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::::::: February 2008 :::::::

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February 29th, 2008

:: Celine Dion in Johannesburg ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) Celine Dion will conclude her successful South African journey of Taking Chances World Tour with two outdoor performances at the Montecasino in Johannesburg, TONIGHT, February 29, and tomorrow. Immediately following this current leg, Celine will continue with performances in Dubai (UAE), Japan, Korea, Australia, Malaysia and China.

:: Celine Dion rocks EC fans in Port Elizabeth ::

(6:45 a.m. GMT) Music diva gives 25,000 ‘an out of this world’ performance. WORLD-renowned music diva Celine Dion had 25,000 fans eating out of her hands as she rocked the crowd with her phenomenal voice during her concert at the Eastern Province Rugby Union Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night. Starting out her performance with I Drove all Night, at the end of the first leg of her Taking Chances World Tour, Dion immediately had the fans enthralled, getting them to sing and dance along to the beat of her music.

“Your country is extraordinary and you are amazing,” Dion said to her legion of cheering and screaming fans. Dion’s tour of South Africa has given her the chance to meet former president Nelson Mandela, to go up Table Mountain and to see “real life” penguins. “Your country is so amazing, I cannot believe we haven’t been here before,” she said. Performing in front of a mixed crowd of young and old, male and female, the singer, who has garnered many awards in her singing career, wowed the crowds as she sang high notes with the greatest of ease, swinging her body and setting the mood.

“The show was out of this world. It was absolutely amazing. You can see she put all her heart and soul into this concert,” said Liesl Whittington, who travelled from Butterworth to see her idol in the flesh. Besides experiencing the “magical night with the star”, Whittington was highly impressed with Dion, who used an isiZulu phrase to thank the crowds. Dion yelled out siyabonga, when she took a final bow at the end of her performance.

She first took to the stage dressed in a sexy black mini-dress to sing some of her old-time love songs, including The Power of Love, Because You Love Me and It’s All Coming Back To Me Now. Dion’s compilation of love songs had couples staring into each others’ eyes, while serenading one another. “My wife loves Celine Dion and she begged me to take her to the concert. I have to admit that she was fantastic and a part of it was so romantic,” said Lance Pretorius of Uitenhage.

During her performance of almost two hours on stage, Dion and her entourage did not disappoint fans. From the fabulously choreographed dancers, to the powerful band, to sensational backing vocals – fans got everything and more. “I have almost all her CDs, but she sounds and looks even better in real life. I’ve waited for her to come to South Africa for so many years and now I can’t believe that I’m a few metres away from her,” said 57-year-old Esther du Plessis. Other songs performed were All by Myself, Angel, Think Twice, I’m Alive. Dion also paid tribute to the late Freddie Mercury with The Show Must Go On, before ending off with the Titanic theme song, My Heart Will Go on.

[Source: dispatch]

February 28th, 2008

** Updating ** :: Wind pauses for breath as Dion gets the Friendly City on its feet ::

(6:20 a.m. GMT) Click HERE to see more pictures from the concert!! ---- About 15,000 cheering fans were on their feet at the EPRU Stadium in Port Elizabeth last night as the wind died down and the voice of Celine Dion rose into the night. With the crowd having been warmed up by local 17-yearold Idols sensation Jody Williams, the Canadian superstar kicked off with her 2003 hit I Drove All Night in a rousing sing-along.

Fans hailed the show as thoroughly professional with Dion making several lightning changes of outfit. Earlier yesterday Port Elizabeth dished out its trademark friendliness as the Canadian songstress touched down at the airport. Dion could not help but comment on another of the city‘s trademarks. “Oh, the wind!” she exclaimed before being ushered through the arrivals terminal where about 100 fans waited.

With her husband-manager Rene Angelil and under heavy police guard, she blew kisses to fans of varied ages, most of whom captured the moment on cellphone cameras. Dion spoke about the “nice breeze” that welcomed her to the city, saying it was lovely and that her family would like to return one day. “Starting in South Africa on my world tour has been the most fantastic experience – a perfect way for us as a family to begin our new chapter on the road,” she said in a statement released earlier. “It‘s a great feeling to be back on tour and to perform to my fans around the world.”

[Source: theherald]

February 27th, 2008

:: Celine Dion plays to 300,000 ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) After playing to 300,000-plus South Africans, Canadian singer Celine Dion has described starting her world tour in this country as a "fantastic experience". The entertainer, who returns to Johannesburg on Friday and Saturday (Feb 29 and March 1), has been on a nine city tour of the country with her family.

"Starting in South Africa on my world tour has been the most fantastic experience, a perfect way for us as a family to begin our new chapter on the road. "It’s a great feeling to be back on tour and to perform to my fans around the world," she said in a statement today. Her local promoters said in the statement that Dion "has played to over 300,000 South Africans who were mesmerised by her...new stage performance".

