1989: Emotional, Thought Provoking and Spectacular.
19:04
Yesterday I went to Taylor Swift's first date in the 3 Arena, June 29th.
The truth is I went to sleep more than sad than when before I went to the concert. I don't know what that says about me. Mostly, I thought about scenarios that are unlikely to ever become reality. Let's not talk about it.
Vance Joy supported Taylor and obvious favourites were "Mess is Mine", "Riptide" and "Georgia". One thing I noted was just how curly his hair was. His set was simple yet effective. We missed the start of his act but nonetheless I enjoyed the songs I got to hear. He has been given an amazing opportunity, the chance to play to millions of people. I can only imagine the profits he is now making, an Australian singer-songwriter that rose to international prominence only last year.
Vance Joy supported Taylor and obvious favourites were "Mess is Mine", "Riptide" and "Georgia". One thing I noted was just how curly his hair was. His set was simple yet effective. We missed the start of his act but nonetheless I enjoyed the songs I got to hear. He has been given an amazing opportunity, the chance to play to millions of people. I can only imagine the profits he is now making, an Australian singer-songwriter that rose to international prominence only last year.
But everyone was clamoring to see the main event. Miss Taylor Alison Swift.
Her facial expressions were brilliant, the coy looks, the winning smiles, the happy grin in the midst of the approving crowd. I found myself observing her, both her opinion of love, the way she interacted with the dancers, her band and her fans. I observed her for my own self and this blog. The woman with the trademark blonde hair, red lipstick and bright full smile.
You can't deny that Ms Swift knows how to put on a show. The dancers were phenomenal. The costumes she wore were flawless, fitting her body shape perfectly. The backdrops for each song were beautiful. Out Of The Woods was amazing. A beautiful video played in the background of a forest, the music was loud, deafening and that song made my heart pound and my mind go on overdrive. Beautiful paper aeroplanes were flown near the closing of the song. It was stunning. Songs that stood out for me: "This Love", "Out of the Woods", "I Wish You Would". She changed up the melody of "I Knew You Were Trouble", performed a heartbreaking mashup of "Enchanted" and "Wildest Dreams". The melody of "Love Story", a song she wrote almost eight years ago was changed up to fix the new sound of "1989".
What was very interesting about the whole concert was that throughout it, I didn't feel as though I was seeing an internationally famous pop star, a woman who has famously won seven Grammy's. A person worth hundreds of millions. At first I did get a pinch me moment. I felt like I was seeing a girl who had seen it all, been through all sorts of emotions and had translated that into her music. Both sexes can relate to her music whether they'll admit it or not. Her music has matured a lot. This album is so personal to me. I recorded a full video of "Out Of The Woods" and I will hopefully upload it to YouTube where I can link it here. I'll try upload some other little clips throughout the post.
An ingenious thing she incorporated into the shows was the wrist bands. Everyone entering the arena was handed one. You pull the tab and throughout the show, through a radio frequency possibly, the wristbands changed colour with the songs. It was really interesting and made a for a beautiful visual for the slower songs.
But my god, the amount of money that has obviously gone into this tour. Millions upon millions of dollars. And the funny thing is she'll make twice as much back, if not more. Tickets were pricey enough but you should have seen the merchandise. Fifty euro for a basic hoodie. No doubt fans bought t-shirts, posters, and other items. I noticed too how hot the arena got. I counted at least four people around me who were taken from the arena, swooning, literally unconscious from the heat.
It was my first time seeing her live. I had been ready to critique her vocals, as in the early days her voice wasn't as strong and she couldn't hold notes very well. She has improved drastically. Her style, along with her sound has matured. Long gone is the girl who sang with a country twang. In her place is a pop star with the ability to influence millions of people with a simple act. I am just one of billions of people who witnessed her meteoric rise to the top of polls, the outright winner in award shows.
I've been following her since I was thirteen years old. Since 2008 and it's been fascinating to see her develop as an artist and as a person.
Her 1989 album has really meant a lot to me this last college year alone and I will always associate this album with this year, one person. It makes me think of the before and after. Taylor touches on something that I find very raw even to this day.
Her 1989 album has really meant a lot to me this last college year alone and I will always associate this album with this year, one person. It makes me think of the before and after. Taylor touches on something that I find very raw even to this day.
Who knows what she'll do next? Mark my words she'll be successful at what she tries next.
Thanks for reading.
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