I've heard some loud things in my time. I've seen Guns 'n Roses. My hearing has taken sustained abuse from 100-shows-a-year gig going. But move over Motorhead, I've never heard anything as loud in my life as the high pitched scream that went up when Taylor Swift took to the stage in a marching band uniform.
That uniform is soon discarded for a shiny dress in the first of many costume changes (not least of which a spectacular mid-song appearance of a wedding dress). This is her final show of a long 2009, but it doesn't show, and the funny thing is, for a pop show, it's all about the music.
Don't get me wrong, Swift's show is an arena spectacular, including thrown furniture, dancers and a grand piano, but the evening is all about the songs. The fans are word perfect on every one, and their raucous approval seems to stun even her. There's no feeling that the production is trying to distract with glitzy visuals to make up for anything lacking, and many of the songs are performed in a straight forward acoustic style.
For her part, Taylor tries to reach the audience as much as possible, from the horde crowded around the walkway at the front, all the way to a three song appearance at a b-stage at the back of the arena, something which requires her to walk through the crowd, hugging indiscriminately as she goes.
The highlight is, of course, her big hit, 'Love Story'. With a stage set that recreated the video, complete with ballroom dancers, the audience were singing along before the introductory orchestral version was over, and the scream at the end was deafening. Not that it wasn't for the other songs - tracks like '15' and 'Picture to Burn' (complete with video flames) provoke similar levels of hysteria.
It's not perfect, though - sometimes she milks the applause just a little too long, and sometimes things feel a bit scripted, as well they might given the long nature of the tour. She's also off stage for more time than you might imagine, with the audience left to watch contrived videos.
It's hard to imagine that anyone went away feeling short changed, though. Swift gave the audience as much energy back as they gave her. I can only hope I regain my hearing soon.
Words and photos by Mike Gray. Do not use without permission.