[Source: The Times]

:: Strict traffic control at Celine Dion concert ::

(11:00 a.m. GMT) ALL roads in Nelson Mandela Bay will lead to the EPRU Stadium tonight when thousands of fans descend on the city to see singer Celine Dion perform in Port Elizabeth. Organiser Katherine Long said between 20,000 and 30,000 fans were expected to attend. Gates open at 5pm. EPRU spokesman Belinda Venter said four gates would be open to relieve congestion – two along La Roche Drive and two along Strandfontein Road.

Traffic control will take place from noon until after the concert. During this time, La Roche Drive between Schaeffer Square and Driftsands Drive will be closed to traffic. This area will be used as a drop-off zone. “Security and police will be there to assist at drop-off points. Parking will be around the stadium,” said Venter. Parking in the stadium will be reserved for VIPs, emergency vehicles, people with disabilities and accredited motorists.

Parking for the general public will be available on the grass area next to the stadium, side streets surrounding the stadium and the open ground at Blackthorne Avenue. Municipal spokesman Kupido Baron said traffic authorities were not expecting any difficulties. There would be “rigid rules about where to park”, he said.

[Source: theherald]

:: Josh Groban Talks About Celine ::

(11:00 a.m. GMT) [...] Q: As your new digital single is a live duet of The Prayer with Celine Dion, you must know her a bit. So, be honest, is Celine nutty or what?

A: She is, 100 per cent. That's one of the things I love about her. When you see her perform, what you see is what you get. She is really that enthusiastic about her crowd and about her music. There's no phoniness to the fact that she just is that exuberant and that wacky. I think of myself as the same way, so it's nice to meet someone who has that sense of humour.

Q: If I were to call you the American male equivalent of Celine, would you take offence?

Of course not. She's certainly had a career that if I can equal half of, I would be thrilled. We're in the business where comparisons are made all the time, and obviously they're a lot of differences between Celine and I in what we do. But she's one of the great voices of all time, and of course I'll take that as a compliment.

[Source: theglobeandmail]

February 25th, 2008

:: "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me" - Canadian TV-Ratings ::

(8:00 p.m. GMT) According to BBM/Nielsen, Celine Dion's TV-Special "That's Just The Woman In Me" televised in Canada on CTV at 9:00 p.m. attracted 1.254 million viewers. It was the most-watched broadcasting of the night against Global's Las Vegas that attracted 1.085 million viewers and it was the #11 most-watched broadcasting for the week Feb. 11-17.

[Source: mediaincanada]

:: :::::: From 'Die Burger' :::::: ::

:: :::::: From the 'Los Angeles Times' :::::: ::

:: Celine‘s visit music to B&B, hotel owners‘ ears ::

(6:30 a.m. GMT) FANS are set to stream into Port Elizabeth for music diva Celine Dion‘s concert at the EPRU Stadium on Wednesday night. The show is a welcome boost to the tourism sector with guest house operators and hotel managers reporting that Dion‘s tour had contributed to a boom in business. Although organisers are hoping that 20,000 fans attend the concert, they have been tight-lipped about ticket sales so far. Humewood bed and breakfast owner Shanley Schaeser said the establishment was fully booked. “The Celine Dion concert has made a difference. We are extra full".

“People have come in from East London and Port Alfred,” added Schaeser. Margate Place Guest House assistant manager Debbie Avery said 200 inquiries for accommodation had been received, mostly for people who wanted accommodation for Wednesday. “It‘s been crazy, especially at establishments along the beachfront because we are close to the venue,” said Avery. An Edward Hotel employee who requested anonymity said the establishment was fully booked.

[Source: theherald]

:: Police help smooth way at Celine gig ::

(6:30 a.m. GMT) Extra police on Sunday night prevented a repeat of the chaos on Saturday night when hundreds of Celine Dion fans were forced to turn back, unable to get into the Lourensford Estate where the singer performed. On Saturday, traffic gridlocked at the Somerset West venue, resulting in only those who had arrived hours earlier getting in, said Lise Kuhle, a Ticket Connection official. On Sunday night, traffic was flowing freely thanks to a strong police presence, Kuhle said.

On Saturday many of these concertgoers, who had paid up to R866 a ticket, were stuck in traffic for as long as four hours. "Absolute chaos" was the prevailing complaint of people who had queued for hours. Then, there were only five food outlets for almost 20 000 people. Although organisers Kusasa Entertainment gave at least 300 people who missed Saturday's show complimentary tickets for Sunday night's show, many fans were angry that what should have been a memorable evening turned into a nightmare.

And it seems no one is willing to take responsibility. Kusasa's Duncan Herefield said on Sunday the "various challenges" were due to a "lack of traffic support", which had a "knock-on effect". But city traffic department spokesperson Searle Johannes said Saturday's gridlock "categorically had nothing to do with the traffic department". "The organisers were to blame. They opened the gates late and the parking facilities were not open on time. We had a traffic master plan in place." He said parking areas were "regulated by security guards not trained to facilitate traffic". Also, "there were more people than tickets", he said.

