Taylor Swift's Reputation Proves Just Right with Fans
- Jan 1, 2019
- 6 min read
After watching the Netflix premiere of Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour yesterday, it had me walking down memory lane of my own Reputation experiences this summer. This is the only tour I've seen twice and it was well worth it - once in Pasadena and the other in Nashville.
Here are my recaps:
Pasadena - Rose Bowl
After months of preparation and anticipation, my friends and I drove to Pasadena to see the incomparable Taylor Swift on Saturday afternoon. It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that she’s just about my all-time favorite musician. I’ve followed her career since 2006-07 and have been one of the lucky ones to be there every step of the way, from opening acts and the T-Party Room to watching her headline stadiums all around the world and becoming a true worldwide phenomenon.
We wanted to get there early for parking and to have enough time to explore the various fan stations set up outside of the venue. We fangirled over the trucks and took photos, then stood in line for merch. While we didn’t make it to the infamous “LWYMMD” chair photo op, we did wander through another fan area with booths and vendors.
We even ran into Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of “The Hills” fame. I wasn’t going to get a picture with them since they’d brought their baby, but people were starting to spot them and they didn’t mind the attention, so I asked for a picture. I mean, they were part of my teenage years and pop culture history, so why not?
We met up with our other friend, then got in line to go inside the venue. Once we were in, we had plenty of time to kill, so we ate a few snacks and walked around for a bit.
Although we had to wait in our seats awhile, Taylor videos on the screen kept us entertained.
And then…The show started! I didn’t really know much about Charlie XCX going into it, but I was impressed. For one, I forgot how many hits she actually had. She worked the crowd and had a lot of fun songs. I made a mental note to get some of her music for workouts later on.
Camila Cabello was everything I hoped she’d be and more. What you see is what you get; she’s very candid and is so taken by the beauty of everything, including what she thought was “the moon.” It was actually just the parking lot balloon that was lit up. In her defense, it was far away and did resemble the moon, so I get it. She’s such a songstress and feels all of the emotions, much like the blonde-haired gal who was the star of the night.
FINALLY…The beat for “Are You Ready For It…” dropped and a silhouette of Taylor appeared on stage. That was the moment everyone lost their minds and didn’t get it back until the end of the night. She sang all of my favorites, including “Getaway Car,” “Delicate,” “Gorgeous” and “King of My Heart.” From the start to the end, Marisel and I were dancing and living in the moment. It was one of those nights you want to hold onto forever. Where everything seems right and you’re not thinking about what comes next.
There were fireworks, snakes, fire, dancers and every moment had us on the edge of our seats the entire night.
My favorite moments of the night were the stripped down sets, though, when it was just Taylor and her guitar or at the piano, just talking with the crowd. Her speech before “Delicate” about being vulnerable or her singing “All Too Well” on the B stage or her mashing up “Long Live” and “New Year’s Day.” The entire night was inspiring; therapeutic even, as silly as that may sound. Being with your best friend on a cool Pasadena night, wind blowing with all the glitz and glamour of a huge tour production? There’s nothing better.
Taylor also brought us out special guests Selena Gomez and Troye Sivan. It’s always exciting to go on the last night, because she always steps up the special guest game. Selena’s appearance and speech about their friendship made everyone cry, for sure.
Going to a Taylor Swift show is almost like being part of an inside joke. You really don’t get it until you’re part of it. You can do your best to describe the sets, the costumes, the guests or even the songs and the way it made you feel. But, until you’re standing in that stadium, hearing it for yourself, you just don’t fully understand it.
I’ve been to all of Taylor’s headlining shows: Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989 and now, Reputation. It’s been incredible to share and experience all of the phases of Taylor Swift. She never changes, but she never stays the same either, and I think that’s the essence of a true artist. Remembering her as the curly haired girl with cowboy boots and a guitar, opening up for Brad Paisley and to see what she is now just leaves me speechless.
Sharing the experience with Marisel, her cousin and a couple other friends was an absolute blast. I’ll never forget that night; feeling young and free. It was the perfect start to my summer “break.”
“Hold onto the memories, and they will hold onto you…”
Nashville - Nissan Stadium
Marisel and I had always wanted to go to Nashville together and have talked about it practically since we met. This year just seemed like the perfect time to do so. One afternoon, we finally did it - we bought tickets from StubHub and booked our flight. Off we went for our last summer adventure. We started the summer with Taylor and we ended with Taylor.
We flew into Nashville the same night as the concert, so we had to rush a bit from our Air Bnb to the airport for a car and then to Nissan just in time for Camila's set. This time, we were on the floor, so we had to get our wristbands and make our way closer to the stage. When we found our seats, we realized we were just a few rows away from the barricade where Taylor runs in between from one stage to the other. We were so excited! It was magical looking around at the other levels of people as they started filing in for the show, knowing we were in my favorite city, Nashville.
It was so special being in the same stadium I'd spent so many summers in with my parents for CMA Fest. I saw Taylor a couple years when she was just starting out and to see her headlining was such a full circle moment. I think it reminded me so much of my adolescent days - dreaming and praying that maybe someday I'd end up in Nashville, too, as a 16-year-old girl.
We screamed at the top of our lungs to every song and I cried a little when she sang Little Big Town's "Better Man" as the surprise song at the B stage. I seriously think it's one of her best songs she's ever written.
We also strategized throughout the set to make sure we could make our way up to the barricade, which we did. We were ready...and we both got a handshake from Taylor as she ran from stage B to stage C. We were most definitely crying and hugging each other from excitement, lack of sleep and all of the feels from the show.
And then, we got the surprise of a lifetime when Taylor brought out Tim McGraw and Faith Hill to sing "Tim McGraw" and they forgot the words. It will be hard to top another moment like that. It was the song that started it all.
After the show, we were able to round up some confetti for our scrapbooks and met up up with my friend, Jennifer, who lives in Nashville to talk about stuff to do on our trip and catch up, since we haven't seen each other in a few years.
Out of all of Taylor's shows, this was one was absolutely the best - lights, graphics, videos, dancers, fireworks, fire and of course, Taylor herself working the stage. Most importantly for the fact that Taylor feels comfortable enough to be exactly who she is, knowing that the people who love her accept her at that.
Whether you've seen the show or weren't able to catch a date, the Netflix special really gives you a closer look at the superstar. You catch things you might not have noticed from the nosebleed sets or from the last row of the floor. And it gives you a chance to see the power of Taylor Swift in her element. It was fun to rewatch the concert, but made me miss all of the memories made in Pasadena and Nashville.
If you ever get a chance to see Taylor live, do yourself a favor...BUY TICKETS!
That's all for now,
Shelby
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