Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite Message Board

SETLIST

1. Life's About To Get Good
2. Come On Over
3. Up!
4. Poor Me
5. Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)
6. That Don't Impress Me Much
7. Let's Kiss And Make Up
8. Any Man Of Mine
9. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?
10. Honey, I'm Home
11. I'm Alright
12. Soldier
13. You're Still The One
14. More Fun
Video Montage Interlude (The Woman In Me / You Win My Love / Don't! / Forever And For Always)
15. From This Moment On
16. I'm Gonna Getcha Good!
17. Party For Two (with opening act Bastian Baker)
18. Swingin' With My Eyes Closed (with opening act Bastian Baker on guitar & backup vocals)
19. (If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!
ENCORE:
20. Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
21. Rock This Country!

I thought her talking voice seemed really strong and thought it sounded noticeably good. Yeah there was a lot of lip-synching but the show was great. She looked incredible.

Yeah, it was too consistent live too. I was saddened she wasn't singing live but it was a great show. I love all the thought that went into designing the show.

Tanya wrote:

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Tommy, isn't it a mistake? Did she really sing SWMEC as a duet?

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Yes, according to everything I've seen on social media. 

They’ve pushed back the start time here in Edmonton as well. I’m wondering if it is to do with stage set up

I'm pretty sure Vancouver and Edmonton were originally scheduled for 8:00. Saskatoon is 7:00, Winnipeg is 8:00. Then it's back to 7:30 when Shania returns to the U.S. in St. Paul, MN.

I just got an email saying the event has been pushed back from 7:30 to 8:00 from ticketmaster.

Review: Shania Twain's NOW tour hits Rogers Arena

By Stuart Derdeyn | Vancouver Sun | May 5, 2018

The return of Shania Twain to the stage is a big deal. The best-selling female country star of all time released Now to big sales, good press and charting singles.

So why was it so quiet outside at Rogers Arena before the first night of her two Vancouver shows?

A ticket reseller confirmed sales were sluggish. Maybe two shows was … ambitious?

Those inside the building, though, were ready to hear the Timmons, Ont., star belt out all the hits and more. Always a crossover artist, the pre-show playlist boasted tunes by Beyoncé, Pharrell … all the top pop acts of the day. And, based on one cowboy boot-wearing, big hat-sporting fan on the floor, you can line dance to pretty much anything.

Cool. Life was already getting good when Queen’s We Will Rock You, the stomp-and-clap, was met with a big cheer. Freddie, you are missed.

The silver dress and matching sparkling platforms Twain wore when she hit the stage would’ve made the late Queen singer proud. Who knew she was a glam rocker?

The Now tour is a huge production. Five mobile hydraulic cubes featured constant projections. The band, consisting of a drummer, two guitarists/fiddlers and an accordionist/fiddler, were kept busy. And an additional front-of-stage, leopard-print curtain displayed even more film projections, including a giant modern dancer during Poor Me.

This new tune probably has one of the best lyrics she has ever written and she really gave it her all. Then it was back to the party.

Twain talked a lot about coming back from a hard time and her life’s course over the past decade. It has been well-documented how her divorce, complete vocal paralysis due to complications of Lyme disease, and abusive upbringing were major hurdles to clear to come back.

She certainly appeared to be back in fine form as Saturday’s marathon 20-plus song set made abundantly clear. And the interlude with the drummer soloing and camera close ups on fans — both opposite and same-sex kissing — was one of the cuter catch-your-breath/costume change moments in an arena show.

The dance number for Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under with the metal spring mannequins was hilarious fun.

Shania now is every bit as good as Shania then.

http://vancouversun.com/entertainment/music/live-review-shania-twains-now-tour-hits-rogers-arena

I am really sad she is not singing live. I felt like her biggest fan, but I want to see her sing, as she is singing, and I never had a problem when she was doing 50/50 (Vegas, Rock this Country tour, Stagecouch, IHeart, BBC2) but now for me it seems like 95 playback or backing and 5 live max.
And yes I think her voice sounds good, I mean its the surprises and the not knowing what is coming but as she is doing now we could use earplugs and listen to no matter what show and the sound is the same.
I bought 3 tickets for more then 450 Dollar each next to the catwalk, now no more catwalk and no more singing, even I feel she is not as close to the public as she used to, I mean it is also not easy to lipsynch as you should not show it.
I dont know but I am disappointed, like i am supposed to go to 6 concerts. Anyway, someone sharing my opinion?