In Somerset West, Dion was treated to full mega-star status. She and her 75-strong en-tourage, who flew in together last week, booked out the whole of the Lord Charles hotel and she was escorted to and from Vergelegen in a convoy with a police helicopter hovering above. Last night Dion described Cape Town as one of the world's most beautiful places, and won even more applause for her attempts at "howzit!" and "dankie, dankie". Around 20 000 people attended Saturday night's show and 11 000 to 12 000 last night. Dion was due to fly to Port Elizabeth today for her next shows.
[Source: tonight, capeargus]

February 24th, 2008

:: Cape Town Concert Review: "Size counts" ::

(4:45 p.m. GMT) Every performer knows they must connect with their audience as soon as they step on stage. Celine Dion did just that at her first Cape Town show — albeit inadvertently. Opening, as usual, with 'I Drove All Night' she expressed the feelings of many punters (this one included) forced to battle the gridlock of Somerset West streets en route to the Vergelegen wine estate. But, traffic problems notwithstanding, what an appropriate venue it was. Only a huge field can properly accommodate a singer whose vocals run the range from overblown to really overblown — especially when a state of the art sound rig makes that voice startlingly clear for an open air performance.

Couple that impeccable audio quality with a full complement of musicians (including three backing singers) and Dion's live renditions of old familiars, new songs, and cover versions are virtually indistinguishable from the album versions. 'I'm Alive' gets more rhythm (and African dancers), 'Think Twice' receives a slight blues makeover, 'Alone' appropriately sounds even more overwrought, and newie 'Can't Fight The Feeling' has a surprisingly rockier edge (rounded off by Dion's sideways shimmying and some shadow boxing).

But ballads like 'The Power Of Love' and 'All By Myself' are just as sentimental as you remember, 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' loses none of the bombast, R.Kelly duet 'I'm Your Angel' (performed with backing singer Barnev Valsaint) still sounds like something off a Disney soundtrack, and current hit 'Taking Chances' is spot on.

Real surprises come in the form of a Queen medley (a truncated 'We Will Rock You' is DOA but a fantastic 'The Show Must Go On' is more than strong enough to withstand her no-restraint voice) and Dion's apparent desire to move beyond the pop and sop. 'Eyes on Me' has her trying a Latin style a la Shakira — backed by four flamenco dancing couples — while the final portion of the show sees the Canadian following Christina Aguilera into vintage soul and jazz territory — now supported by 'The Cotton Club' extras suggestively going through '30s dance paces.

Beginning with a medley of 'Soul Man', 'Lady Marmalade' and 'Respect' performed by the backing singers, it also features Dion's renditions of Ike and Tina Turner's 'River Deep, Mountain High' and James Brown's 'It's A Man's Man's Man's World', threatening to transform the concert into a big budget tribute show. Her own, similarly styled 'That's Just The Woman In Me' and 'Love Can Move Mountains' restore some balance, but it's only the final encore ('My Heart Will Go On' of course) that sees Dion assume control of the show once more.

Nevertheless she gives it her all throughout the slick production, belting out the songs in typical more-is-more style, going through (count 'em) five different outfits, and certainly moving across the extravagant stage with more verve than Elton John. But for someone who's been performing in public since she was five, her audience interaction is surprisingly contrived, ranging from the overused ("Thank you so very much") and the localised ("People of Cape Town are lekker") to the bizarre ("We love you Freddie [Mercury]!"). It means she doesn’t truly connect with the crowds, and even though her voice is so huge, Celine Dion the person is almost dwarfed by the show's magnitude.

[Source: Entertainment iafrica]

** Updating **
:: Celine Dion Performing in Cape Town ::

(3:40 p.m. GMT) By clicking here and here, you will be able to watch two videos taken from the press conference held in Cape Town on February 22, 2008. Plus, in one of the pictures posted above, you will see the NEW RED costume that Celine wore at last night's concert in Cape Town during the performance of My Heart Will Go On.

[Source: WireImage, Die Burger]

:: Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me - The Final Part ::

(11:30 a.m. GMT) By visiting the sub-section TV Appearances (in the Video section), you will be able to download the final video taken from the CBS TV-special "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me", aired in North-America on February 15th, 2008. In this last video Celine performs That's Just The Woman In Me. The show attracted more than 7.5 million viewers in the U.S.A.

[Thanks Kevin]

February 23rd, 2008

:: Celine Dion Performing in Cape Town ::

[Source: WireImage]

:: Celine Dion in Cape Town ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) Celine Dion's Taking Chances World Tour goes on in South-Africa. The international superstar is going to perform her fifth and sixth show at the Vergelen Wine Estate in Cape Town TONIGHT and tomorrow.

:: Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me - 'Something' + 'Alone' ::

(12:30 p.m. GMT) By visiting the sub-section TV Appearances (in the Video section), you will be able to download the fouth video taken from the CBS TV-special "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me", aired in North-America on February 15th, 2008. In this fourth video Celine performs Something (accompanied by Joe Walsh) and Alone. The show attracted more than 7.5 million viewers in the U.S.A.

[Thanks Kevin]

February 22nd, 2008

:: Celine Concert in Durban (South Africa) - (Feb. 20) ::

(9:00 p.m. GMT) Click here to read the review of Celine's concert at the ABSA Stadium in Durban written by our new friend Sashlin.

[Thanks Sashlin; Picture Source: Thesprunts]

:: :::::: From 'HELLO' Magazine :::::: ::

[Thanks France]

:: Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me - 'The Power of Love' + 'The Prayer' ::

(7:20 a.m. GMT) By visiting the sub-section TV Appearances (in the Video section), you will be able to download the third video taken from the CBS TV-special "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me", aired in North-America on February 15th, 2008. In this third video Celine performs The Power of Love and duets The Prayer with Josh Groban. The show attracted more than 7.5 million viewers in the U.S.A.

[Thanks Kevin]

February 21st, 2008

:: Celine Dion in Cape Town (South Africa) - Press Conference (Feb. 21)::

[Source: WireImage, KFM]

:: Celine shares emotional family voyage with HELLO! Canada ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) As she kicks off her year-long world tour in South Africa with her family by her side, Quebec-born chanteuse Celine Dion invites HELLO! Canada magazine readers to accompany her on her moving journey. In this week's issue Celine, her husband Rene and their seven-year-old son Rene-Charles share the special moments of their trip - including a meeting with former South African president Nelson Mandela. Issue 73's nine-page feature is filled with exclusive, dynamic photos of the international superstar's eye-opening voyage. "I take my son around the world so that he can understand the privileges he has," she says.

[Source: Hello Magazine, Just Jared]

:: 'The Prayer' - Hot Debut! ::

(7:45 p.m. GMT) The live duet from Celine Dion and Josh Groban on " The Prayer " is new at No. 70 of this week's Billboard Hot 100. The track is drawn from Celine Dion's CBS TV-Special and is the top debut on Hot Digital Songs with 38,000 downloads. The song is available on Itunes Canada and U.S.A.

[Source: Billboard]

:: ::::::Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me - Taking Chances :::::: ::

(11:24 a.m. GMT) By visiting the sub-section TV Appearances (in the Video section), you will be able to download the second video taken from the CBS TV-special "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me", aired in North-America on February 15th, 2008. In this second video Celine performs Taking Chances. The show attracted more than 7.5 million viewers in the U.S.A.

[Thanks Kevin]

:: Billboard Live Review: Dion Brings Sin City Glitz To South Africa ::

(7:00 a.m. GMT) Celine Dion may have said goodbye to Las Vegas last year, but the " Taking Chances " tour -- her first world tour in more than eight years -- reveals just how much the city has rubbed off on her. She wasn't lying at a recent press conference when she promised dancers (“the first on tour with me in a long time”): male and female dancers, in an ever-changing array of costumes, filtered around the singer and her band.

Her first-ever show in South Africa (February 16th, 2008 - Pretoria) may not have ultimately succeeded in presenting her as a multi-faceted performer, but it definitely confirmed that Dion is a singer of unparalleled ability. Performing in a stadium that ordinarily holds rugby fans and flanked by two huge screens, Dion used her astonishing voice to captivate the near-capacity crowd. The summer night was balmy but she didn’t break a sweat delivering takes of favorites " I Drove All Night ," " I’m Alive " and the title track to her recent album, " Taking Chances ," with clarity and, at times, aching beauty. And judging by the audience's rapturous response, it is no wonder Dion is the country’s top-selling international artist.

The spectacle was directed and choreographed by Jamie King, who has worked with Madonna and the Spice Girls. The 90 minute-plus show pivots around themes from her early years in the opening sequence, and then ‘rock,' 'passion,' 'fashionista' and 'soul.' Additionally, the singer’s multiple costume changes, the lighting and -- of course -- the dancing all feed into the projection of Celine as a multi-faceted artist, able to move through varying musical elements with ease.

...Except when she doesn't: there were a few missteps. The mid-show Queen tribute, which includes " We Will Rock You " and " The Show Must Go On " performed in front of a montage of shots of the UK act, is supposed to lift momentum after a gooseflesh-raising performance of " Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore." Instead, it ends up feeling misplaced and awkward. Dion herself made no reference to why the tribute was included in the show.

Additionally, a selection of soul offerings during another part of the set effectively shows off backing singer Barney Valsaint's vocal ability, but a section that features " That’s Just the Woman in Me " and " It’s a Man’s World " among dancers doing sexy moves just doesn’t fit the sure-voiced adult contemporary singer. In the end, Dion got to the essence of what she’s does best: standing alone on the stage, she delivered a mesmerizing take of " My Heart Will Go On ." Any awkward moments from earlier in the evening were forgotten.

