A relentlessly upbeat two-hour banquet of fist-pumping positivity anthems from the country-pop diva
By Stephen Dalton | The Times | September 25, 2018
4 out of 5 stars
Like a veteran prizefighter stepping back into the ring, Shania Twain began her Birmingham show with a dramatic march through the crowd, flanked by burly security guards, to the pounding rhythm of Queenâs We Will Rock You. Before she even arrived on stage, the 53-year-old Canadian country-pop diva was acting like an undefeated heavyweight champion. Pure theatre, but her chutzpah was admirable.
In the 14 semi-dormant years since she last toured Britain, Twain has suffered various career setbacks, including temporarily losing her voice and divorcing her husband and long-time musical partner, Robert âMuttâ Lange. In 2011, in a twist that would sound implausible even in a corny country ballad, she married the Swiss executive whose ex-wifeâs affair with Lange ended her first marriage.
Named after her first studio album in 15 years, the transatlantic chart-topper Now, Twainâs latest world tour seems designed to prove that revenge is a dish best served fabulous. Ideally in a sumptuous selection of shimmery gowns and glittery catsuits.
Twain fleetingly addressed her past marital woes in Birmingham in Poor Me, a torrid flamenco-tinged weepie that she jokingly called âmy little pity-party momentâ. Yet this was a rare melancholy interlude in an otherwise relentlessly upbeat two-hour banquet of fist-pumping positivity anthems with inspirational titles such as Lifeâs About to Get Good, Iâm Alright and Up!
Twainâs folksy feel-good attitude rang a little hollow at times. Despite her likeable glamazon-next-door persona, she lacks superstar charisma. Fortunately the real star of this show was the high-tech stage production, consisting of five large illuminated cubes with video-screen walls that reconfigured constantly into dazzling pop art shapes. The incongruous effect was more futuristic techno-rave than wholesome country-pop rodeo, but still spectacular.
Considering that she is one of the biggest-selling artists in history, Twain has written surprisingly few planet-conquering classics. There were anodyne lulls in this set that not even the Vegas-sized staging could enliven. However, there were just enough crowd-pleasing hits to keep excitement levels bubbling, including the voluptuous romantic ballad Youâre Still the One, which Twain performed atop a revolving podium, and her two immortal hen-party anthems, That Donât Impress Me Much and Man! I Feel Like a Woman. Not quite a knockout show, but this was still a punchy comeback by a champion. Belfast SSE Arena, September 29; 02 Arena, London SE10, October 2-3
Here is someone that went to tonight's concert in Dublin who has the same views as I do as far as Shania singing live. Like I said after Shania's first concert back in May, she sings along with a pre-recorded "live" backing track. People don't want to believe it but it's true.
Here is someone that went to tonight's concert in Dublin who has the same views as I do as far as Shania singing live. Like I said after Shania's first concert back in May, she sings along with a pre-recorded "live" backing track. People don't want to believe it but it's true.
 It's obvious even in videos of the tour. As I see, she doesn't even try to hide this fact.
Â
In the picture from Dubliin there are five members of the band, not four as it was in North America. What is the name of the new one? As I remember, he appeared in Barretos but I forgot his name.
Here is someone that went to tonight's concert in Dublin who has the same views as I do as far as Shania singing live. Like I said after Shania's first concert back in May, she sings along with a pre-recorded "live" backing track. People don't want to believe it but it's true.
 It's obvious even in videos of the tour. As I see, she doesn't even try to hide this fact.
Â
In the picture from Dubliin there are five members of the band, not four as it was in North America. What is the name of the new one? As I remember, he appeared in Barretos but I forgot his name.
Here is someone that went to tonight's concert in Dublin who has the same views as I do as far as Shania singing live. Like I said after Shania's first concert back in May, she sings along with a pre-recorded "live" backing track. People don't want to believe it but it's true.
 I listened very closely to her Edomton Concert i attended and she sang live on many of the songs . yes there was a backing track to some verses of some songs. But it was very easy to tell she did sing live on many of the songs without a using a pre recorded track. I am going by my experience and people next to me who attended her Edmonton Concert.
If you want I can count the words she is singing live
the whole show is playback
i Think the only song people would really think itâs live is Party for two. They made an effort for the production of this one.Â
Complete song as album: more fun, swinging, poor meÂ
most songs have a live version. (Though I would not call it backup) impress  Iâm alright (good one)
many  songs have some live  words or phrases. (lifes about. Donât be stupid. Honey Iâm home
Â
some are half cd half live âversionâ gotcha good. Man I feel. Any man of mine
as I am very critic usual I would say. Yes in the concert you can even get the impression she is singing live at some songs ( come in over. Iâm alright. Honey Iâm home party for two. Iâm outta here)
but inthink here vocals are not load enough. Remember bastian singing as pre act?Â
I Â she could sing. But it would be too bad in total and she couldnât perform.Â
We have to acceptÂ
Â
by the way it is sad she has only the concerts in dublin and Belfast with standing audience.Â
May least front row again for me tonight. Anyone coming?
