For the millions of fans who adore Taylor Swift, there are plenty of haters.
OK, so she’s a serial dater and loves to talk about her feelings. And then talk about her feelings. And then talk about her feelings some more, like a diary come to life. And she’s yet to abandon that irritating habit of tilting her head, smiling coquettishly, looking around a screaming throng of tweens and milking the moment far longer than necessary.
But here’s a memo to those who like to be, as Swift might say, “Mean,” to her: See her live show and your opinion will change.
For two hours on Thursday night – her first of two pretty much sold out shows at Philips Arena (some single seats remain for Friday's visit) –T-Swizzle thoroughly charmed, entertained and connected with an audience filled predominantly with young girls and their patient parents.
But really, it’s hardly laborious for an adult to enjoy Swift’s gorgeous production as well as the visual trimmings provided by her fans – the FAO Schwarz-sized bows on heads, the lighted taffeta skirts, the oversized sunglasses and even football helmets all in, of course, red to honor Swift’s favorite color, as well as the name of her current album and tour.
The well-decorated audience looked like props in Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade as soon as the lights dropped and Swift appeared behind a curtain in silhouette to sing “State of Grace.”
With her mile-long legs topped off by ruby red sneakers, she strode down the catwalk leading into the audience as confidently as a runway model. But what makes Swift so appealing – especially to her impressionable fans – is her occasional awkwardness.
It was during those moments, such as when she danced a little off beat during the catchy “Holy Ground” (presented with an awesome array of drummers rising from under the stage and hanging from the ceiling to smack what looked like giant lighted votive candles) and later bumped into a mic stand when performing at the back of the arena, that Swift was unquestionably endearing.
Because she’s so earnest, it’s likely true that she meant what she told the crowd: “You guys were always one of my favorite places to play…I can tell just by looking at this audience, you’ve outdone yourselves.” But it’s also hard to believe she didn’t pull out the same script for Charlotte or Miami.
That version of Swift, the one committed to making every moment perfect, could use a few lessons in spontaneity.
But how could anyone possibly question the talent of this 23-year-old superstar?
She strapped on a glittery tomato-colored guitar for “Red” (obviously the primary color of the night – and, funny enough, the name of the arena’s restaurant perched at the back of the venue); picked an electric banjo on her I’ll-show-you back porch strummer, “Mean”; glided up a staircase to play a crimson piano for “All Too Well”; and danced admirably with her energetic dance troupe during “22.”
Maybe she isn’t the strongest singer in pop music – though she did offer dulcet tones throughout the show – but she’s a sweet role model for her adolescent worshippers and knows her way around crafting an earworm.
There is also plenty of eye candy on this slickly produced “Red” tour, which runs through September.
From the clever re-working of “You Belong to Me” as a girl group ditty performed atop a stage piece embedded with video screens to the film noir-ish clip that introduces “Lucky One,” featuring Swift in a ball gown being swarmed by photographers, to “Begin Again,” a soft acoustic ballad performed on a rotating stage that lifted her eye level with the second tier of seats, it’s impossible to look away.
And when she breaks out a dark, gothic vibe for “Trouble,” unwrapped with a new hard dance mix edge on a set that looks like remnants from “Phantom of the Opera,” Swift’s purposeful melodrama is pitch perfect.
The quiet moments worked well, too, such as her acoustic set that featured the genial Ed Sheeran popping out for their duet "Everything Has Changed" (Sheeran, now on his third visit to Atlanta in five months, opened the show with a typically impressive set that included his trademark guitar looping on "Give Me Love" and – kudos to him for breaking this out with this young audience – Nina Simone's "Be My Husband").
Swift, like any star of her magnitude, will always have detractors. But those unwilling to allow that she’s supremely gifted are missing out on one of the most enjoyable shows of the past few years.
This blog post was originally published on the Atlanta Music Scene with Melissa Ruggieri.
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