Shania Twain knows how to make an entrance.

When the Queen of Me Tour arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 16, 2023, Twain didn’t simply walk onto the stage at Thompson-Boling Arena. As the opening notes of “Waking Up Dreaming” began, she surprised the crowd by appearing on the arena floor, emerging from a box positioned among unsuspecting fans.

It was an unexpected start to a night filled with the kind of big production moments that have become synonymous with Shania Twain.

Photos: © BARRELASSIN’ 2023

From elaborate staging and multiple looks to huge video screens and a larger-than-life motorcycle incorporated into “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!,” the show was as much a visual production as it was a concert.

And then, of course, there was the music.

Twain moved between newer material and songs that have become part of the soundtrack of an entire generation, including “Any Man of Mine,” “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?,” “Honey, I’m Home,” “You’re Still the One” and “From This Moment On.”

Nearly three decades into her career as an international superstar, Twain still knew exactly how to command an arena.

Fans stayed on their feet, singing and dancing all night.

Fans stayed on their feet, singing and dancing all night, matching Twain’s energy from the first song to the last. At times, thousands of phone lights illuminated the arena, creating some of the night’s most memorable scenes away from the stage itself.

The production was big, colorful and unapologetically Shania- but Twain never disappeared behind the spectacle.

She looked fantastic, sounded strong and seemed completely at home interacting with the Knoxville audience.

For longtime fans, the show delivered exactly what they came for; the hits, the energy and the unmistakable personality that has made Shania Twain one of country music’s most enduring stars.

By the time the familiar leopard print appeared, there was little doubt about what was coming next.

Twain returned for the finale with “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,”bringing one of the most recognizable looks- and songs- of her career back to life for an arena full of fans who were more than happy to sing every word with her.

There’s a reason a Shania Twain show still fills an arena. Part nostalgia, part pop-country spectacle and part sheer familiarity, it’s the kind of night where you know most of the words before the first note hits.

The Queen of Me Tour didn’t need to reinvent Shania Twain. It just needed to put her back onstage — cowboy hats, leopard print and all.