If you want I can count the words she is singing live
the whole show is playback
i Think the only song people would really think itâs live is Party for two. They made an effort for the production of this one.Â
Complete song as album: more fun, swinging, poor meÂ
most songs have a live version. (Though I would not call it backup) impress  Iâm alright (good one)
many  songs have some live  words or phrases. (lifes about. Donât be stupid. Honey Iâm home
Â
some are half cd half live âversionâ gotcha good. Man I feel. Any man of mine
as I am very critic usual I would say. Yes in the concert you can even get the impression she is singing live at some songs ( come in over. Iâm alright. Honey Iâm home party for two. Iâm outta here)
but inthink here vocals are not load enough. Remember bastian singing as pre act?Â
I Â she could sing. But it would be too bad in total and she couldnât perform.Â
We have to acceptÂ
Â
by the way it is sad she has only the concerts in dublin and Belfast with standing audience.Â
May least front row again for me tonight. Anyone coming?
That may be your experience but not mine. She sang live on many of the songs at the concert i went to and i HAVE been to many concerts of many artists and know if there is playback.  Don't go to her concert if you're so disappointed and think it's all playback.
Sorry to burst your buble, but she's lip-syching to all the songs. It might be live here and there (definately the speeches and some song endings), but overall it's not live (same goes for the music... they can't produce that kind of arrangement for the songs with just 4/5 bandmembers). And I've come to accept it, because we have to face reality: her *good* singing voice is just not there anymore. I'd rather have her do it this way, then really go flat on her face (like Whitney Houston did during her tour).
For Shania's sake, I just hope this is the last time she's doing a tour like this... a (Vegas) residency show or the odd show here and there will suit her far better.
Also, one of her dancers confirmed to me when she went live on Instagram, that "Let's Kiss" 'is definatetely not in the show anymore'.. Was looking so forward to that performance :(
Totally agree with GermanFan and CSCfan. I agree about the music as well. It's all canned (pre-recorded). Come on Kevy! Why the hell would Edmonton be different than all the other concerts? Sure, there are some live parts but 98% of the concert is playback.
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Also, one of her dancers confirmed to me when she went live on Instagram, that "Let's Kiss" 'is definatetely not in the show anymore'.. Was looking so forward to that performance :(
 Didn't you find out why they took 3 songs away from the setlist. It would be interesting to know about the flying as well.
Shania Twain's empowering Friday night anthems have accrued a certain gravitas in the age of #MeToo, as her surprisingly meaty tour proves
By Graeme Thomson | Daily Mail | September 29, 2018
Shania Twain - SSE Hydro - Glasgow
4 out of 5 stars
In a lull between belting out formulaic pop-country bangers, Shania Twain confides in us. She often struggles to overcome lifeâs everyday adversities, she admits, standing atop a giant leopard-print neon cube, dressed in slashed silk and fishnets, suspended 20 feet in the air.
The incongruity defines a show that mixes gushing intimacy with a ruthless demonstration of Vegas-grade star power. One minute, Twain is swishing around like the queen bitch from Dynasty; the next sheâs over-sharing like a bridesmaid on her second bottle of Prosecco.
The tour is titled Shania Now, a concept that turns out to be not far removed from Shania Then. Last yearâs comeback album, Now, was crammed with the kind of laser-guided earworms that propelled the Canadian to superstardom in the Nineties.Â
The key difference is of perception. In recent years Twain has battled betrayal, divorce, dysphonia and Lyme disease, a trail of misfortune that allows her to return as a survivor, and her live show to be framed as a frenzy of post-traumatic positivity.
âIâm an optimistic person,â she declares after Up!, one of five songs tonight boasting an exclamation mark in its title. Though Poor Me and Iâm Alright revisit her marriage break-up, they simply accentuate the rampant exuberance of Lifeâs About To Get Good and pretty much everything else.
Itâs cheesy, but effective. The set is dazzling, a constantly shifting tableau created by the inventive deployment of five video cubes, resembling a fancy game of Tetris. The musical filling, meanwhile, is surprisingly meaty.
A punchy, no-nonsense band combines with Twainâs creamy, flawless voice to weaponise big hitters like That Donât Impress Me Much and Iâm Gonna Getcha Good! Now and then, her country roots show through.
Driven by two mean fiddles, Any Man Of Mine has a hard bluegrass kick, while she ascends a revolving podium to strum an affecting Youâre Still The One. Written with her ex-husband, tonight itâs dedicated to her fans.
The pacing could use some tweaking. Having faffed about taking selfies and frogmarched a mother and daughter on stage, for some reason Twain dons a top hat to watch a montage of her old video clips on the screens.
Ten minutes of filler kills the momentum, but a focused finale brings the show back on track, climaxing in the irrepressible Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
Thatâs another thing that has changed: these empowering Friday night anthems have accrued a certain gravitas in the age of #MeToo. All in all, Shania Now isnât a bad place to be.
Also, one of her dancers confirmed to me when she went live on Instagram, that "Let's Kiss" 'is definatetely not in the show anymore'.. Was looking so forward to that performance :(
 Didn't you find out why they took 3 songs away from the setlist. It would be interesting to know about the flying as well.
Â
Unfortunately not... :( I think the flying thing was just a logistical choice, as every venue has a different set-up and it might take too much time to configure to the venue's set-up for each date (it's possible though as other artists have proven it's possible). It's just a shame us Europeans will not be getting anything "extra" in return.Â
She has (had) 2 support acts in the UK and Ireland and only Bastian in mainland Europe... I hope she will add 1-2 songs back..
I really, really hope she will add Rock This Country! back. I really miss that song and it's one of her best songs to play live. I will see her in Munich and Prague next week, Munich will be the first show in mainland Europe, with only Bastian as opening act. So I really hope RTC will be back again. It wouldn't be bad to have Ka-Ching! too, but I've lost hopes now.
Crowds were left delighted by the sold-out show at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night
By Sarah Scott | Belfast Live | September 30, 2018
The Queen of Country Pop is well and truly back.