[Source: Billboard]

February 20th, 2008

:: :::::: A Picture From Durban's Concert! :::::: ::

Celine had to renounce to her long black gloves owing to the summer heat and humidity of Durban in mid-February.

[Source: The Witness]

:: :::::: Pictures From St. Valentine's Concert !! :::::: ::

[Source: Flickr]

:: Celine Dion in Durban ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) Celine Dion's Taking Chances World Tour goes on in South-Africa. The international superstar is going to perform her fourth show at the ABSA Stadium in Durban TONIGHT.

:: ::::::Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me - 1st Video! :::::: ::

(1:20 p.m. GMT) By visiting the sub-section TV Appearances (in the Video section), you will be able to download the first video taken from the CBS TV-special "Celine Dion: That's Just The Woman In Me", aired in North-America on February 15th, 2008. In this first video Celine performs the wonderful River Deep Mountain High. The show attracted more than 7.5 million viewers in the U.S.A.

[Thanks Kevin]

:: :::::: From the 'Sunday Times' :::::: ::

:: From The Taking Chances Tour-Book :: (::More coming soon::)

[Thanks Natashja]

February 19th, 2008

:: From The Taking Chances Tour-Book ::

[Thanks Natashja]

:: :::::: MORE PICS!! :::::: ::

:: February 16th ::

:: February 15th ::

[Source: barcroftmedia]

:: More news about the Concert changes ::

(8:00 p.m. GMT) According to the Quebec newspaper La Presse, Sunday's concert of Celine was sharply better than the one performed the day before. A sober show but cleanly effective, more musical. Celine sang few lines from I Drove All Night appearing on the stage, a more natural connection between the intro-video and her physical appearance on the stage. Besides, Rene Angelil cancelled a costume-change for the medley dedicated to Queen.

[Source: La Presse]

:: :::::: From 'Gulf News' :::::: ::

February 18th, 2008

:: Rene Angelil Fixes The Mechanism ::

(8:00 p.m. GMT) Rene Angelil, Celine Dion's husband and manager, slept nearly a hour the night after the first concert of Celine in Pretoria on February 16th. He reorganized the whole show to avoid few troubles. "It's normal - said Angelil yesterday - I'm not upset. The show can evolve constantly. We reorganized the song-list and tonight's show will be 50% better!"

Le Journal de Montréal attended last night's concert and it says that there have been few changes about the costumes chosen by Annie Horth and changes about the order of some songs. They added one more song from Celine's new album, Can't Fight the Feeling. The whole concept, even the presence of dancers, has been reorganized.

"There a lot of things that we can't do on a frontal stage." added Angelil. Taking Chances World Tour will be performed 16 or 17 times on a frontal stage and more than 100 on a big central stage. In the next shows there will be more changes until the show will be perfect. Mr. Angelil also said that Celine will be performing a medley featuring Beauty and the Beast and the song The Prayer with Andrea Bocelli.

[Source: Le Journal de Montreal]

:: :::::: MORE Pics of Celine Concert in Pretoria!! :::::: ::

[Source: Cyberpresse]

:: :::::: From 'Beeld' :::::: ::

:: :::::: ONE MORE Video From Pretoria Concert :::::: ::

(11:30 a.m. GMT) By cliking HERE, you will be able to watch one more video taken from Celine concert in Pretoria. FABULOUS footages from: It's all coming back to me now, Because You Loved Me and To Love You More.

:: Soweto kids bowl Dion over ::

(6:00 a.m. GMT) A teary Celine Dion promised to host three parties this year for the African Feeding Scheme (AFS) children and their mothers. Rising to the occasion, her husband said the parties should be run for the next five years, which was greeted with thunderous applause and lively ululation. The Canadian star was speaking at the AFS office in Pimville, Soweto. Dion was in Soweto on February 15th to visit the AFS, one of the three charities she supports. The others are the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Topsy Foundation.

She was greeted by a spontaneous outburst of song by school children who had been patiently waiting in the sweltering heat for their benefactor’s arrival. Bringing excitement and fanfare to the offices that are a haven to 21000 school children who go through their gates everyday, Dion’s entry was punctuated by frenzied paparazzi trying to capture her from every angle.

Dressed simply in jeans, a top and scarf, with her hair in a ponytail , she elegantly made her way to the table, patiently stopping to hug and pose for pictures with her fans. In a perfect accent, Dion said, “Siyabonga! I am greatly touched by what you have been doing here for so long. I want to thank you for giving me and my family the opportunity to meet life. “Since my arrival in South Africa, I have been amazed not only by your beautiful country, but the welcome through your voices and music. This has made me understand my singing, my voice and the power of its communication.“I know my singing is going to change for the rest of my life,” said Dion, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Before coming here, we had watched television and read a lot of books about South Africa, but since our arrival we have realised there’s a lot going on. “You are truly an amazing people and it’s an absolute pleasure to be here.” She said the three big parties she would sponsor – in Easter, winter and Christmas – would be aimed at making children happy, bring light to their eyes and help them enjoy their childhood.

