On Saturday night, Shania Twain treated audiences to her first ever Victoria concert, and her second-to-last performance in our town, as she retires from the touring circuit. The overwhelmingly female audience was comprised of all ages. There were plenty of moms and their teenage daughters decked out in country attire, ready to dance the night away!
The singer’s ROCK THIS COUNTRY TOUR began in Seattle in June of this year and has seen her perform throughout North America. It’s Shania’s first tour in 11 years, and as she told audiences tonight, this took some courage. Although this is a farewell tour, the 50 year old artist says she will continue to make music for the rest of her life.
The night opened with a video sequence of Shania on two large screens and audiences went wild as she emerged from the floor, opening with “Rock this Country!” There were no dancers in the act, however there was plenty of dancing in the audience especially with numbers like “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” “(If You’re Not in it for Love) I’m Outta Here!”
Early on in the show, the singer took time out to sign items from fans joking, “I can do ten things at once!” After “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)” several fans (48 year old Wendy, a 41 year old woman, and several others) told Shania it was their birthday. Not to leave anybody out, the star said she would sing what she called, “a general birthday” adding, “this is for all you birthday girls!!” The sexy breathy number concluded with “Happy Birthday dear beauties!” Shania engaged with the entire crowd, yet the overall feeling was one of a girlfriend reunion – as if she knew each one of us.
Settling into a slower pace, with an acoustic, “Today is Your Day” Shania spoke of her dream of working with David Foster and that this song allowed that to come about. It was the first song produced by someone other than her ex-husband, and was the culmination of a painful time in her life. The song is a symbol of hope and she dedicated it to the audience for, “anyone trying to get over a hurdle.”
The atmosphere for the entire show was electric, with dazzling light displays and pyrotechnics during several songs. Shania worked the crowd and moved across the floor without missing a beat, her voice as powerful and melodic as ever. The audience joined her in a “warm up” for “You’re Still the One” before all – the singer and her fans – joined together in a building moving chorus.
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The explosive encore of “Man! I feel Like a Woman!” had the audience jumping, leaving no doubt they were in the presence of a star.
Due to the overwhelming demand, Shania Twain’s ROCK THIS COUNTRY tour is playing back to back shows in Victoria, with a second and final performance tomorrow night, Sunday, October 25. This will be the last time she will play in Victoria, and if tonight is anything to go by, the evening will be one to remember.
See more photos from the concert on Facebook: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.546959458784915.1073741906.126545880826277&type=3