Shania Twain burst onto the stage at Belfast's SSE Arena last night and proved she's 'still the one' fans wantÂ
Knocking out hit after hit, the Canadian singer/songwriter had the audience in the palm of her hand.
Crowds were left delighted by the sold-out show on Saturday night as Shania proved that despite some time away from the limelight, From This Moment On the spotlight is hers once again.
Also, one of her dancers confirmed to me when she went live on Instagram, that "Let's Kiss" 'is definatetely not in the show anymore'.. Was looking so forward to that performance :(
 Didn't you find out why they took 3 songs away from the setlist. It would be interesting to know about the flying as well.
Â
Unfortunately not... :( I think the flying thing was just a logistical choice, as every venue has a different set-up and it might take too much time to configure to the venue's set-up for each date (it's possible though as other artists have proven it's possible). It's just a shame us Europeans will not be getting anything "extra" in return.Â
She has (had) 2 support acts in the UK and Ireland and only Bastian in mainland Europe... I hope she will add 1-2 songs back..
Â
We discussed the possiblity of that with Tommy in another thread. As Tommy said, even with two opening acts she starts her show at the same time she did it in the US, so I doubt she will add anything. And as to flying, I think it's just her wish to do or not to do something. She always shortens setlists after leaving North America and I see it more as disrespect to her non-American fans. There are artists who show their fans the same show in all countries and take all needed equipment for that. It's sad she's just not one of them. Anyway, after waiting so long for her new album and the chance to see her (the dream was to see her LIVE, but now only "to see her" remains) I cannot wait for the show in Stockholm.
Shania Twain fan (57) finds his drunk dancing doesn't impress judge much
By Andrew Phelan | Irish Independent | October 1, 2018
A Shania Twain fan was arrested when he hurled abuse at gardaĂ (police) who challenged him about his dancing at one of the singer's Dublin concerts.
Security at the 12,000-capacity 3Arena reported 57-year-old Paul Wilson's behaviour was annoying those around him as the singer performed, Dublin District Court was told.
His lawyer, Brian Doherty, said Wilson had a "bit too much to drink" and became threatening when asked to step outside.
Wilson, a shopkeeper from Clare Road, Tandragee, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.
Remarking that Wilson was "a bit long in the tooth to be carrying on like that", Judge Bryan Smyth offered to leave him without a criminal record if he made a âŹ200 charity donation.
A Garda sergeant told the court the incident happened at 9.40pm last Thursday, the second night of two concerts at the arena by Canadian singer Twain, famous for hits including 'That Don't Impress Me Much' and 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman.
GardaĂ were called to the seating area after a complaint was made about the behaviour of the defendant, which was "affecting other people's enjoyment" of the concert.
GardaĂ asked him to step outside and he refused, verbally abusing them and security officers. He had to be escorted outside and arrested.
He was "difficult and obstructive", the sergeant said.
Mr Doherty said his client had no previous convictions of any kind and was "very embarrassed" to be before the court.
"He's a bit long in the tooth now to be carrying on like that," Judge Smyth said.
Adjourning the case to next month, the judge told the accused to make a âŹ200 donation to Focus Ireland and said he would leave him without a conviction.
If the money was not paid, he said he would convict Wilson and fine him âŹ300, with two months to pay.
The judge granted free legal aid after the defendant said he had a "small grocery shop in the country" and owned his home but had no other assets.
Another question appeared. How long did Shania's part last in the US and how long - in the UK?
Shania's concert in the U.S./Canada was about 2 hours long. Since she is performing only 18 songs (3 less) now, the concert is probably 10-15 minutes shorter. Unless she is interacting with the fans more.
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Musicians In The Spotlight: An Interview with drummer Elijah Wood on being an integral part of the Shania Twain Tour, the crazy and exciting stage production, advice to aspiring drummers and more
By hannahjessica31 | Building Our Own Nashville | October 1, 2018
When you go to a show of a music icon, a legend if you will and experience what is for many a once in a lifetime opportunity event then it isnât often that you come away blown away by one of the band members as much as you were the artist themselves. That is never to say that band members are not good enough or donât leave an impact but simply because you are focused on the main act. However, during the Shania Now tour many of us left completely captivated and blown away by her drummer Elijah Wood.
Elijah from the very start of the show caught the attention of the audience with just one drum beat. As Elijah began to rock the drumkit our hearts beat to the rhythm and we were sold! Heck, I would pay just to see Elijah.
If you are yet to see the Shania Now tour and do not want any spoilers then stop reading now and come back and visit us again after the show.
I went to see Shania Twain in Birmingham, UK and since then I havenât stopped watching videos of Elijah in action. Throughout the entire set she and the drumset were dragged all over the place, it was crazy. From being pushed on a moving platform all over the stage to being elevated up high flying on a moving cube, you just couldnât take your eyes off her talent and skill. Elijah makes it look easy but guaranteed it isnât but what was easy was seeing how much fun she was having!
Shania was generous with her time showcasing her band members and dancers and we got to see some awesome solo segments from Elijah in the show to keep the crowd going. There was a chorus of mad cheers throughout the arena on hearing and seeing her mad skills. An awe inspiring performance, Elijah is a musician we are going to remember for years to come!
Because we were so taken by Elijah, we had to ask a few questions. The band members along with dancers, crew and more are such a huge part of the overall production of a show and we were so intrigued by the behind the scenes part. Elijah was very kind to answer some questions about being involved on the tour, landing a spot on the Shania Now tour,  starting out in the drumming world, advice to beginner drummers and more.