“Instead of just thinking about food and medication, I want the children to look forward to a party, fun and lots of delicious food with memories that stay longer. “Thanks for giving my life balance. I take my son around the world so that he can understand the privileges he has. I realise the children are going through a lot but they enjoy life too. You can’t question life but have to live it,” she said.

Dion was given a short history of the AFS, an organisation that started in Sophiatown in the 1950s, survived forced removals and is thriving in the Ekurhuleni, Soweto and Kagiso on the West Rand. Besides feeding children, AFS also runs sewing, shoemaking and gardening projects.

[Source: Sowetan]

February 17th, 2008

:: Celine Dion in Pretoria - THE VIDEO!!! ::

(6:10 p.m. GMT) Celine Dion's Taking Chances World Tour goes on in South-Africa. The international superstar performed her 1st full show at the Loftus Stadium in Pretoria last night. LCN reporter Alexandra Diaz attended the concert. Click HERE to watch many FANTASTIC footages taken from the show.

[Source: LCN]

::::: The "Multimedia" section is officially open! :::::

:: Stephane Laporte's Luck ::

(11:00 a.m. GMT) Stephane Laporte, creator-director of Bonus features included on the A New Day... DVD, will be a privileged witness of Celine Dion adventure. He will be the creator-director of a documentary about the Taking Chances Worl Tour, a DVD produced by CDA (Celine and Rene) and by Productions J (Julie Snyder).

Laporte wants to give three interpretations to this documentary: First: to follow the person, the star, Celine Dion, around the world. Second: he wants to show the technical and nearly athletic exploit of this tour-organization. Third: he wants to point out the infatuation that causes the Celine phenomenon all over the world. The tapings of the whole concert will take place in the course of the World Tour and Jean Lamoureux, director of show included on the A New Day... DVD, will be the director.

[Source: Le Journal de Montreal]

*Updating*
:: The Concert in Pretoria ::

(8:00 a.m. GMT) February 16th concert lineup was much the same but included about five songs not performed at the charity banquet in Johannesburg . Here is the tracklist:

1st part (black and silver outfit)
1. I've Got The Music In Me
2. The Power Of Love
3. Taking Chances
2nd part (white blouse and red slacks)
4. New Mego's Flamenco (instrumental)
5. It's All coming Back To Me Now
6. Because you Loved Me
7. To Love You More
8. Eyes On Me (Album Version)
9. All By Myself
3rd part (glittering outfit)
11. I'm Alive
12. Shadow Of Love
13. Fade Away
14. I'm your Angel (with Barney Valsaint)
15. Alone
16. Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore
17. Think Twice
4th part (black outfit)
18. Queen Medley - We Will Rock you (band and back up vocalists)
19. The Show Must Go On
5th part (short white outfit with black hat)
20. Soul Man, Lady Marmalade, Respect (Medley by band and backing vocalists)
21. It's a Man's World
22. That's Just the Woman In Me
23. Love Can Move Mountains
24. River Deep Mountain High
Finale (long yellow outfit)
25. My Heart Will Go On

The overall show was fantastic. A few sound problems existed, but being the first official open air full length show, fans were amazed and definitely pleased. Wikipedia has a story about Celine lip-sinking in her latest TV special and possibly on her world tour, I can vouch that it is not the truth and that the show was VERY LIVE. Due to sound glitches Celine omitted some lines and seldom would not be heard though the live video showed her singing. Rest assured fans, Celine sang for real - and it was wonderful! The show lasted nearly 2 hours and half.

[Show reviewed by our collaborator Tony - Thank you, Tony!]

February 16th, 2008

:: Céline Dion in Pretoria ::

Celine Dion goes on with her Taking Chances World Tour in South-Africa. The international superstar will perform in Pretoria tonight and tomorrow. Our collaborator Tony will attend the event and won't fail to reveal us all the details of tonight's concert! Click HERE to watch several FANTASTIC footages from February 14th concert.

:: :::::: Celine Dion, The Lion Queen :::::: ::

(8:20 p.m. GMT) "Celine Dion and manager husband Rene Angelil take their son Rene Charles, 7, to see a performance of The Lion King at the Monte Casino in Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday."

[Source: Just Jared, celebrity-gossip]

:: :::::: From 'The Citizen' :::::: ::

:: Céline @ Soweto - The Video! ::

(7:00 a.m. GMT) By clicking HERE, you'll be able to watch a video of Celine visiting the school children feeding programme in Soweto township near Johannesburg. A very warm welcome for the star and her family who announced a generous donation to this school.