Shania Twain reclaims spotlight at Rogers Arena

By Leslie Ken Chu | Vancouver Weekly | May 6, 2018

Shania Twain at Rogers Arena, 5/5/18

After a 15-year absence, Shania Twain stepped back into the spotlight at Rogers Arena last night (May 5) like she never left. The show was her first of back-to-back Vancouver dates in support of last fall’s Now, her first album since 2002’s Up!.

Now debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. But her return is more remarkable because she came back from a decade-and-a-half of health and relationship issues. She had surgery to reconstruct her larynx after suffering paralyzed vocals due to Lyme disease. She also divorced Robert “Mutt” Lange, who produced three of her albums, because he cheated on her with her best friend Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Twain went on to marry Marie-Anne’s ex-husband Frédéric Thiébaud.

A grand return called for a grand entrance. Twain appeared from the audience at the back of the arena. Security escorted her to the stage where she opened with “Life’s About to Get Good.” The positive message was loud, clear, and fitting.

“For the most part, I like to write about optimism. This song is about all the little crappy moments we just have to have a laugh about,” she said introducing “Up!”. Before the next song “Poor Me”, not her only one about infidelity, she disclaimed that she was “feeling good overall and in a supportive space.”

Despite Twain’s personal tumult, she’s a country pop star – the best-selling female country star and one of the best-selling stars of all time, in fact. So there was plenty of brightness in her set. She celebrated the commencement of summer with the sunny rocker “Come on Over.” She also played the reggae-tinged “Swingin’ with My Eyes Closed” which she called her summer song and said reminded her of rock songs from her teen years.

The most fun came when she put on a cowboy hat, and her band of mobile players busted out fiddles and trumpets. “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)”, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?”, and “Honey, I’m Home” all followed. After a seven-minute drum solo and a kiss cam, fans shot to their feet for “Any Man of Mine”. Twain though seemed to have had the most fun flirting with her male dancers on “That Don’t Impress Me Much”.

As mentioned, Twain’s musicians were free to roam. She too moved around, often away from the main stage. A seat suspended from the ceiling lifted her over a small second stage in the middle of the arena. High up in the air, she sang “Soldier” and “You’re Still the One”.” She also met a couple of fans here: Chad from Hope (who had family from Twain’s hometown of Timmins) and Cameron from Vancouver. After they took selfies together, she asked them to stand in for her bodyguards. Chad and Cameron led her back to the main stage and helped her get on top of her piano where she sang the stormy “More Fun”.

Swiss singer/songwriter Bastian Baker, who opened the show, joined Twain for “Party for Two” and “(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta here!” Confetti and streamers fired above the audience which signalled the end. But of course, there were encores: her smash hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “Rock This Country!”

Twain told the Vancouver audience that she pushed through her divorce by remembering how much else she had overcome in her life. Trauma like that which she suffered as a child – physical, mental, and sexual abuse – does not completely heal. And her return hasn’t been free of drama. She told The Guardian two weeks ago she would have voted for Donald Trump because “even though he was offensive, he seemed honest.” Yet despite her entrenched trauma and her PR flub, she managed to return in top form with a show as cheeky and glamorous as her music videos. She has said she was unable to enjoy her prime years because she worked so much. But it certainly looked and felt like Shania Twain had fun at her big Vancouver comeback.

http://vancouverweekly.com/shania-twain-reclaims-spotlight-at-rogers-arena-60579-2/

Bastian Baker was interviewed on "Breakfast Television Vancouver" this morning.