Hi Elijah â How are you?
Hi Hannah! I am doing just wonderfully!
How has your week been?
Itâs been a whirlwind. Still trying to adjust to the time zones over here. The UK is 8 hours ahead of where I live. The shows have been going amazing!
I just caught The Shania show in Birmingham, UK and was clearly blown away by Shania but my goodness, I think we were all blown away by you too. I was second row and completely mesmerised.
Why thank you. I try to make an impact every show!
How have the shows been for you so far?
Absolutely stunning.
Any particular memorable moments? More energetic crowds?
As I am writing this, we just wrapped up our shows in Dublin and itâs certainly been a highlight. I am excited to see what London has in store for us in a few days at the O2.
How did joining the Shania tour come to be?
I auditioned for Shaniaâs âRock This Countryâ tour in March of 2015 when I was 19 years old. Through an unexpected series of events and networking, my drum videos and information got passed on to the musical director of the tour. A few days later, I got an email personally inviting me to audition in Los Angeles with the band. I soon found out that there were only five other drummers auditioning, which was such a shock to me that I was chosen at all. We were given six songs in Shaniaâs catalog to prepare for the audition. I started to spend countless hours perfecting these parts and digging through the songs with a fine tooth comb.
Since I found out I was going to the LA audition, I never thought in a million years I would get this. I mean, I had just performed with Americaâs Got Talent in Las Vegas and I had never done anything as big as an arena tour with an A list artist. Nevertheless, I gave it my all. I knew that even the chance of getting in front of the Shania band, musical director, and Shania herself was a dream all to itself. The day of the audition, I went in, played through the set twice with everyone and before I knew it I was done. Everything felt so right. I loved the music and the team and I did the best I could.
Long story short, three weeks after the audition, totally assuming I didnât get it, I get an email from Shaniaâs team inviting me to play drums on Shania Twainsâs âRock This Countryâ tour. I audibly screamed. The rest is history.
You are pretty much thrown about all over the stage. You are pulled up high, pushed across the stage â how did you feel when they told you that is what would be happening to you and your drumset whilst drumming?
Ha! When they first told me that they were thinking about having a drum set fly above the stage, I was like, âbring it on.â A part of me didnât believe it until I actually saw it in person in Vancouver for production rehearsals. Even then, Iâm like âthis is crazy, but amazing.â
Was it scary at first or just exciting?
It was mostly excitement with a hair of âoh ****â! It took a few days to get used to the harness and the height. Because of how high I am, we had to take extra safety precautions. Everything on the kit is tethered to the platform. My drum sticks are even tethered around my wrists so I donât drop them on the boss! Ha!
It must be pretty cool to start the show off too. Has it been easy to sneak onto the B Stage or have people always noticed?
Itâs always fun walking to the B stage. I like to get out there about 15 minutes before the show starts so I can warm up and watch the people. At the beginning of the show, most of the fans donât know who I am yet, but as I walk back to the main stage after my intro, I get a wave of high fives and screams!
After the show is over, if I end up going through the audience at all, I get completely mobbed and people freak out. I like watching the same people who didnât know me at all while I walked through the audience before the show now completely freak out when they see me. I love gaining new fans. Iâm so honored.
Tell us about the drumset you used on the tour, what the whole set includes, what make it is and anything else that may be helpful.
Fun fact, I actually have two complete copies of my main drum set. One that rolls around on stage and another that flies in the air on a platform. The one in the air is hidden above the stage until I need it about half way through the show. At that point, the one on the floor is taken apart behind the stage and put into cases for the next show. Iâve proudly played Gretsch drums for all of my professional career. Itâs a six piece drum kit with eight cymbals. My drum technician is Colin Strahm (aka Gravy), he sets up and tunes both of my main drum kits and the plethora of other drum hardware around the stage.
Is it your own equipment that you bring over?
Yes! I am endorsed by Gretsch drums, Ahead drum sticks, TRX cymbals, and Remo drum heads. They supply all the gear I need on tour.
Is there a certain pattern you stick to every night on the solo segments or is it completely improvised?
I was given a certain time period to fill with my drum solo, so at the beginning of rehearsals I wrote the two solos that you hear me play now. I pretty much stick to it, but I sometimes add things here and there if Iâm feeling saucy. When I wrote it, it was important to me that it built up musically and also kept the audience entertained. Even I get bored sometimes during drum solos!
Do you have any pre show rituals?
Yes! An hour before the show I go in âlock down.â I put my phone away and go in the band dressing room to start stretching. I stretch my whole body, focusing on my personal problem areas that are affected by drumming. I had pain in both of my wrists for almost two years prior to this tour. I ended up having carpal tunnel release surgery on both wrists and now Iâm currently 100% pain free â Iâve never played better! I donât take this for granted, so I make sure to continue to do the exercises that my physical therapist prescribed. After I feel limber and ready to do a show, Iâll get dressed in my wardrobe and meet my tech backstage about 15 minutes before show time. He escorts me to the B stage. Once I get there, I have a pair of drum sticks and a practice padâI just basically run through my basic rudiments and get my hands ready to play for two hours! I get psyched up watching the people and talking to everyone that works at front of house.
Shania has such a great team on tour with her â the band, the dancers, everyone. It seems like a very close group of friends?
