AUSTIN, Texas — Austin, meet Vegas Shania.
Those familiar with Shania Twain's catalog might not have immediately recognized her when she took the stage on Saturday of Weekend 1 of the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL). Bejeweled in a glittery outfit, with long, bright red hair, Twain kicked off her set with the lead single from her most recent album, singing and dancing in front of images of neon cacti and palm trees.
At first, the set felt a little like a trailer for her upcoming residency in Las Vegas – her third in Sin City since 2012. But a couple of songs in, it finally like both Twain and her crowd hit their stride.
Everyone was certainly having a good time – Twain included, evidenced by her screaming directly into the mic several times – and the vibes really picked up when she began playing songs from her '90s records, including "Any Man of Mine," "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" and "Honey, I'm Home."
There were a few times that Twain introduced a song in a way that implied she thought the audience might not remember the words – but she needn't have worried. The men and women in bedazzled cowboy boots and "Let's Go, Girls" shirts were more than up to the challenge.
And about that last: the energy was never higher than when Twain ended her set with mega-hit "Man! I Feel Like a Woman." It was clear that many in the crowd came to hear that song, specifically, and the energy during it was worth any awkwardness at the set's beginning.
If you missed Twain during Weekend 1, unfortunately, you're out of luck. She will not be returning for Weekend 2.
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