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Review: Shania Twain electrifies New York’s Madison Square Garden (Includes first-hand account)

Twain waltzed onto the stage dressed in a low-cut red dress, a black leather jacket, black boots and red sunglasses. She was backed by a seven-piece band.

She began her set with the rocking “Rock This Country!” and immediately broke into “Honey, I’m Home,” where she had her fans pumping their fists up in the air, as they sang along. “That’s right, New York City,” Twain exclaimed.

Twain took off her red shades for the fiddle-driven “You Win My Love” and had the crowd clapping along, prior to taking them on a trip down memory lane to 1995 with the upbeat “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” as yellow laser lights graced the stage.

“Yeah,” she shouted. “I’m going to have so much fun tonight. This is my party and I’m so glad you came. I’m having the time of my life. It’s great to be back in New York City. I love your city. I feel like home here,” she added, with tears in her eyes.

“I Ain’t No Quitter” was sassy and optimistic, while her chart-topping single “Love Gets Me Every Time,” which stayed at No. 1 for five weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, showcased her country-rock side, as she blew a kiss to her fans.

During “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You),” she interacted well with the audience by greeting them, shaking their hands, signing autographs and even taking several selfies. “I can hear you real good, New York,” she said, with a smile on her face. “This party is just beginning.”

Prior to “Any Man of Mine,” she noted that her great-niece is in the audience tonight. “Who wears fishnets and has a great-niece?” she joked. “My family starts young.” Twain went into the crowd during this performance, which resonated well with her “Big Apple” fan-base.

After a haunting, instrumental version of “Ka-Ching,” Twain underwent an outfit change and belted out her spitfire tune “I’m Gonna Getcha Good,” which turned out to be explosive, with pyrotechnics.

“Come on Over” displayed her honey-rich voice, and she complimented the audience for being “amazing.” “You are all different and beautiful,” she exclaimed.

For “Party For Two,” Twain brought back her opener, Gavin DeGraw, who joined her for this duet. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on tour. The last time my son was a toddler and now he is a teenager,” she explained.

“Up!” was a fearless live performance, since she sat on a pommel horse, which had a pulley attached to it, that raised the award-winning songstress high into the crowd.

She shared that the acoustic portion of her show reminded her of when she started out. “I didn’t start out in New York City in Madison Square Garden,” she said, prior to noting that she began singing at bars at the age of eight, at a time when she was too young to be in bars, yet she was able to earn $25 a night there, which was a big deal for her family. She revealed that being in bars has contributed to her having asthma, yet “music has always been her great savior. “We all share that,” she added, prior to singing an acoustic version of “Today Is Your Day.”

Twain picked up the pace with the upbeat and sing-along tune “No One Needs To Know,” which featured her angelic vocals. She began her smash hit “You’re Still the One” a cappella, which was controlled and impressive, and immediately broke into her signature love ballad in full force, while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. “All together now,” she said.

A background video played her ballad “Don’t” on the televised screen, which afforded Twain time to undergo yet another outfit change, an elegant black gown, which she wore to sing the fan-favorite vocal of the evening, the wedding staple, “From The Moment On.”

Twain was sassy on “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and closed with the up-tempo “(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!” She returned for a one-song encore where she sang her Grammy-winning hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”

“Shania Twain was absolutely incredible tonight at Madison Square Garden,” said teen pop sensation Nick Tangorra, who was in attendance. “She proved to still be at the top of her game, even so many years into her career.”

The Verdict

Overall, Shania Twain was able to deliver at her headlining show at Madison Square Garden. She was truly able to “Rock this Country,” and the audience was aware that they were in the presence of a country-pop musical goddess. She commanded the stage well and had the crowd in the palm of her hand. Her songs were eclectic: uplifting, fun and emotional. She was able to show the versatility of her artistry as a contemporary singer and songwriter. This is one concert that should be experienced by all. Her live show garnered an A rating.

For more information on country superstar Shania Twain and her upcoming tour dates, check out her official website.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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