Rehearsals began in May 1998 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York. Twain says she was shocked to hear of the success of the tour, believing she would only sellout floor seats in the arenas and amphitheaters where the concerts were performed. She would later comment on how comfortable she felt with touring compared to her early days of success as a nightclub performer in Ontario. Twain recalls traveling in busted vans, hauling her own equipment and the minimal wages she received during that time. However, she states she was very young and saw it as an opportunity to have fun. To help promote the tour, Twain held radio contests in the markets where she would perform. The winner would appear on stage with Twain to perform her first single, "What Made You Say That", with the band, while Twain performed the backing vocals. On March 18, 1999, at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, 14 year old Avril Lavigne performed on stage with Twain and was later signed to Arista Records the following year. For a similar contest, Twain chose nine singers and fours drummers from Shaker Heights High School to perform onstage with her at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.