Everyone is like a big family on Shania! Since I joined in 2015, the band and crew have been just wonderful mentors, inspirations, and friends to me. The dancers were a new addition in the 2018 NOW tour and theyâve all been pretty bad ass. They are incredible. I also happen to be dating one of them. Ha!
What have the responses been like for you after the shows via social media? I keep seeing people rave about you. That must be a nice feeling because the musicians are such an integral part of a live show but fans can often just focus on the main artist.
Itâs been incredible. I couldâve never imagined the response Iâve been getting. For this show, Shania has put me out front and trusted me a lot more than last tour and I think people are noticing. I give my all and try to make Shania and her fans proud every night. I know that many people in the audience have never seen Shania live or will never see her again so itâs a big responsibility and very humbling.
Have you had a chance to site see over here? If so where have you been?
Yes! Thankfully weâve had a few off days while in the UK. We spent quite a bit of time in London last summer when we were doing the promo run for the NOW album and tour. I love it.
Have you been to the UK before?
Iâve been to the UK many times working with various artists over the years. Iâve done all the classic tourist-y London things, but Iâve enjoyed more simply exploring the city. Iâve also visited surrounding castles like Windsor. Apart from work, I still havenât explored all of the UK, though. I plan on coming back at some point for sure.
What do you do in your down time between shows?
Ah, it depends! I try to take it easy before a show, always. That comes number one. Sometimes, we have days off in the middle of nowhere, but often times we find ourselves smack in the city center. Iâll look up on my phone to see whatâs around and just go walking, do some shopping, find some amazing food, and have a relaxing day off.
Tell us a little bit about your background â Where you are from and what made you want to become a drummer? How long have you been playing?
I was born and raised about 30 minutes outside of New York City in the small town of Port Washington in the United States. Both of my parents are professional musicians so I was surrounded by it my whole life. Originally my Dad, whoâs an electric violinist (Mark Wood, worth a google), wanted me to play violin. That lasted all of five seconds. I gravitated towards the drums pretty early on after watching the drummer in my Dadâs band. I jammed on pots and pans and made a bunch of noise. I started officially playing at age 7. So as of writing this, itâs been 15 years behind the kit. Iâm mostly self taught but I did have several key teaching moments from mentors over the years.
Can you play any other instruments? Sing? Write music?
Piano has turned into my second musical love. During my off time, Iâll break out my keyboard and just play. I love the electronic aspect of it, so I also like designing sounds and using the keyboard to execute ideas in my head.
Despite what my Mom says, I am not a very good singer. But, I did happen to sing on a swimming commercial for a company called Safety Swim when I was a kid. Currently Iâve been singing the soundtrack to Hamilton non-stop. Itâs on my list though to improve at some pointâŚ
I do write music! Iâve only released one song to date though! Itâs called âSomnium.â Itâs a little gem of mine that I wrote back in 2012 when I was 16. Itâs heavy metal. This is also something on my list to continue doing. Eventually Iâd love to release an EP of my own music, but Iâve been busy, which I canât complain about!
Learning to play the drums is hard to be quiet, did you ever practise at home? Pull all nighters?
This is true. While I couldnât play drums at all hours, I watched videos, played on a quiet practice pad, or thought about drums almost 24/7. I discovered who I liked to listen to and what I aspired to be like during this time. When I was old enough and began getting serious, my parents surprised me with an electronic drum set. I preferred to make noise on my acoustic drums though.
I love my parents for dealing with my suckingâŚvery loudlyâŚfor many years. But their auditory investment has paid off, Iâd say.
Tell us about some of your other projects as you were part of Americaâs Got Talent team?
Iâve been so lucky. Other than Shania, some of my more notable projects have been working with Gwen Stefani, Americaâs Got Talent, and Grace VanderWaal, who I worked with before and after she won Americaâs Got Talent in 2016.
Americaâs Got Talent was my official first professional opportunity in 2014 after working for many years with my parents. I played for the more edgy ârockâ musical contestants and was featured quite a bit. I just went crazy on stage, performing my ass off, and no one ever told me to tone it down. I think someone commented online once âis this drummer super happy or on drugs?â I suppose thatâs a compliment! I think itâs kind of funny!
After the season ended that year, I went on to be in the house band for the AGT Live! Las Vegas residency. Of course Shania happened in 2015, but I continue to work with Americaâs Got Talent on their live season when Iâm available.
How does it differ from playing for TV and live shows?
Oh man, itâs a different beast. Playing on live TV in front of 5-10 million people is an incomparable rush. Especially when hearing the director say â5, 4, 3, 2, 1 applause applause applauseâ and the camera indicators turn red indicating we are live. Because itâs a talent show, the acts are limited to 90 seconds, so it goes by pretty quickly. Sometimes Iâd do several acts a night depending on who went through and what they needed. After I left the stage, I would return to the dressing room with a flood of texts from my friends asking âwere you just on TV?â Or âI was flipping through the channels and I was like hey thatâs Elijah!â Itâs also such a tremendously wonderful group of people, I would be honored to work for them again.
Have you ever been a part of any session playing or recorded music?
I personally prefer the live medium so I havenât really done too many session recordings outside of my personal projects. But I have some new music Iâve played on that I am excited to share soonâŚ.
What have you planned after Shania Now?
Sleep. Ha! I plan to take a little bit of time off then Iâm gearing up for whatever 2019 holds for me. Itâs always exciting as I have irons in the fire.
What is on your bucket list? Playing drums for Paul McCartney is at the top of the list. Heâs been such a musical catalyst for me and his drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr. is also a huge inspiration to me.
