SALT LAKE CITY Before Taylor Swift, before Carrie Underwood, even before Kelly Clarkson, there was Shania Twain.
Arguably the most popular entertainer in the world in the late '90s, Twain's Come On Over album released in 1997 became the biggest selling album by a female artist of any musical genre, the highest selling country album of all time, and remains today among the top ten selling albums in history with an estimated 40 million copies sold worldwide.
But the number of times Twain has performed in Salt Lake City since 2003just one.
Saturday night at the Energy Solutions Arena, Twain returned to say both 'Hello' and 'Goodbye.' The Canadian country-pop-rock superstar's Rock This Country Tour is her first in over a decade, and will also be her last, she announced before the tour began.
The fact that it was a rare appearance by Twain wasn't lost on the nearly sold out arena who gave her an extended deafening standing ovation that seemed to take the singer off guard.
"I don't know what to say," the speechless Twain commented after several minutes of trying to address the crowd only to be drowned out by their applause.
The last time Shania was in Salt Lake City was in 2003. Her massively successful tour that year featured an in-the-round concert stage. Saturday night, Twain's stage set up wasn't quite as large but still seemed to borrow a lot from her recent two-year Las Vegas residency show.
With lasers, a dazzling light show, and enough smoke-machine effects that would make any band from the Sunset Strip of the 1980s proud, Twain literally rose out of the stage floor on a platform opening with the namesake of tour, "Rock This Country," off the Come On Over album.
The set list concentrated heavily on songs from Come On Over, like "Honey, I'm Home," "Love Gets Me Everytime," "Don't Be Stupid," and its predecessor, The Woman In Me with songs such as "You Win My Love," "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" and "Any Man of Mine."
Twain, whose signature brown hair is now blonde, kept the rock and country contrast going throughout the evening, wearing a Rolling Stones shirt along with a country-style jacket and glasses with rose colored lenses as she hit the stage. Later, she switched her Stones T for AC/DC.
Twain, who turns 50 next week, didn't run around the stage as much as she did in 2003, preferring instead to strut in her high-heels or knee-high boots to all parts of the stage as well as a catwalk that stretched to the middle of the arena. But she still made sure everyone got the chance to see her close up. Twain was wheeled around Energy Solutions on a small enclosed platform, and later rose above everyone on a mechanical bull that circled above the main floor.
And while her voice didn't have the same gusto as a decade ago, it was still good, particularly on slower songs like "You're Still The One" and "From This Moment." Twain briefly talked about not touring for a decade, in part because she lost her voice, before adding that she was grateful to get back what she lost. She then launched into "Today is Your Day," the first song Twain wrote and recorded during her comeback.
Twain was backed by her seven-piece band which included Cory Churko on lead guitar and fiddle. Churko got his big break with Shania more than a decade ago before becoming Kelly Clarkson's guitarist during Twain's time off from performing. He recently returned to the Shania camp for her final tour.
Twain ended the night with "That Don't Impress Me Much," and "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!" before another costume change into a short, form-fitting outfit for the encore, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman."
While there were many in the audience Saturday who may have been at Twain's last concert, there were also plenty of young girls who likely weren't born when Come On Over was released. Twain still has two months left in her tour. Her entertaining performance is worth seeing before the cowgirl hangs up her boots for good.
Opening act Gavin DeGraw also performed before a nearly full house as most of the audience were already in their seats when he took the stage. Those who were there were rewarded with a great, high energy set. DeGraw's infectious personality took control of the arena as he played his hits "Chariot" and "Not Over You" mixed with a few cover songs including Billy Joel's "Big Shot" and Bryan Adams' "Heaven." He later joined Twain on stage for a duet on "Party For Two."