the TS concert

The experience.

Three years ago, a not-so- random song prompted me to research some blonde country singer. I had heard of this “Taylor Swift” before, but I had thought of her as a beautiful teenager who would have a brief 15 minutes of fame before dying out like many country-pop tweens. I secretly played and re-played “Love Story”, humming it under my breath and singing full out in the shower until I knew every line of the song. From then on, I was hooked. 

One month later, on a first date with a handsome man, he asked me what kind of music I liked. Bashfully, I admitted that I had just started to get into Taylor Swift and I was a sucker for her Romeo and Juliette re-write. On our next date, he showed up 20 minutes late (don’t worry, there is a good reason).  Instead of apologizing, he slyly smiled as he pushed “play” on his CD player and Taylor’s voice filled the car. “A CD,” he said “so we can listen to her together”. 

As I fell in love for the first time, Taylor’s songs were more than just some blonde girl’s claim to fame… there were words from my diary, from my own personal story. Every perfect date, every heart wrenching moment of doubt, every twist and turn of my love life was right there on the radio. 

I know it seems ridiculous that a 24 year old woman shares the same music interest as someone half my age, but I can’t help it. Taylor has been so involved in the most important relationship of my life- if her success is indicative of my romantic success; than I hope she NEVER stops singing. 

Finally, at the concert this weekend (eight months of anticipation and excitement building towards ONE night) - I cried through the first two songs. I’m slightly more than embarrassed to admit this (but c’mon, you guys are all my closest family and friends). It was all too much- watching her LIVE singing about falling in love and the wondrous joy of being with someone who just gets you, with the man who made it all possible standing right next to me… I lost it. I’m a sap, what can I say.

The Deets.

                So, like a friend once said (shout-out to Cece, possibly the only other friend who rivals my level of dedication as a “Swiftie”), “it was clearly one of those nights you’ll remember forever”. The show was AMAZING. Totally above and beyond the clichéd Avril concert I went to (yeah, I liked to pretend I was an angst-ridden teen too)- it was more than a concert, it was a SHOW. 

She opened with "Sparks Fly" (which I dragged John in a full out SPRINT to our seats), complete with sparks flying from two acrobats that were spinning, twisting and turning twenty feet over the stage. Ballerinas took the stage as Taylor sang in the background for “Enchanted” (probably my favorite entertainment of the night- the choreography was breathtaking). She played the ukulele for an acoustic version of “Fearless” on a rotating stage away from the rest of her band. Fireworks lit the stage as she sang “Dear John” (“I’m shining like fireworks over your sad empty town") - I jumped and screamed with everyone.

For the last song, she played “Long Live”- she brought out just her band and I felt like I knew them all. I screamed and screamed, and when she said “Sacramento, I want to see you jump!!” The only question was “HOW HIGH, TAYLOR?!?” and I jumped up and down with the fourteen year olds next to me. John of course, just tried to survive the concert. 

She finished with an encore performance of “Love Story”, which I sang full out and screamed my heart out. Taylor stepped onto a balcony which floated over the audience, and blew kisses to her “Swifties”. The curtains closed and the concert was over.  It was without a doubt, an unforgettable night. While John apologized and apologized for such “awful” seats, I just smiled ear-to-ear. I felt like the luckiest girl ever (who else can say their boyfriend took them to a Taylor Swift concert? Not many). We could have had the worst seats in the world (which we didn’t) and I would still feel like I was on cloud 9. 

Of course I would be regretful if I did not thank Patty and Dave Raney for the extra ticket… and for raising such a wonderful son that I am so madly in love with. 

And last but not least, thank you to my awesome boyfriend. Thank you for standing in an hour long line so I could get my concert t-shirt, holding my purse when I had to pee, for not getting mad when we wandered the parking lot for 45 minutes after I (incorrectly) made navigation decisions, for taking videos and pictures during the concert so I could soak in the moment, and for making so many of my dreams come true (T-Swift concert included). You totally earned 47,309,875 bonus points.