August 28, 200816 yr Author Céline Dion pulls out the stops with first T.O. show in 9 years Quebec diva makes up for lost time with high-energy spectacle Aug 28, 2008 04:30 AM If you get tired just thinking about Céline Dion – selling millions of albums, being Canada's cultural ambassador at-large, shilling for Chrysler, dodging potshots – imagine the exhaustion of seeing her perform live. Between her many costume changes, genre-blending set list and determination to leave no inch of the mod in-the-round stage untouched, the Charlemagne, Que. native's near-capacity show at the Air Canada Centre last night was a spectacle. Her last show here was in 1999, prior to the break which yielded son René Charles in 2001, and the five-year Las Vegas stint which earned her $250 million. Named for Dion's current disc, the Taking Chances World Tour began in February and has visited Asia, Africa and Europe. The 40-year-old chanteuse rose from centrestage in a ruby appliquéd minidress and saluted the audience from four corners asking "Are you ready Toronto; Are you ready T.O.?" before launching into "I Drove All Night." By the time she got through the second tune, "Power of Love" she'd dipped well into her bag of tricks – moving catwalk, supermodel poses, fierce air guitar, kickass now-you-see-them-now-you-don't band which included two drummers and two keyboards, and impossibly long, strong notes – earning the first of many ovations during the two-hour concert. She'd been preceded on stage by comedian-singer and Quebec native Gordie Brown, who resembles a chunkier Dean Cain, and proved an adept mimic of vocalists such as Meatloaf, Usher and Neil Young. It was an open-minded opening act for a woman who has been caricatured mercilessly as an overwrought diva. There's much to mock about Dion – the way she claps her right hand to her left forearm, the automaton umpirelike gestures of approval to the band, dancers and audience, the quivering watch-me-emote expressions, the gunslinger poses – but there's just as much to admire – how effectively she employs her marvellous range (from the creepy lower register to those "Mariah who?" ascending scales), her stamina, how she didn't slip once in those heels. That once-awkward teen has turned into quite the fashionista, wearing it all well last night, including thigh high black leather boots, a voluminous ivory parachute-style cape and a sequined silver vest. There were several covers on the set list, including "All By Myself" which had a tedious start and recalled in parts Brown's impression of Aaron Neville's quavering falsetto; but at the midpoint Dion dug in and belted her way into a satisfactory ending which left her prostrate on the stage, then on her knees, hands clasped as in prayer acknowledging another standing O. It felt like being at a ball game where the home team just knocked one out the park. There was a perplexing segment towards the end: a "We Will Rock You" sing along which segued into "The Show Must Go On" and a Queen/Freddie Mercury tribute. Suddenly, Dion's air guitar and aggressive vibe had a full airing. As indulgent as the crowd was of her rock chic phase, I'm sure a few were wondering "Does this mean we're not going to hear the Titanic song?" Of course they would: In the second encore, replete with black gown, candelabras and wind machine. If this sounds like something you want to catch, promoters have released a new block of tickets for the ACC shows tonight and Sept. 27.
August 29, 200816 yr hopefully someone will post some vids and pics Edited August 29, 200816 yr by xnataliex
September 14, 200816 yr Author Opening Video (I Drove All Night Remix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M53BvrtXvdI I Drove All Night, It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Because You Loved Me & I'm Alive : Taking Chances : The Power Of Love : All By Myself : Alone : Shadow Of Love : My Love : Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore : We Will Rock You : Show Must Go On : The Prayer : It's A Man's World : My Heart Will Go On : River Deep, Mountain High: & HQ PICS: http://www.celinedionforum.com/index.php?s...t&p=1158726 Edited September 14, 200816 yr by SuuS
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