We chat w/Swiss singing sensation @Bastian_Baker about touring w/@ShaniaTwain & why he traded his hockey stick for a microphone!

https://twitter.com/BT_Vancouver/status/993523003047559168

Good day: I saw some comments about the recital and I tell, Shania sang live. All comments were favorable. Their shows were amazing. And yes, you need help in instances, but she is recovering her beautiful voice. Remember that you came out of an operation and see if passion staging is absolutely amazing! Hugs

Shania Twain @ShaniaTwain

I'm having so much fun on tour that I almost forget this is my JOB 😂 #ShaniaNOW

Video clip - https://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain/status/994222964110446593

10:30 AM ET - 9 May 18

http://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain

Shania Twain’s impact on Edmonton to linger long after her two-date stop in the city

Proceeds from the 50/50 at Shania Twain’s show to go toward Shania Kids Can.

By Catherine Griwkowsky | StarMetro Edmonton | May 9, 2018

EDMONTON — Country music superstar Shania Twain will be at Rogers Place for two evenings, but her impact will stay in the community for years to come.

During her May 9 and 10 stops at Rogers Place in Edmonton, 50/50 tickets will be sold in support of the Shania Kids Can Foundation, an organization supporting underprivileged elementary students with support, training, fresh food and a safe place in the Shania Club House.

Sandy MacNevin, managing director of the Shania Kids Can Foundation, said in an interview on Wednesday that money raised will stay in the community.

“We’re hoping to keep the funds in Edmonton proper and open an SKC clubhouse in the Edmonton area in the coming year,” MacNevin said.

The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation will split proceeds of the 50/50 with the SKC.

The SKC Foundation provides school boards with three years of funding, while the program leader and school community raise funds to provide sustainability in the long term.

As an example of the support they offer, last week the SKC Foundation bought two kids glasses, MacNevin said.

The cost of the program is anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000 per year.

https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2018/05/09/shania-twains-impact-on-edmonton-to-linger-long-after-her-two-date-stop-in-the-city.html

The show was so great!!!!!

Review: Shania Twain's best-ever Edmonton show delightfully in the Now

By Fish Griwkowsky | Edmonton Journal | May 10, 2018

Shania Twain’s latest album and tour are called Now, a name that couldn’t be more appropriate.

Mixing hypnotic with erotic and palatably patriotic, her cast of accompanying dancers and backup singers was as lively and international as David Byrne’s current touring ensemble. The spectacular moving-parts stage show was so state-of-the-art and mesmerizing it’s hard to even fathom this genre-leaping onetime Ontarian was technically ground zero of the planet-spanning thing we still somehow call country music — she’s so beyond that now.

In presence and with the addition of a handful of great new songs and multiple costume changes, the show was way more lively and visually compelling than her June 2015 diva-ish appearance at Gretzky’s rink, never mind that infamous shivering Grey Cup pop-up back in 2002. Now, indeed!

Nearly sold out at Rogers Place, Twain set lasted more than two hours, largely leaning into the 23 years of hits that made her the biggest-selling female country singer ever — but the new material, songs like the mournful Poor Me and even the Autotuned and gospelly opener Life’s About to Get Good — totally held their own, especially with masterful stage tricks like Twain dancing with her projected self on a huge curtain, before the footage became gigantic and showed off her thrashy modern dance moves.

Generally surrounded by perfectly-put-together dancers — none of them much taller than Twain’s 5’4” — she sang almost every old hit you can think of besides No One Needs to Know.

The zydeco-flavoured Come on Over was the first of the hyper-familiars, and she mounted the van-sized rising cubes flashing monochrome Tetris-y images for Up! —the first of the night’s exclamation-point anthems — as dancers carrying hip-mounted trees of silver balloons shook about. In no way is this a jab, but the night often had a Chris Gaines visual vibe, flipping through imaginary settings from honky tonks to neon beaches faraway in time

For Poor me, Twain explained, “I’m sharing it with you so I appreciate you listening — I wrote this song feeling sorry for myself.” Next in the 20-plus list, the fiddlers came out for Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You) as her moves-crew danced atop the five boxes bearing images of swimming pools. These shapes would then arrange themselves into a five-pip dice formation bearing a leopard face as That Don’t Impress Me Much dropped, not the last time the show felt like some kind of Euro techno event — accompanying Twain’s first outfit change from an evening gown into more of formal summer dress. Her costumes, sassy and alluring, were just amazing all night.

