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Shania Twain fans describe their idol at 'Dome concert

By ANIKA VAN WYK, Showbiz Editor


Shania Twain is not just another pretty face to her fans. Last night Twain, who last played here in December, returned to the Saddledome to promote her album Up!

There were a lot of things about the Canadian superstar the predominantly female fans -- many in their pre-teens -- were 'up' about.

"She's gorgeous and she has a beautiful voice," said Natalie Mehew, 24, who drove up from Lethbridge with her friend Linda Hay.

"We sang the whole way up here," added Hay, 22. "I've loved her from the beginning. It's her attitude -- she's a strong woman who gives it her all."

Other fans drove even further for the chance to see Twain live.

"We drove like six or seven hours," said Kabri Emerson, 11, from Butte, Mont. "I like that she's carefree. She wears what she wants -- I'm not a big girly-girl."

Her sister, Rashae, 9, quickly admitted to being a girly-girl and jumped in: "We like her because she's pretty and she sings good."

Their younger cousins Wesley and Seth Erickson were more emotionally attached: "I love her, I really do love her," said Seth, 5.

Calgarian Marvin Marion, 28, feels Twain's success can be attributed to the fact she's a beautiful woman, inside and out.

"From the first time (I saw the Any Man of Mine video), I've loved her voice and her attitude. She's a strong woman who speaks out, and she does what she wants, no matter what," said Marion. "And I like the way she interacts with the kids."

And while some mothers at the 'Dome admitted they wouldn't let their daughters dress like Twain, most thought she was a good influence.

Allana White and her daughter Meghan, 9, flew in from Chilliwack, B.C., just for the show. "I jumped around the whole house," said Meghan about getting the tickets for Christmas.

Her mom is also a fan and didn't mind accompanying her daughter. "I think she's a great role model. She's made it through some tough times and is still successful. And I think that's great for kids to see."

Brenda and Jack Sieb even chose last night's show to be their three-year-old daughter Amanda's first concert.

"She's a huge fan and can sing all the songs," says Brenda. Then Jack adds: "She's constantly singing them, and it drives me nuts."
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Calga.../15/499858.html

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DOWN WITH BASHVILLE!!!

Mike Drew - Calgary Sun

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DOWN WITH BASHVILLE!!!

The A-Twain

That looks like a new top! That picture makes Shania look really really tiny.


-Chris

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Shania's Place
Shania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

"...Living, Loving, Laughing and Dreaming....."-Shania Twain

Heath McCoy
Calgary Herald


Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Review

Shania Twain and opening act Emerson Drive performed a sold-out show Monday at Pengrowth Saddledome.

Attendance about 17,000.

- - -

"Are you ready, Calgary?" teased Shania Twain's silhouette, which loomed several metres tall behind a curtain in the centre of the Saddledome on Monday night.

A tidal wave of giddy screams made for an affirmative to that query and with the bright, cheery opening bars of the sassy hit, Man! I Feel Like A Woman! the curtain dropped. No Twain. It was a red herring, but within seconds, the country pop diva from Timmins, Ont., was sprinting toward the stage from within the crowd.

Backed up by a hotshot nine-piece band that looked like the cast of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy gone Nashville, Twain, 38, danced around the stage, belting out one crowd favourite after another in a show that impressed her audience greatly, if not necessarily this reviewer.

Hits covered included the incessantly chirpy Up!; the pretty ballad Forever and For Always; the sex-kitten country singalong Any Man Of Mine; and the anthemic, Honey, I'm Home which sounds positively Def Leppard-ish. No surprise there, considering it was the yummy mommy's hubby/producer Mutt Lange at the helm when the Leps did that one.


CREDIT: Photo, Colleen Kidd, Calgary Herald

Although Twain's normally thin voice seemed downright shaky at points in the evening, she also displayed greater charisma than she did the last time she was in town in December when she seemed to be going through the motions.

Still, for the mega-star that she is -- small town gal turned feisty fairy princess in her videos -- Twain is not the extraordinary showman one would expect her to be.

With her kitschy, catchy bubblegum country songs and her fun, glamorous image -- you'd think she was the lost Spice Girl, Twangy Spice -- one would expect more from Twain.

Her moves are arena rock cliches and her delivery is lacking in passion.

But somehow her adoring fans gobble up every cutesy tidbit she has to offer.

Part of the reason for that, without a doubt, is Twain's considerable talent for including her fans in her show. She brings them onstage for singalongs; she appears in the aisles to sing to them up close; she invites local musicians to perform with her. Of course, for her encore, she appeared in a Calgary Flames jersey and gave a sincere sounding shout out to our home town warriors. All of it brings an intimacy to the show -- not easy to do in an arena -- that is truly meaningful to the Shania-maniacs out there.

Meanwhile, in a repeat of Twain's December 'Dome show, Grand Prairie's Emerson Drive kicked off the evening with an upbeat set of candy-flossed country rock.

Alternating between original tunes like the latest single Last Man Standing and covers, like a countrified, watered-down version of U2's Where The Streets Have No Name, the sextet proved themselves to be a tight, energetic gang of arena rockers at heart. Strutting frontman Brad Mates strives to be a country version of Jon Bon Jovi even if his boy-next-door vibes are closer to Donny Osmond.

The band did its job well, though, and were a perfect fit, warming up fans for Shania.


http://www.canada.com/calgary/calga...a2-4785f0897be9

hmccoy@trald.canwest.com


CREDIT: Photo, Colleen Kidd, Calgary Herald Canadian country siren Shania Twain ran through the crowd to take the stage of a nearly sold-out Pengrowth Saddledome on Monday night.

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DOWN WITH BASHVILLE!!!

So, did this stereotypical hack critic, leave an email address???? This review lacks, passion, and is filled with cliches.


I think we have been insulted by this person, like we are minded numbed robots. Heath is definitely looking down at us.


-Chris

__________________
Shania's Place
Shania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

"...Living, Loving, Laughing and Dreaming....."-Shania Twain

yeap:

hmccoy@trald.camwest.com

(the herald)

__________________
DOWN WITH BASHVILLE!!!

if the music is so "bad" as he described, than what are his expectations exactly?

and after that;





So she ahs charisma, and doing what is hard to do in an arena, and 17000 happy, yet she has no showmanship?
Whre this guy is living?
So what, we already knew he doesn't like her music, show, and persona - from the earlier review.

But Shania doesn't have to leave up the critics expectations, they don't buy cds, concert tickets requesting on the radio...
She has to entertain us, and that even this smart... could not deny, that she totally succeded.

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DOWN WITH BASHVILLE!!!

Drive seven hours, we have people here that have flown all over the place to see her..ol

Seems the fans get it.


-Chris

__________________
Shania's Place
Shania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

"...Living, Loving, Laughing and Dreaming....."-Shania Twain

Amen to that. I spent 31 hours in the car coming and going to the 4 shows I saw and others have logged way more time on the ground or in the air. People don't spend that kind of time or money unless there is something of substance there.

To the media at large: Take a quarter and buy a clue.