Shania Twain, Tanya Tucker + Wynonna Judd Sing ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman’ in Nashville [Review]
Shania Twain reminded fans why you never, ever leave a Nashville concert early, no matter how bad you think traffic is going to be.
The icon's Queen of Me Tour stop at Geodis Park in Nashville on Wednesday (June 7) mirrored previous stops in many ways. Confident hits mixed with new songs she's less sure of. A neon space cowgirl theme complimented Twain's daring attire. The show ended with "Man! I Feel Like a Woman," as it should and as it has in every other city.
This, however, is where Nashville fans won. Tanya Tucker joined Twain on stage for the final song, wearing her version of the younger country singer's sexy black outfit as she worked through "I'm going out tonight / I'm feeling alright."
Then Wynonna Judd joined the two women and nearly knocked Twain's blonde hair back to brunette. The Country Music Hall of Famer brought power to the stage that fans hadn't heard all night:
Shania, Tanya, Wynonna — each one is fit to go by first name only, and they were all on stage together. This was the special moment fans were hoping for.
It came roughly two hours after the start of Twain's set, the first headlining set in Geodis Park history. The venue is a logistical challenge but very pleasant sonically. There's a music-in-the-park feel to it that on this mild night was refreshing. The singer actually started the show from the crowd, a bold move that worked best for the few hundred fans surrounding her trolly.
Vocally, Twain knows she's not the singer she once was. Various health problems have altered her voice, and fans are understanding. Two very fine backing singers help compensate, often overpowering the lead microphone. "Forever and For Always" was a fine showcase, as was a medley of album cuts that included "Nah!" and "She's Not Just a Pretty Face."
Still, she looked at times uncomfortable with the weight of the production. Her long blonde hair was constantly being pushed back with one hand while the other wrestled with a gold sash that trailed her gold and silver leotard. Unscripted segues between songs felt long early on, and she didn't ever really welcome her crowd in that way artists do. One wonders what her show would feel like in a more intimate venue, where her gift for storytelling could truly shine.
"Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" came mid-way through her set and marked a turning point. Twain eased into the back-and-forth with her audience and with the fans she brought on stage. Breland joined her for "Inhale / Exhale Air" from the Queen of Me album and added pop to a mostly unfamiliar song.
"I'm Outta Here" brought opening act Kelsea Ballerini back to the stage, and soon backing vocalist Paul Clark was getting his moment, joining Twain on "Party for Two." Nobody in the audience believed the show would actually end with "Queen of Me," but with all the openers getting their shine and the known Music City trend of bringing out special guests early, some may have headed to the doors.
They probably won't make that same mistake next time.
