Why Shania Twain's opening act was excited to be at Xcel Energy Center

He's pals with a Minnesota Wild player.

May 16, 2018 at 1:46PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Bastian Baker/ Star Tribune photo by Jeff Wheeler
Bastian Baker/ Star Tribune photo by Jeff Wheeler (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

On her 2015 comeback tour, Shania Twain brought pop hitmaker Gavin "I Don't Want to Be" DeGraw as her opening act. On Tuesday, she brought little known Bastian Baker to warm up for her at Xcel Energy Center.

Little known unless, like Twain, you live in Switzerland. Baker's a famous singer-songwriter there. He also served as a coach on the Belgium version of "The Voice."

At least he knew where he was on Tuesday. When performing solo with just his acoustic guitar, the 26-year-old said it was nice to be in the building where his friend works. His friend? Twenty-five-year-old Minnesota Wild forward Nino Niederreiter. He's from Switzerland, too.

about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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