She never introduced her ensemble, but Let’s Kiss and Make Up featured the tremendous power of transgender drummer Elijah Wood (not the Hobbit), and Edmonton seemed particularly bad at the timing our kiss-cam smooches, though a lucky fan had one planted on him by Twain.

Another curtain dropped and the singer became a huge silhouette in a cowboy hat for her best outfit of the night, which included a biker jacket, a huge belt buckle and a revealing lightweight black gown.

This was also my personal favourite moment of the night as the loud and lecherous townies behind us all night commenting about Twain’s body like a stripper wailed along, “Any man of miiiiiine!” in a way that would likely embarrass them if they saw the footage the next morning.

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under was next, Twain’s hunky dancers doing their best Cook County moves with slinky wire mannequins in front of a projected honky tonk with an oddly Devo vibe.

“When we come home from work at the end of the day,” Shania declared rather fairly of women, “we want something cold to drink, we want a foot rub and a neck rub.” This led to Honey, I’m Home, of course — complete with shifting apartments on the screens.

“A lot of people say to me, ‘Don’t you ever get bored of singing the same songs?’” Twain noted, saying her fans’ reactions kept her going. “You are my entertainment.”

This led to the only tense moment of the night as she interacted with people in the front row, the first being a guy from — gasp! — Calgary, moving on to a woman who seemed a bit unhinged and about to loose some conspiracy theory at the 52-year-old singer. Maybe she was just nervous.

The rather sophisticated I’m Alright was next, and Twain hovered above the crowd on a guitar-case swing for the Song soldier from the Thank You for Your Service soundtrack — pretty cool. She stayed in the air for You’re Still the One, and brought a selfie-shooting couple up on stage before More Fun.

A medley of old videos, then an enormous continuously-opening pink flower illustrated make-out song From This Moment On, and lasers spanned shot out at the rink’s social-strata layer cake during I’m Gonna Getcha Good! as Twain’s hair moved around in the wind like Prairie grass.

Opening singer Bastian Baker — sort of a folk rock cat from Switzerland along the lines of Spirit of the West — joined Twain for Party for Two and the new Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed, his elder now in a jaw-dropping blue spantsuit as now even the light boxes above the cubes started twisting and shifting. (If You’re Not in it for Love) I’m Outta Here! Took us to the encore, then everyone returned for Man! I Feel Like a Woman and Rock This Country! — Twain now in something not unlike Spider-Man’s ex Black Cat might fight Vulture in, with that eternal smile scientists have placed great value upon.

If you have the chance to go tonight for the second show — tickets still available — do so.

Over two hours of spectacle, this was the best I’ve ever seen Twain, even compared to the mid-’90s, and it’s just a delight to witness her confidence and skill underlining something a lot of us have known for a long time: she’s a total survivor.

http://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/review-shania-twains-best-ever-edmonton-show-delightfully-in-the-now

Shania Twain still the one in Edmonton

By Gene Kosowan | Gig City | May 10, 2018

It's always a double bill of sorts whenever a Shania Twain show rolls into town – usually a toss-up between her lengthy tresses and telltale leopardskin wardrobe.

This time, it wasn’t just the eyes focusing on the still-svelte 52-year-old songstress. Ears were perked up to see how her reconstructed larynx could withstand the punishment of a 77-gig world tour slated to end in December.

Much to the relief of a near-sellout house at Edmonton’s Rogers Place on Wednesday night, her voice box, healed after a bout with dysphonia due to a Lyme disease bug, delivered big-time during what turned out to be a 19-song set plus an encore. It included the showstoppers Man, I Feel Like A Woman! and Rock This Country! – as well as six outfit changes. That said, while Twain tunes are hardly vocally challenging, if she did any lip-syncing during a set clocking in at roughly two hours she certainly fooled everyone.

With the percussive blast of Queen’s We Will Rock You, Twain emerged from the bleachers and headed for the stage, like a presidential walk-on preceding a State of the Union address. Wearing a Stetson and a dark sequined gown split up the left thigh to show off her fishnets, Twain got the ball rolling with her more pop-oriented offerings Life’s About To Get Good and Come On Over with nary a rasp.