Also going to space. Elon Musk, if youâre reading this; Iâm in.
If you could have a live stage âDrum offâ with one or more drummers, who is in the dream team? I hope Animal from the muppets is on the list haha.
As Iâve been compared to Animal from the Muppets, letâs do it. I also see the headline⌠âDave Grohl and Elijah Wood drum off.â
What advice would you give to any aspiring drummers out there? What is a good affordable start off drum set?
Just keep playing, listening, watching, and learning. Practicing is not just behind the kit. To be a good drummer, you also have to be a good musician. Itâs important to note that you donât have to have dreams of becoming a professional musician to take up music. Music makes you smarter and helps in all aspects of life. I think everyone should have a creative outlet, regardless of their career path.
Gretsch offers some affordable options, but Iâd always say your local music store is the best bet. Itâs great to have someone in person that can direct you to the right instrument for you. Because sometimes the sound level can be prohibitive, electronic drums have become cheaper and is definitely worth the research if you live in an apartment or where noise is an issue.
I always tell serious up and coming musicians and artists that it takes 10,000 hours to master your craft. Donât let this number scare you, but instead let it inspire you to constantly work towards it.
Thanks so much for chatting today. It is so nice to come away from a show and be taken by the musicians as they are of course such an integral part of the show. I keep hearing people rave about you too which is brilliant.
Take care and hope to see you play again soon. Enjoy O2 Arena.
Boxoffice Insider: Queens of the Stone Age Completes 'Villains' Trek, Twain Powers On
By Bob Allen | Pollstar | October 1, 2018
Itâs a wrap for the âVillainsâ tour as Queens Of The Stone Age reached the end of the worldwide trek in support of its latest album that dropped in August 2017. The rock bandâs tour spanned more than a year covering markets in the Americas and Europe along with an appearance in Japan and a final nine-city run through New Zealand and Australia that ended earlier this month.
The band performed at venues of all sizes during the Villains tour â from more intimate settings with theater-sized crowds and club attendees in some markets to outdoor sheds and arenas in others. During a four-week run through Latin America earlier this year there were also some stadium shows in the mix as QOTSA teamed up with Foo Fighters for a handful of dates in Brazil and Argentina.
Box office reports were sparse during some segments of the tour, so far Pollstar has gross and attendance stats from about half of the dates. But based on the 55 shows that were reported, the tour averaged 5,785 tickets sold per show with an average gross of $312,605.
Overall sales from those 55 headlining performances (not including festivals) totaled nearly $16.3 million with a total ticket count of 300,809.
Hints of a new album and world tour for the band began early in 2017 leading up to an official announcement of both in June. A series of warm-up dates began shortly afterward, starting with a concert at the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls, N.Y., followed by festival appearances at Quebecâs Montebello Rockfest and Outside Lands in San Francisco, all prior to the album release in August.
In September of 2017 the group kicked off a string of shows in theaters and clubs and ended the opening North American leg with an arena event at New Yorkâs Madison Square Garden on Oct. 24. An initial stretch of concerts in Europe followed in November, and subsequent treks through both continents continued through July.
Support acts varied throughout the tour, but English duo Royal Blood opened shows during the first North American run last fall and again this past spring. Oklahoma indie rockers Broncho supported the first European trek, and a handful of other artists including Eagles of Death Metal and Wolf Alice filled opening slots on other select shows.
On the final Oceania leg, the headliners shared the bill with Australian artists The Chats and C.W. Stoneking.
Meanwhile, in another genre in the musical universe the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain, is still on the road with her world tour. Like Queens Of The Stone Age, she is also touring behind the release of a new album, but for Twain, it is her first in 15 years. The Canadian superstar and five-time Grammy Award winner launched her âNowâ tour one year ago this month. It marked her first trek in support of new music since touring behind 2002âs Up!, her fourth studio album.
She did tour in 2015 â a greatest hits effort that came on the heels of her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace (2012-14). That trek, dubbed âRock This Country,â was marketed at the time as her âfarewellâ tour, but with the production and release of the new album, she had a change of heart â stating in summer 2017 that since she had new music, she felt motivated to do that music live. The result was her Now world tour that launched earlier this year in May with concerts booked on four continents.
In the tourâs first leg through North America Twain performed for more than half a million fans. Overall grosses reached nearly $47 million based on concerts at 42 venues from May 3 through Aug. 4.
Now, in the early days of autumn with the three-month opening leg behind her, she has just kicked off her second set of dates â a four-week stretch through nine countries in Europe, that began on Sept. 19 with a two-night stand in Glasgow, Scotland.
Venues in five more cities on the British Isles are also booked including Dublinâs 3Arena and O2 Arena in London, both set to host the tour for two-show engagements. The singer will remain in Europe through Oct. 17.
So far, box office numbers show that gross and attendance totals from this yearâs trek are similar to âRock This Country,â but with increases in both counts. The 2015 jaunt averaged $1.06 million grossed per venue with an average attendance of 10,818. This year the average gross shows a moderate increase of about 4 percent, but the number of sold tickets per venue is about 15 percent higher than three years ago.
Ticket prices also saw an increase this year compared to the prior run. âRock This Countryâ had a price range that spanned from about $45 to $135 domestically, but the top ticket price for âNowâ is closer to the $160 range.
After Europe, Twain will head Down Under for her first visit to Australia and New Zealand as a headliner since her debut tour, âCome On Over.â On that trek, she performed at five Aussie arenas in February 1999. This year she will appear in six cities in Australia and wrap the tour with two stops in New Zealand.Â
Shania Twain Now tour I typed on google, Wikipedia one concert added to attendance and sales and says Nashville was sold out. You can edit this which ever way you want Tommy. Just mentioning it. Not sure how accurate it is.
