Shania Twain - Up Close and Personal (DVD, 2004)

This DVD from China is great, just the same as the ones from Europe or from USA! Great songs from a great singer! I love her songs so much! Great performance! The DVD has no Regional-Code and so you can play it in Europe and in the USA as well! The only thing what could be better was the cover. It is only carton, not as usual a plastic-cover! But all in all great!

Shania hasn't lost her appeal or down to Earth values. She tells it like it is whether conversing with the audience or in her lyrics. Alison Krauss and her band Union Station add another dimension to Shania's backing sound and it's all positive. Worthy of your collection. What isn't worthy is 'The Mutt' having the love of a person like Shania Twain, altho' I see he did help her musically.

Shania Twain has kept her same band since she started professionally in the music business. For this performance she wanted to have a different feel. She wanted to make it feel like she was on her front porch with some friends just playing and singing. Talk about good friends. On this DVD Shania brings in Alison Krauss and Union Station for her back up band. If you love blue grass, if you love Alison Krauss you will love this DVD. Every song is a new experience for any Shania Twain fan because it's an acoustic take on her music that showcases just how talented both Shania Twain and Alison Krauss both are.

The supporting cast of Union Station is just as impressive. Twelve time Grammy Award winner Jerry Douglas is recognized as the world's most renowned Dobro player. His achievements in the music industry are legend but his playing speaks for itself. One of the highlites for me is his solo on the last song of the DVD, the AC/DC song "You Shook Me All Night Long."

Dan Tyminski plays the guitar, mandolin and sings harmony background vocals. Many people know Dan as the voice of George Clooney on the movie soundtrack "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?". Dan sings the lead on "I am a Man of Constant Sorrows". The harmonies he introduces on the Shania songs makes you want to listen again and again to the vocals.

Barry Bales plays acoustic bass and gets the opportunity to sing bass vocals on "Whose Bed Have YOur Boots Been Under". It's a special treat on the DVD especially for Union Stations fans.

Ron Block plays banjo, guitar and sings background vocals. He has played with Union Station for fifteen years but he has also put out a number of CDs as a solo artist. Ron has the ability to blend in well with however he is singing with and it really shows on this DVD.

Larry Atamanuik fills in on drums while the only member of Shania's own band Hardy Hemphill plays percussion and sings background vocals.

I highly recommend this DVD for anyone who loves Alison Krauss and Union Station or for any Shania Twain fan. Any lover of country music or Bluegrass music will love this disc. The talent on this stage is unbelievable and after the concert begins you find yourself wishing you could have been one of the very few that actually got to attend this show live and experience it live.

The next best thing to being there is to get the DVD and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. This will be one of the DVDs you find yourself putting into the player on a regular basis just for the music.

I love everything about Shania Twain! She is a very Beautiful Woman with a Beautiful and very smooth voice and she really knows just how to put on a great show and she is a very entertaining indivisual.