While Twain’s normally been quite guarded over her privacy, given her seclusion in a castle in Switzerland, she’s never been afraid to hint at some of the pitfalls that comes with stoking the starmaker machinery. She only hinted at her previous relationship with ex-husband and studio Svengali Mutt Lange and didn’t mention her medical affliction. As for her recent backhanded support of Donald Trump, which may have endeared her more with her country audience, that lid was tightly shut.

Still, before launching into her third song, Up, what Twain would reveal were her proud Northern Ontario roots, before commenting, “Along the way up, things didn’t always go as planned.”

‘Nuff said.

Ditto with Poor Me, from her latest album Now, which she vaguely called “a song I wrote when I felt sorry for myself.”

It wasn’t all introspection, although much of what was played that night from her latest release, her first in 15 years, didn’t have the energy of her better-known works. Unfamiliar offerings like I’m Alright and Soldier gave the denim-clad fans a chance to fill up with more beer. Twain sang a song with her warm-up act Bastian Baker called Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed – which went over like an LGBTQ proposal at a UPC convention. No protests, just stunned silence from the primarily female audience (and a few Larry the Cable Guy clones) who came for Shania Twain’s hits – not some experimental reggae tune with bad classic rock licks for accenting.

When Twain switched gears to lead the throng to her cornball corral for a twangin’ trifecta of Any Man of Mine, Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? and Honey I’m Home, the masses jumped up and pumped fists in the air in response. No devil-horn salutes in this bunch.

Perhaps trite makes right when it comes to evaluating the success Twain’s experienced, and the first of her two-nighter in Edmonton is testament to her songwriting savvy and audience engagement. She’s very likable. She also knows when to connect and is likely gauging how her new material is going over, which despite her willingness to experiment, don’t have the memorable hooks of previous works that vaulted her to the top in the ‘90s. To her credit, however, she can still deliver something well-crafted, such as her melodically-rich Still the One – easily the best song of the night.

If she still has it in her to juggle introspection, energy and catchiness, the ultimate double-bill will hopefully one day be Twain and her songwriting prowess.

She finishes her Edmonton stint Thursday night at Rogers Place.

http://www.gigcity.ca/2018/05/10/shania-twain-still-the-one-in-edmonton/

Global Superstar Shania Twain Kicks Off North American Leg of Her NOW World Tour With Sold Out Shows And Glowing Reviews

Broadway World | May 10, 2018

Global superstar Shania Twain has kicked off the North American leg of her highly anticipated NOW World Tour with sold out shows in Tacoma, WA, Vancouver, BC and Edmonton, AB. Along with a massively impressive stage production and extravagant costume changes, Shania has been treating audiences to a setlist of iconic hits and songs from her 2017 record Now. Twain's first tour in three years has been garnering early praise:

"She certainly appeared to be back in fine form as Saturday's marathon 20-plus song set made abundantly clear." - Vancouver Sun

"Shania now is every bit as good as Shania then." - Vancouver Sun

"Over two hours of spectacle, this was the best I've ever seen Twain, even compared to the mid-'90s, and it's just a delight to witness her confidence and skill underlining something a lot of us have known for a long time: she's a total survivor." - Edmonton Journal

"After a 15-year absence, Shania Twain stepped back into the spotlight at Rogers Arena last night (May 5) like she never left." - Vancouver Weekly

"The country legend can still put on a show to remember even after performing for 25 years." - BeatRoute Magazine

Earlier this month, it was announced that the country music trailblazer will be taking part in the new USA Network Country Music Showcase Series "Real Country", alongside country sensation Jake Owen. Each week, Twain and Owen will hand-select emerging solo artists, duos and groups to perform in showcases in Nashville. The series will film this summer in Nashville and will premiere in Fall 2018. Twain will also be hosting the 2018 Canadian Country Music Awards at the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton on Sunday, September 9th at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST live on CBC. 

International superstar Shania Twain is a five-time GRAMMY winner and the reigning Queen of Country Pop. With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide and U.S. sales topping 34.5 million, Twain remains the top-selling female country artist of all time. Twain's albums include Shania Twain, Twain's Platinum-selling 1993 debut; The Woman in Me, her GRAMMY Award-winning, Double Diamond-selling 1995 release; Come On Over, the best-selling studio album in Soundscan history by a female artist in any genre and the best-selling country album of all time with over 40 million units sold worldwide; and UP!, Twain's third consecutive Diamond-selling album release.

