more attention to this day. For me, it was “Lullaby” and “Silent House” that went and just about had me a blubbering mess.
And I liked it.
While some treated the intermission as more of an encore than an actual break, the second half of the show did serve as a moment to truly take in the immense contributions The Chicks have made to our collective musical landscape through the years.
The chance to witness covers such as “Landslide” and “Daddy Lessons” in the same space as epic masterpieces such as “Travelin’ Soldier” and “Cowboy Take Me Away” was an absolute delight –– and one I won’t forget anytime soon.
Here’s the full setlist from The Chicks’ Oct. 4 Chicago show:
The Long Way Around
Easy Silence
Not Ready to Make Nice
Everybody Knows
Bitter End
Lullaby
Lubbock or Leave It
Silent House
Favorite Year
Voice Inside My Head
I Like It
Baby Hold On
So Hard
I Hope
Goodbye Earl
Wide Open Spaces
White Trash Wedding
Daddy Lessons / Long Time Gone
Cowboy Take Me Away
Landslide
Gaslighter
Travelin’ Soldier
Sin Wagon
What is the stage and production like?
The simple beauty of the stage worked perfectly with the understated first half of The Chicks’ show, with all three members dressed in all black and seated on three black stools with a six-piece backing band behind them.
It was a sight to behold.
Between songs was archival footage pulled from the history of the 13-time Grammy Award winners, including clips from the 2006 documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing –– some of which drew thunderous ovations from the audience.
And during a time when artists are sometimes too easily swayed to back songs with bright lights and loud percussion, The Chicks seem to have found their perfect pocket by simply letting their words and harmonies speak for themselves. But fair warning –– the second half of the show does up the lighting game a bit, especially with the strong flashing lights toward the end of “Goodbye Earl.” If you suffer from migraines, close your eyes.
Consider yourself warned.
It was not until after the last note was sung that the three members of The Chicks made their way right up to their fans in the front row, staying afterward to sign autographs for some lucky ones.
What merch is available?
Here’s the deal –– merchandise was a hot item at this concert.
No matter if it was an hour before the show or an hour after, the merch line was almost always busy. There were “Queen of Whatever” and “Still Not Ready to Make Nice” hats for $35 each, three-LP vinyl sets for $70, and posters for $30. There was also a total of 50 autographed posters available for purchase. In addition, there were tote bags for $30, T-shirts for $40 and jackets for $70.
My tip when it comes to merch is this –– snag yours on the main floor during a moment in the first half of the show, perhaps during a song off of Taking the Long Way that you don’t particularly need to witness live. While I assumed that the four women in front of me were taking a bathroom break during “Voice Inside My Head,” it turned out they had gone downstairs to snag some vinyl –– brilliantly executed over the course of an almost six-minute song.
Smart women, I tell ya.
What do fans wear to The Chicks’ concert?
How do I say this politely?
Wear whatever the heck you want to the concert, my friends.
This is a Chicks concert, and there didn’t seem to be any clear-cut rules when it came to dress. Not surprisingly, there was a fair share of cowboy boots –– but other than that, clothing styles ran the gamut from leather jackets and silk-printed skirts to gingham dresses and flannel shirts.
Come as you are.
Is The Chicks’ concert family-friendly?
This one is easy. Yes, this is a family-friendly concert and yes, there were plenty of strong-willed mother-daughter pairs attending the show that I would avoid angering.
You know what I mean?
Strong women have strong fans, and those strong fans brought their young daughters. Now, did Maines use some adult language during the show? Yes. Is there a song about killing a man and hiding him in a trunk? Yes.
But should there be any doubt about bringing younger fans?
No.
Granted, even the adult casual fan could find themselves a little restless at the beginning of the show if they are not familiar with the entirety of Taking the Long Way. And yes, it’s definitely a long show on a school night. But the chance to show young people what it takes to stand up for what you believe in will never get old.
What to know about seeing a concert like The Chicks at Auditorium Theatre
Before the music even starts, there are a few things worth knowing about getting inside the Auditorium Theatre and finding your spot.
What is it like getting into the Auditorium Theatre?
To say it was a cakewalk to enter the venue might be a slight exaggeration, but it was rather easy. I arrived at the venue at 7:24 p.m., but I was told that doors to the venue opened at 7 p.m. and people were allowed to start going to their seats at 7:30 p.m. Security was a breeze and people were friendly.
Now, please be aware that any historic theater is going to have some logistical challenges. Most notably, the bathrooms are small, the stairs are plentiful and the dark areas of the venue are far too dark.
Watch your step and your fluid intake.
Where should you sit at Auditorium Theatre?
There was a moment when I looked at my ticket and saw Section FBLCRC, Row H, Seat 311 and briefly believed that these weren’t the best seats. But leave it to a historic theater to ensure that truly, there isn’t a bad seat in the bunch.
But yes, I was in the balcony, and I did walk up three flights of stairs because I didn’t want to take the time to find the elevator. Yes, I wished I could see Martie Maguire’s black sheer top up close because I truly want to wear it to my next concert and yes, there were times when I had some trouble hearing the band members talk amongst themselves.
But all in all, the seats were pretty good.
Now –– let me say this. I found myself continuously distracted from the show at hand by the number of people getting up and down from their seats. Were they off to get merch or another drink?
I cannot say.
What I can say is most people in my section were having trouble navigating the dark stairs during the show, with one woman actually taking a tumble on the stairs during the chorus of “Wide Open Spaces.” I still feel guilty that I didn’t get up to help her, but there was a chance I could topple down those stairs too.
And it was a long way down –– to say the least.
What should you know about getting to and from Auditorium Theatre?
Knowing full well that there would be lingering crowds from the Chicago Bears game earlier that afternoon, my driver and I (AKA “the hubby”) left the western suburbs earlier than we probably needed to at 5 p.m. and proceeded to grab dinner at Giordano’s before I was dropped off at the front doors of the venue at approximately 7:24 p.m.
Just the way I like it.
And while my driver (AKA “the hubby”) considered sticking around to navigate his Sunday scaries at the local Dunkin’ until it was time to pick me back up, he ultimately made the decision to make the 30-or-so-mile trek back home before coming back to get me.
I know –– husband of the year.
After the show, a myriad of Ubers and Lyfts attempted to pick up their customers immediately outside the front doors of the venue, but considering there were no separate lanes for pickups and drop-offs, things got dicey and horns were a-blaring.
Instead, ask your driver to meet you on a nearby cross street. Much less congested –– according to my driver.
How to buy The Chicks tour tickets on SeatGeek
If The Chicks are coming anywhere near your city, you probably already know whether you’re going.
But just in case you haven't gotten your tickets yet, start by heading over to The Chicks’ artist page on SeatGeek and checking their tour schedule to see if the Taking the Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour is headed your way. Once you find your show, choose how many tickets you need and use the interactive venue map to find the tickets that work best for you. Once you’re happy with your choice, hit checkout and start figuring out which Chicks song you’ll be screaming the loudest when they hit the stage.
📁 Categories: Front Row, Concerts
🏷️ Tags: The Chicks, Taking the Long Way Tour, Chicago, The Auditorium Theatre