[Source: LCN]

February 15th, 2008

:: *Updating* : Celine Visiting school children feeding programme in Soweto ::

(7:50 p.m. GMT) Canadian singer Celine Dion claps with singing children at a school children feeding programme in Soweto township near Johannesburg, February 15th 2008. In the second picture she serves up a plate of food, in the third one she smiles as she poses in traditional Zulu beadwork and heargear and in the fourth picture she poses with René-Charles and a school's kid...

[Source: Reuters, Just Jared, Cebebrity baby Blog]

:: :::::: From 'Le Journal De Montreal' (Exclusive Pics!!) :::::: ::

[Thanks France]

:: :::::: From 'Le Droit' :::::: ::

[Thanks France]

:: :::::: From 'YOU' :::::: ::

[Thanks Tony]

:: Pictures From Last Night's Show!! ::

[Source: La Presse]

:: Reminder: Celine Dion: That's Just the Woman in Me ::

(10:00 a.m. GMT) Five-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum recording artist Celine Dion stars in a one-hour primetime special TONIGHT on CBS and CTV. Taped before a live audience at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on Jan. 12, Dion performs some of her greatest hits including "Because You Loved Me," "My Heart Will Go On" and "Taking Chances" off her current album, "The Prayer" with special guest, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Josh Groban, and "Eyes on Me" with multiple Grammy Award winner will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas.)

Celine Dion: That's Just the Woman in Me is Celine's first concert since ending her five year musical extravaganza, A New Day, in Las Vegas and her third special on the Network. "The Prayer", Céline's Dion duet with Josh Groban exclusively taken from this TV-Special is now available for download at iTunes Canada and U.S.A.

:: Johannesburg Benefit Show-REVIEW ::

(6:30 a.m. GMT) Celine Dion kicked off her Taking Chances World Tour tonight – Valentines Day 2008, at a charity benefit in Johannesburg, South Africa. A shortened version of her planned 2-hour spectacle, the concert delivered several surprises and wowed fans of all ages.

Her flawless vocal ability captured the hearts of every person in the house. Many fans in South-Africa have waited years for this opportunity. And here it is. The show opened with the song called ‘ I Got The Music In Me ’ of Kiki Dee and moved swiftly into the timeless hit “The Power of Love”. Celine took a short break to welcome her fans and thanked everyone for making her feel so welcome in ‘Jozi’ (slang for Johannesburg).

She introduced her new album and sang ‘ Taking Chances ’. A total of 6 costume changes and spectacular montages in between sets kept audiences glued to the show as her backing vocalists and dancers often kept the pace going while Celine changed wardrobe. New Mego’s Flamenco introduced a medley of ‘ It’s All Coming Back To Me Now ’, ‘ Because You Loved Me ’ and ‘ To Love You More ’ before slowing the tempo down with an incredible performance of ‘All By Myself’.

Another wardrobe change changed the vibe as got feet tapping and hands clapping in anticipation of Celine’s uptempo rework of ‘ I’m Alive ’ which led straight into her current hit ‘ Eyes On Me ’. In true Celine fashion she slowed us down yet again for an incredible deliverance of her UK chart-topping hit, ‘ Think Twice ’.

This was followed by ‘ Shadow of Love ’ and a breathtaking version of ‘ Alone ’, both from her latest album. Naturally she reverted to her roots and performed the French classic, ‘ Pour Que Tu M’aimes Encore ’. Celine ended this set with assistance from the two-time Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir who backed her on a lively ‘ Love Can Move Mountains ’.

Between the choir, her back up vocalists and the dancers, Celine managed to sneak away for another wardrobe change coming back to her team belting out ‘Lady Marmalade’. She swiftly joined them and performed James Brown's ‘ It’s A Man’s World ’ before doing another change in time for her classic cover – ‘ River Deep Mountain High ’. Fans were thrilled and overwhelmed by the energy Celine and her cast put into the show.

Celine returned one final time in a beautiful long light yellow evening dress to perform the timeless, ‘My Heart Will Go On’. The evening was splendid and to have Celine in South-Africa an absolute blessing. If you haven’t got tickets yet, go get them NOW!!!

[Show reviewed by our collaborator Tony - Thank you, Tony!]

February 14th, 2008

Celine Dion will play a charity benefit in Johannesburg TONIGHT before opening her Taking Chances World Tour proper with a first full show at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on Saturday, February 16th. A second show follows at Loftus before Dion's tour moves to the Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and back to Johannesburg.

:: Celine Dion Will Perform Queen and James Brown's Songs! ::

(1:00 p.m. GMT) According to the Quebec newspaper, La Presse, Celine will be performing tonight few songs of Queen and James Brown accompanied by Soweto Gospel Choir. The reporter of La Presse, attended yesterday the one and only rehearsal for tonight's show. Celine will also perform Love Can Move Mountains and a little of I Got the Music In Me of Kiki Dee.