Recognizing her indelible impact and achievements in music, Twain is the first and only female to receive CMT's Artist of a Lifetime Award and she recently received the Icon Award at Billboard's Women in Music ceremony. Twain's hits include "Any Man of Mine," "That Don't Impress Me Much," "You're Still the One" and "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!" Shania's first album in 15 years, NOW, was released in September 2017 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums, making it the first female country release in over 3 years to top the all genre chart. Additionally, the album landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country album charts and went to No. 1 in Canada, Australia and the UK.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/-Global-Superstar-Shania-Twain-Kicks-Off-North-American-Leg-of-Her-NOW-World-Tour-With-Sold-Out-Shows-And-Glowing-Reviews-20180510

Shania Twain @ShaniaTwain

Thanks again Chad and Cameron for giving me a lift up 😘 #ShaniaNOW

Video clip from Vancouver on May 5 - https://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain/status/994955301244809217

11:00 AM ET - 11 May 18

http://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain

Shania Twain @ShaniaTwain

📍 Edmonton #ShaniaNOW

1:06 PM ET - 12 May 18

http://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain

Shania Twain @ShaniaTwain

Rehearsing for you Winnipeg, see you tonight! #ShaniaNOW

12:10 PM ET - 13 May 18

http://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain

That does impress me much

Canadian music icon goes above and beyond at Bell MTS Place

By Erin Lebar | Winnipeg Free Press | May 13, 2018

Concert review

Shania Twain

May 13, Bell MTS Place

Attendance: Approx. 13,000

4.5 stars out of 5

Three years ago, Shania Twain rolled through Winnipeg on her Rock This Country Tour which, she told fans, would be her last. 

So it came as a bit of surprise when the Canadian music icon announced she’d be going out on a world tour in support of Now, her first full-length release in more than 15 years.

But as she entered Bell MTS Place, not on stage but wading through her fans, doling out high-fives while walking down the bowl’s stairs to the floor seats, all the while a genuine smile plastered across her face, it became very clear why she couldn’t stay away from the road.

Her stop in Winnipeg Sunday night was just the seventh show of the 77 scheduled for this tour, but already things were running like a well-oiled machine. As Twain, 52, sauntered across the stage in a sparkling black evening gown with a thigh-high slit, a curtain dropped to reveal an elaborate stage setup including several massive cubes with video screens that took several different formations throughout the night. 

She kicked off the night with the lead single, Life’s About to Get Good, from her new album, and by the time she got to the second track, Come On Over, the entire floor was on its feet. 

"Thank you guys for coming and spending your Mother’s Day night with me, I got a beautiful handwritten ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ card from my son, so that always brightens my day," Twain said as a crew member put her in a harness.

"Tonight just leave your worries behind, because there’s no way but up from here."

And she meant that literally — as she sang the 2002 hit Up, one of the video cubes rose higher and higher as some choreography involving silver balloons happened below. 

The theatrics continued as Twain launched into Poor Me, a newer single about her breakup with former husband and songwriting partner Robert (Mutt) Lange. As she emotionally belted the song first behind, and then in front of, a cheetah-patterned cloth, videos of contemporary dancers were projected onto it.

It may seem a bit over the top, but it was truly captivating. It would be so easy for someone with Twain’s clout to totally phone it in, but she, instead, has chosen to go above and beyond anything she’s done before.

Vocally, Twain was rock solid; from ballads to pop songs to her classic country hits, from sitting on a swing playing a guitar above the crowd to dancing and climbing up and down stairs, nothing seemed to shake her pitch-perfect performance. Her voice has changed, deepened a bit compared to her early days, but that maturity has added a beautiful round tone to her already gently raspy voice. 

After a quick change into a flowy animal-print robe/dress with a bodysuit underneath, Twain returned to a knock out of a pair of tracks that included That Don’t Impress Me Much and Let’s Kiss and Make Up, which ended with an audience kiss-cam segment as Twain ducked off stage again.