Shania Twain treats fans to greatest hits at London show
Her set at the O2 also included tracks from her latest album Now.
By Catherine Wylie |Â Press Association | October 2, 2018
Shania Twain thrilled fans with a string of her greatest hits as her tour arrived in London.
The Canadian singer, 53, performed favourites including That Donât Impress Me Much and Man! I Feel Like a Woman! at The O2.
Twain, whose set also included tracks from her latest album Now, told the crowd the experience was âlike a fairytaleâ.
The country music queenâs concert on Tuesday night was the first of two shows at the London venue.
Twain performed for almost two hours and sported outfits including her trademark animal print, a sparkly gown slashed to the thigh, a skintight catsuit, and over-the-knee boots.
Following her London shows, Twain will take her Now tour to other European cities including Munich, Prague and Amsterdam.
Shania Twain at the O2 Arena, London, review: She's still the one
Only misstep from the country superstar is when she invites guests onstage, giving it the feel of a variety show
By Kate Solomon | The Independent | October 3, 2018
3 out of 5 stars
From 2018âs vantage point, itâs easy to forget quite how big a star Shania Twain (born Eilleen Edwards) once was.
The Canadian country singerâs willingness to embrace rock riffs and her vampy style made her a crossover star of epic proportions â she nailed country, she nailed pop, she nailed empowering rockânâroll, and the iconic hooded leopard print desert attire she rocked in the video for âThat Donât Impress Me Muchâ cemented her as a gay icon.
The stars aligned to make 1997âs Come On Over the best-selling album by a female artist in history, but for a full 15 years between 2002 and 2017, she didnât release a single album.
This disappearance was largely down to Lyme disease â after being bitten by a tick, she suffered vocal paralysis and feared that she would never sing again.
You couldnât tell it from her singing voice now; successful reconstruction surgery has left her vocals as warm and robust as ever, with maybe just a touch more rasp to them, like sheâs sunk a whiskey too many.
It may also explain the wobble in her speaking voice, which makes her sound permanently on the verge of tears. And on stage in London at the O2 Arena she talks a lot: long, rambling paragraphs wind their way between songs, each culminating in a carefully remembered sentence that allows her to call out the name of the next song â cute, but after two hours of it, it starts to grate.
It seems that Twainâs energetic dancing days are behind her. The signature move now seems to be the stride, cowboy boots carrying her around the stage with such purpose that she appears to fill it in a matter of steps.
A handful of backing dancers do-si-do, but the most impressive moves come from a clever dancing projection during âPoor Meâ, first dancing with Twain then around and with her, becoming ever more frantic along with the song.
She scatters new songs minimally throughout the set and their proximity to the hits brings out their hooks (âLifeâs About To Get Goodâ) and emotive appeal (âIâm Alrightâ). The really big songs tower above the rest: âThat Donât Impress Me Muchâ blows through the O2 like a tornado of sass. A mass âYouâre Still The Oneâ singalong makes the arena â where an explosion of leopard print, billowing gowns and cowboy hats galore has turned North Greenwich into Nashville â feel like a living room filled with your best friends.
Twainâs desire to become one of those friends to us all seems heartfelt but leads to the showâs only real misstep â it takes on a variety show feel as audience members are invited on stage, followed by comics Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett who seem to have convinced Twainâs team that they are a lot more famous than they actually are.
This whole Butlins stage show saga disrupts the flow of the show and Twain has to work hard to get it back on track; an indulgent montage of some of her music videos while she changes does not help. A gloriously camp final section just about pulls it back, featuring the best use of chairs in a pop show since Britney Spearsâs âStrongerâ. By the time she closes with the healthy dose of empowerment and nostalgia that comes with âMan! I Feel Like a Womanâ, Twain has well and truly proven it: sheâs still the one.
Shania Twain review, O2 Arena: loads of razzle-dazzle, but how much was actually live?
By Neil McCormick | The Telegraph | October 3, 2018
Shania Twain was queen of country pop, a global superstar, one of the top selling female artists of all time when she was forced to retire in 2004 due to vocal problems. She has made a triumphant return this year with a dazzling, spectacular and ridiculously entertaining show. Yet swathing her vocals in Autotune effects and pre-recorded backing track does not suggest her voice problems are over. Last night at Londonâs O2, Twain put on an utterly amazing live show. The only question was how much was really live?
To be fair, I doubt any fan would come away feeling short changed, or grumbling that Twain hadnât made an effort. The staging was state of the razzle dazzle art, all eye-popping LED imagery and constantly shifting mobile platforms, populated by a band of lithe, cheery, dancing musicians ascending and descending in surprising configurations, suddenly appearing out of the floor and vanishing back into the set with their guitars, fiddles and drums.
Twain was the sharp centre of the action, looking fantastic at 53 in a series of bold yet elegant costumes that crossed vampish cowgirl and haute couture. She chatted amiably in an amused croaky voice (âPeople are my favourite things in life! I love chatting!â) and belted out her big hits with energetic gusto. And even if the croak suspiciously vanished in a digitally tuned double-tracked flux whenever she cued a song, you really canât take anything away from the songs themselves.