Celine's musicians look more rock, funky. The reporter listened to the musicians rehearsing few notes of It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Because You Loved Me and To Love You More and she also watched the intro-video shot in the desert where Celine drives high-speed singing I Drove All Night.

René Angélil had the idea of a song-medley dedicated to Queen. «She performs two tracks starting with We Will Rock You and then The Show Must Go On.» - reveals Angelil. Celine said that she would like to replace the album version of Eyes on Me with the rap-version performed during the CBS Special. According to Rene Angélil, the best part of show will be the homage to James Brown, a Jamie King's idea. «The backup vocalists sings small parts of Lady Marmelade and Respect and then Celine goes up in a lift to perform I Got the Feeling and It's a Man's Man's Man's World. The show will end with That's Just the Woman in Me and River Deep Mountain High, more and more HOT than the Las Vegas version. Tonight's show is scheduled at 7:00 p.m. GMT and will last 75 minutes.

[Source: La Presse]

:: In first post-Vegas show, over-the-top Celine Dion scales vocal heights ::

(10:00 a.m. GMT) Tina Turner Week continues on CBS Friday night when Celine Dion kicks off her hour-long concert special, "That's Just the Woman in Me," with a glittery, full-throttle rendition of "River Deep, Mountain High." It bears a striking stylistic resemblance to Turner's own performance of "Proud Mary" with Beyoncé on the Grammys Sunday night. Specifically, Dion shows her mastery of the Las Vegas gloss that Tina applied on Sunday.

Truth is, that's something Dion has always worn better than Turner, and she puts it all on display for this prime-time show. Big, showy productions have been Celine's signature for years, a signature that's made her one of the richest and most popular entertainers in America. On this special, as in the rest of her work, Dion more than occasionally takes it over the top. On "The Power of Love," her voice goes up and just keeps going - and the crowd gets happier with each note.

Nearly all artists talk about how they love the audience, but that sentiment is rarely as palpable, or reciprocated, as with Dion. Much of her popularity rests on her extraordinary connection with fans, which stems partly from her ability to simultaneously project both star power and an aura of "Aw, shucks, is that me you're clapping for?" She's done that in Vegas for years. It's harder on TV, but even here, fans will come away feeling like they've spent an afternoon in her living room.

In the segment where she is joined by Josh Groban, she devotes several minutes to a warm exchange about how much she helped and encouraged him back when he was young and nervous. Lest anyone miss the point, she dedicates another song to Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is sitting in the audience with her fiancé. As Dion sings a love song, the camera pans across Hewitt's table, where she and her fella are bathed in soft blue light.

That's hardly an accident, though ultimately it's just decoration on the Dion package. The main reason Dion has become an institution is that people like the way she sings, and for most of this hour that's what she does. She sings "Something" with Joe Walsh, and "Eyes on Me" with will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas. She sings them strongly, with a twinkle or a plea in her eye, depending on what the song calls for.

She should save the biggest twinkle, however, for when she sings the title song from her new CD, "Taking Chances." If there's one thing Celine Dion does not do, though, it's leave anything to chance.

[Source: New York Daily News]

:: *Updating* : "That's Just The Woman In Me" - TWO PREVIEWS ::

(6:50 a.m. GMT) By clicking HERE and HERE , you will be able to watch TWO AMAZING previews of Celine Dion's upcoming CBS TV-Special "That's Just The Woman In Me", to be broadcasted this coming Friday in North-America on CBS and CTV.

:: Tickets for Celine Dion show go on sale today ::

(6:30 a.m. GMT) Tickets for Canadian superstar Celine Dion's show in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in April will go on sale today. Organisers Artiste World and Galaxy Group said yesterday the show was a one-of-a-kind gig and the only one in South-East Asia. “Tickets to most of her shows across the world have all sold out.

We expect tickets here to be snapped up fast as well,” Artiste World executive director Arianna Teoh said. “The show is definitely an experience not to be missed. This is a lifetime opportunity and definitely a family affair.” Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour – Live in Kuala Lumpur will be held at Stadium Merdeka at 8pm on April 8. For details contact 03-2282 2020.

[Source: thestar]

February 13th, 2008

:: A Brand NEW DVD And A Book ::

(1:10 p.m. GMT) Jean Lamoureux and Stéphane Laporte revealed yesterday to the Quebec press that they're working on a brand new project for Celine Dion. A team of Productions J taped the whole press conference and will follow the complete Taking Chances World Tour to create a DVD on the same concept of A New Day... Live in Las Vegas DVD. Denise Bombardier, one of the writers of D'Elles song-lyrics, will also follow a part of Celine World Tour to write a book. Celine and her family will be meeting Nelson Mandela and a representative of the children of Soweto nourished by African Children's Feeding Scheme (ACFS) on Friday morning .

[Source: La Presse]