Twain’s new tracks didn’t garner the same uber-enthusiastic response from fans, but they are strong additions to her set; her new music sounds fresh and modern, but isn’t a jarring digression from her catalogue of hits from nearly two decades ago. The pacing of her setlist was notably excellent, as well; she made sure to bookend her new stuff with some of her biggest hits and never allowed the energy to dip.

Twain returned in a country-inspired outfit ready to dive into some of her earliest hits, including Any Man of Mine and Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under and followed that by gliding on a seat above the crowd toward the B-stage at the back of the room during ballad Soldier. She ended the track by thanking the men and women who serve Canada in the army and chit-chatted with the crowd leading up to a sing-along of You're Still the One. It was one of many moments she took to candidly interact with the crowd — it never felt like a script.

That's the beauty of a Shania Twain show — she has found a way to be both homey and flashy, both so relatable but also very clearly a superstar.

A highlight of the night which came quite late in the show was the stunning From This Moment On. Twain, alone on stage, rolled through it with both ease and emotion.

To close out the two-hour performance, Twain saved a couple of big guns for her encore — the opening notes of Man! I Feel Like a Woman! caused the room to erupt with cheers so loud they’d rattle your core, and Rock This Country! left the crowd just where Twain found them, on their feet, roaring for more.

Swiss singer-songwriter Bastian Baker opened the night with a sweet but forgettable set. Baker, 26, who was a coach on the third season of Belgium's version of reality TV singing competition The Voice, knew his crowd, asking if there were any Jets fans in the house, and did his job as opener in amping up the audience as best as a solo folk-pop singer can. But as charming as he was, and as pleasant as his voice sounded, there was a warmth and a spark missing from his performance, especially evident as he tackled the incredibly emotional track Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/that-does-impress-me-much-482507073.html

Shania Twain @ShaniaTwain

Mood 😊

1:03 PM ET - 14 May 18

http://twitter.com/ShaniaTwain

Shania Twain sells new songs hard at the X, even if fans just want her old hits

By Ross Raihala | Pioneer Press | May 15, 2018

Shania Twain’s new album don’t impress her fans much, yet they think she’s still the one.

That was one takeaway from the country superstar’s Tuesday night show at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center. More than 14,000 fans — more women than men, more drinking than not — greeted each one of Twain’s old hits by singing and dancing along or simply cheering. By and large, those same folks clammed up and pulled out their phones whenever Twain performed a song from “Now,” her first album in 15 years.

Much like Garth Brooks, Twain re-emerged a few years back after an extended break from the spotlight. And, like Brooks, she’s struggled to score a hit comeback single, let alone a monster crossover smash a la “You’re Still the One” or “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”

Still, Twain pushed the fresh tracks hard onstage Tuesday, telling rambling stories about them and favorably comparing “More Fun” to what may well be her signature song, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” And she spared no expense in staging, with five massive, mobile video cubes and numerous other screens flashing colorful graphics, leopard print and live footage. Midway through the show, she even rode a swing above the crowd on the floor.

While introducing “You’re Still the One,” she told the audience she had visited Paisley Park and it was “an interesting feeling” as she knew Prince and he had covered her song. (The Purple One renamed it “U’re Still the One” and recorded it as a duet with Marva King. It never got a physical release, but Prince streamed it on two of his early websites.)

Twain approached all of her material with impressive energy, even when her chirpy voice got overpowered by her band. But too often, she killed the momentum by leaving the stage to change her increasingly convoluted outfits or letting one of her stories go on too long.

Many of Twain’s smashes celebrate down-to-earth friendships, women, having fun and excessive punctuation: “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”; “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!”; “Up!”; “(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!” Yet, at times, she seemed a bit distant, detached and lost, like when she invited some fans onstage, asked them where they were from and stared blankly when the crowd booed at the response: “Bismarck, North Dakota.”

It’s also worth noting Twain, who turns 53 in August, launched her comeback tour in 2015, she announced it would be her final outing. After Tuesday’s concert, it seems the only thing Twain should retire from is bothering to record new music.

https://www.twincities.com/2018/05/15/shania-twain-sells-new-songs-hard-at-the-x-even-if-fans-just-want-her-old-hits/