Cam Fuller
The StarPhoenix
Thursday, June 10, 2004
CREDIT: Gord Waldner, The StarPhoenix
Shania Twain thrills a sold-out SaskPlace audience Wednesday night
She got 'em. She got 'em good. Country-pop superstar Shania Twain sent spirits Up! Up! Up! into the rafters of SaskPlace Wednesday night in a feel-good concert that broke down the walls between performer and audience.
It started when all eight members of her band entered down the aisles of the facility and climbed onto the stage. Twain herself, clad to start in a blue tank top and matching blue booties with black sequined pants, appeared at the far end of the main floor and jogged up to the centre. The show was held in-the-round, a creative way to make everything seem closer. The pride of Timmins, Ont., started with the anthemic Man! I Feel Like A Woman!, and by the end of the song we all did.
It was a bit of a surprise when she did such a huge number as Up! for the second song -- but not saving it for the end showed confidence in her repertoire. Large video screens circled the heights, and their closeups of the star proved she continues to be stunningly attractive. The cameras also focused on the band, bringing the commotion even closer. They were an energetic bunch, bounding from side to side, teasing each other in carefully choreographed moments and striking rock-god poses whether they were playing fiddle or guitar or keyboards. Their boss, meanwhile, was dodging pyrotechnic explosions, singing Honey, I'm Home and circling the stage giving everyone high fives, accepting those stupid stuffed animal presents and actually signing autographs while she sang. People, to their credit, weren't fainting from excitement. In fact, the second things seemed to be slowing up they started sitting down. But when Twain smiled and said, "I'm basically gonna ask you guys to get off your butts," they leapt to their feet.
Yes, she did know where she was. Twain said the word Saskatoon three times before singing the first note, and she expertly exploited the home-province appeal of Cory Cherko, one-third of her fiddling division, who hails from Moose Jaw.
The set list dodged easily from early to more recent hits.
Who's Bed Have Your Boots Been Under was given a rousing performance. No dust-bunnies on that one. A medley helped dispatch several others like You Win My Love and the commercial-jingle-like Come on Over ("come on over, come on in, take a stick, pull it out, the taste is gonna move you when you pop it in your mouth").
One of the most interesting elements of the show were the band introductions. Rather than Twain saying their names, each player introduced one other. They got to make jokes and have fun, and suddenly they were part of the show and not just working at it. The biggest ovations was saved for Cherko, of course, who really won the crowd over when he claimed that he said "Go Riders!" the previous night in Winnipeg.
While the band was talking, Twain was changing into a yellow T-shirt and purple pants. Her wardrobe is much more tasteful than it used to be, but let's face it: she's still going to be the hottest mom at pre-school. Near press time, Twain invited a cute 10-year-old named Mallory onto stage to sing with her. The girl, draped in a huge Twain hockey jersey that retails for $125 at the merchandise booth, charmed the crowd with a few lines from Up!
Twain's tunes are often all icing and no cake, but she really impressed in a slow, almost bluesy version of The Woman In Me, sung with her guitarist after she almost magically appeared in the lower tier, far from the stage. The moment would have been perfect if some idiot hadn't used the opportunity to kiss her on the cheek. Lucky for him she just laughed nervously and didn't summon her attack dog.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2004
http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/sta...eb-ead7926529e1