‘So rogue’: country superstar Shania Twain turns London pub into saloon

I n the Shacklewell Arms in east London, the usual crowd of hipsters and indie music fans had been replaced by a throng dressed in leopard print, double denim and cowboy hats to pay tribute to the night’s headliner: Shania Twain . “We thought we might have been scammed when we saw the ticket announcement,” said Jack, 28, who came with his sister Amy. “Why would she do a pub this small?” There was a collective sense of disbelief among the lucky 200 ticketholders that they were about to see the bestselling female country artist singing in a dingy back room. Best friends Emma, 26, and Ava, 28, thought it was “so rogue” to see Twain in a pub that used to be their local. The Shacklewell Arms was turned into an old-school saloon for the night to honour Twain, complete with a wall of complimentary cowboy hats and bandanas. Fans travelled from across the UK for the once-in-a-lifetime gig. Nathan, 35, from Scotland, covered in old merch, was here to see her for the eighth time. “Why is she doing this? I don’t care. I only usually get to see her in large concerts. So it’s special to see her up close and personal.” The Shacklewell Arms. Photograph: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for ABA Just minutes later, Twain bounded on stage and announced: “Shacklewell Arms! Here we go. Are you ready?” Then she launched into her new single, Dirty Rosie. …