Twain rose to fame writing power-packed hits that crossed country musical tropes with sleek pop rock, and she performed everything her fans could have wanted to hear. Popping up on a platform in the middle of the arena, fake strumming an acoustic guitar, she led 20,000 people in a glorious singalong of Still the One - which is still one of the greatest love songs ever written.
That Donât Impress Me Much and Man! I Feel Like A Woman! retain their irrepressibly joyous momentum. A fistful of fine new songs from last yearâs chart topping comeback album, Now, were cheerfully received. It was an evening of fun musical entertainment, choreographed to perfection and staged more like a Las Vegas revue or Broadway show than a rock concert. And it was the most fake live gig I have seen since Britney Spears last brought her all-dancing, all-miming production to town.
Twainâs energetic sextet was more like a cheerleading troupe than a band of top session musicians. A good rule of thumb is that if there are fewer musicians on stage than instruments coming out of the speakers, then they are playing to track. There was no bass guitar, no piano or keyboard player and the otherwise impressive drummer spent at least half of the show with her mobile kit being moved around by stage hands from one part of the stage to another. The country fiddlers were fantastic but what they were effectively doing was adding a patina of virtuosity. I am not even suggesting that Twain wasnât singing live, just that the live element of her vocal was enveloped in the protective cotton wool of pre-recordings and boosted with digital effects to ensure every note was pristine.
By Gemma Samways | London Evening Standard | October 3, 2018
4 out of 5 stars
âI wasnât just broken, I was shattered,â was the opening line of Shania Twainâs first full London show since 2004.
Taken from her new song Lifeâs About To Get Good, the lyric references the emotional and physical trauma the country-music megastar has suffered this past decade, including betrayal, writerâs block and dysphonia, the vocal cord disorder that almost destroyed her career. Now back from the brink and boasting an earthier vocal timbre, Twain displayed the infectious Carpe Diem spirit of a survivor during the first of her two dates at the O2.
As excited as she was to forge forward with empowering material from her most recent album â 2017âs Now â Twain clearly took pleasure in embracing her past too. Donning a cowboy hat and sparkly red boots for the more traditional, fiddle-flecked hit Any Man Of Mine, she and her band performed line-dancing-inspired choreography.
Elsewhere, a thousand phones twinkled along to the gorgeous rendition of Youâre Still The One, featuring Twain on guitar, stationed on a podium in the middle of the arena.
Songs from crossover smash Come On Over dominated, with sparkling versions of That Donât Impress Me Much, Donât Be Stupid et al transporting the audience straight back to the Nineties. Unfortunately, the showâs production values didnât appear to extend much beyond that decade either, featuring some tacky set design, clunky choreography and an ill-advised segment featuring LED suits.
But these concerns were rendered insignificant, such was the calibre of songwriting and the feelgood power of Twainâs stage presence. Whether serenading a couple or chatting with the comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan in one particularly surreal segment, the Canadian singer-songwriter was radiant throughout. âThis is what I do this for,â she exclaimed, admiring the rapt arena. It was a triumphant comeback.
Thatâs a wrap for us with @shaniatwain. What an epic few weeks. Thank you to Shania and her crew for looking after us and making us feel so welcome. Thank you to our amazing team, @vixsimpson, @charlesmacdonaldguitar, @hollowayimages and @pittstopfilms for all the hard work and laughs on the road. Biggest thank you to all of you that came early to see us and sang your hearts out with us. Itâs been a truly special tour thank you. B&Cx
London, what a way to end the UK tour. Thank you to everyone who came out to the shows and made them so special. An unforgettable tour â¤ď¸ #ShaniaNOW
Shania Twain Now tour I typed on google, Wikipedia one concert added to attendance and sales and says Nashville was sold out. You can edit this which ever way you want Tommy. Just mentioning it. Not sure how accurate it is.
I saw these stats on VenuesNow. Sales/attendance is compiled by Pollstar instead of Billboard.
Also hitting highs outside the U.S. was Canada's Shania Twain, who grabbed the two top spots on our 10,001-15,000-capacity chart with stops in Dublin and Glasgow, Scotland. Twain's two shows at 3ArenaDublin topped the chart with a gross of $2,157,346, attendance of 24,606 and a ticket range of $66.35-$98.94. The promoter was MCD Productions. Twain's second chart entry, two performances at SSE Hydro in Glasgow (which is celebrating its fifth birthday and is featured in October's VenuesNow), grossed $2,072,319, with attendance of 21,131 (numbers are slightly different than Billboard's boxscore up above) and a ticket range of $32.47-$110.39. Promoter was DF Concerts.
So happy to be in beautiful Germany. We play Munich tonight, Cologne on 8th and Hamburg on 13th. Few tickets still available here:http://shaniatwain.com/tour
Been amazing opening for the Queen of Country, Shania the last couple of weeks ending up at the O2 in London. It was so much fun and a real honour to be asked to support! Thank you @shaniatwain for having us and for putting on an incredible show every night. Itâs been truly inspiring.
Oh My God what AMAZING night in Munich!!! The best concert of my life.
I was totally blown away by the energy, the stage, the lights, Shania herself. She shook my hand on her way to the stage at the beginning of the concert.
Everyone went wild for Swingin' and Forever and For Always video.
And tonight I'm gonna do it all over again in Prague
Oh My God what AMAZING night in Munich!!! The best concert of my life. I was totally blown away by the energy, the stage, the lights, Shania herself. She shook my hand on her way to the stage at the beginning of the concert. Everyone went wild for Swingin' and Forever and For Always video. And tonight I'm gonna do it all over again in Prague
 What about merchandise at the concerts? What do they sell?