Shania came back to Toronto for her third visit on the Rock This Country tour and she’s clearly on a mission to reconnect with fans that have noticed her absence from the concert circuit.
Gavin DeGraw, who rose to fame thanks to the beloved show One Tree Hill, was the opening act and he started the evening on a powerful note. He began behind the piano to perform Soldier and then continued to play hits like Sweeter and Chariot. His cover of Bryan Adams’ Heaven was a notable highlight.
He really got the crowd riled up when he stepped off the stage to sing I Don’t Wanna Be with fans on the floor. He shook fans’ hands as he walked around with security and I watched with envy from the nosebleed section. At the time, I didn’t know that he was prepared to get so personal with fans that he would surprise a lucky bride and groom’s guests at a local wedding the same night! Gavin and Shania were both sentimental about their last night on tour together and I was delighted to see Gavin come back on stage to sing Party for Two as a duet with her.
This tour marks Shania’s return to the road after her Las Vegas residency, which followed a long hiatus from performing. Shania has reemerged as an enlightened artist, telling fans, “I think what I’ve learned in all this is that you can’t do everything…you just can’t do it all at once.” She’s pacing herself now and she seems more mature than ever before.
I’ve met Shania twice and I always found her to be sincere; however, I can’t help but wonder how much of the following speech about gratitude was rehearsed.
“I don’t want this moment to end. This is so surreal. It’s just so cool. I really have to pinch myself very often because, you know, I come from Northern Ontario… [Cheers] I love Toronto because it’s very multicultural and people come from all over the world to live here and it’s a great city, but where I grew up in Timmins, Toronto was like a whole other world of sophistication. When you’re a little kid and you grow up in a small mining town up north, in the winter the snow gets higher than you do! I just can’t believe I’m standing here. It’s really a miracle. The music industry and the entertainment industry is really crazy and when I look back on where I started and where I am, I really promise you from the bottom of my heart, I just can’t believe it. I’m relishing every minute and I’m going to enjoy tonight for the rest of my life. I thank you so much for having me back. I don’t want to get all emotional or anything, but I feel a connection with all of you. Thank you for being here.”
In addition to acknowledging support from her relatives in attendance, Shania also paid tribute to a few artists. She first entered the stage wearing a Rolling Stones graphic t-shirt, which was colour coordinated with the rest of her comfortable, yet glamorous outfit. Second, when she invited a young girl onstage to sing Still The One (the fan’s choice), Shania suggested that she could be “the next Celine Dion.” Celine Dion shares the same venue as Shania Twain at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Nothing is a coincidence! Finally, Shania repeatedly thanked music producer David Foster for collaborating with her to create Today Is Your Day.
Her show at the Air Canada Centre was a fireworks-filled extravaganza from beginning to end. It was so good that I temporarily forgot how much I dislike her new blonde hair. There were no live dancers, but she doesn’t need them for backup. She powered her way through 100 minutes like a pro and nothing’s stopping her from continuing to dominate the industry once she releases new music.