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Shania serves up a real treat
By Janet Devlin
features editor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
20 February 2004
SINGING superstar Shania Twain brought the house down in Belfast last
night - and helped needy Ulster children at the same time.
The Canadian, who sang country cool but looked urban chic, belted out
the hits that have made her a 10-times platinum album winner three
times in a row.
The crowd, which sported more cowboy hats than a Calgary Stampede,
roared approval to favorites like Man I Feel Like A Woman, Don't Be
Stupid, That Don't Impress Me Much and You're Still The One.
Dressed in black trousers, orange and pink vest top and matching
baseball boots, she continued with recent hits from her new album Up,
including Getcha Good, Ka-Ching and Forever And For Always.
Shania also offered every one in the audience a chance to join her on
stage - by buying a raffle ticket to support Barnardo's. The result
was a bucket of money for the local children's charity.
But the highlight of the night, apart from the spectacular finale of
Rock This Country, was when a spotlight suddenly picked Shania out -
singing among the audience in the middle of the auditorium.
The rest of an excellent show was marred only slightly by the large
number of fans who swarmed round the stage requesting autographs and
handshakes while Shania was performing.
But, a true professional - and probably one of the most accessible
superstars ever - she was happy to oblige.
It was the opening concert of a double date for Shania, who revealed
that her birth name was Eileen and she actually has some Irish blood
in her veins, so if you are going tonight you are in for a real treat.
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Irish News
20th Feb 2004
Canadian superstar Shania Twain
made country cool in Belfast last night when she rocked thousands of
fans at the Odyssey Arena.
The singer raised the roof in her first ever appearance in Northern
Ireland, in the first of two dates as part of her Up! World Tour.
Both concerts sold out in a record-breaking 25 minutes, and Shania
definitely did not disappoint the loyal fans who had waited so long.
After and enthusiastic warm-up by supporting act Bjorn Again, the
Queen of Country began the show with the hit Man! I Feel Like A Woman,
from her Multi-million selling album Come On Over.
This was followed up by a mixture of songs from her new album Up! and
previous release The Woman In Me, including the crowd favorites You're
Still The One and Honey I'm Home.
Dressed casually in black trousers and an orange top, Shania still
looked her very best, refreshed and relaxed from time off after the
birth of her son.
The atmosphere was electric as Shania used the excellent central stage
to invite the whole crowd to sing along.
Fans of all ages, many decked out in
Stetsons and cowboy boots, caught the mood and eagerly joined in.
The finale Rock This Country was nothing short of spectacular, with
the singer leaving Belfast in no doubt why she is the most successful
female solo recording artist of all time.
Jacqui Canavan |
| News Letter -
20th Feb
Country Queen Shania Twain took to the stage last night for the
first of her two sellout stage shows in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast.
And it wasn't a case of That Don't Impress Me Much for the thousands
of fans who filled the arena as the star put on a spectacular show as
only the highest-selling female singer of all time could.
Tickets for Shania's two Belfast dates sold out within minutes as her
Ulster fans jumped at the chance to see the star perform for the first
time in Northern Ireland.
The singer made sure that no-one left the show disappointed as she
made her way through hits from her 34-million-selling album Come On
Over, such as From This Moment On, Man! I Feel Like A Woman, Don't Be
Stupid, That Don't Impress Me Much and You've Got A Way, as well as
the more recent hits I'm Gonna Getcha Good, Ka-Ching and Forever and
For Always from her recent multi-platinum album, Up!.
Shania's second show at the Odyssey, which is also completely sold
out, takes place tonight.
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News Letter - Belfast
Feb 21st 2004
Up! The Country legend pleases her audience
Shania Twain appreciates her Ulster Fans. How do we know this?
Not through the tens of millions of albums she has sold, or the fact
that 19,000 Ulster people splashed out £42 each to see her live at the
Odyssey (that's £798,000 worth of tickets), but because she dedicated
the first night of her two concerts here to them.
And for her legion of hardcore fans there - and judging by the
behavior of the crowd at the first night of her two shows - this was
probably a dream come true.
For the other thousands of more fair weather fans she was in danger of
not impressing us much at all.
For Shania's gig, a specially-constructed stage was erected in the
centre of the arena, with no barriers and few security guards.
This invited thousands of her fans (including me) to run to the stage
to get up close and personal to the star, getting their programmes and
tickets signed while she was singing, or just getting touched by the
delicate hands of a country superstar.
As well as this, Shania chatted to the crowd, read out requests and
brought no less than five audience members up to the stage throughout
the show.
And while it is commendable that the star makes so much time for her
fans, she did it partly at the expense of the show.
For the thousands who attended the concert, it was inevitable that
they would leave a little disappointed.
A huge part of the show consisted of Shania bending down scribbling
autographs, meaning that it became more like a huge meet and greet
session.
But the problem for the singer was that once she gave a little, the
fans wanted a whole lot more.
But when she did perform, she did well.
Singing most of her greatest hits - From This Moment On only warranted
a few acapella lines - Shania skipped around the stage, followed by
her lively band, and was vocally immaculate.
There were three costume changes with shania opting for the casual
look, and her final costume change saw her don a baggy Belfast Giants
top.
Highlights included the opening track Man! I Fell Like A Woman, and
beautiful versions of You're Still The One and Forever and For Always.
And a mini fireworks display at the end of the show put an exciting
end to an eventful night.
For her die-hard fans, this would have been the best night of their
lives, but everyone else there, however, a little more performing and
and a little les pandering for fans, would have made a good show
brilliant.
Oh well, Shania, you cant please everyone.
Jeff Magill
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