Taylor Swift Completely Slays Los Angeles (A Review By Chica)

[ChicaSkas 21,454]

Taylor Swift Dominates Los Angeles On Final Night of Staples Center Residency

by Katharine Styles-Burroughs for GagaDaily 

 

 

    The fresh-faced, optimistic purveyor of millennial girl power (otherwise known as Taylor Swift) enthralled Los Angeles on the final night of five back to back shows at Staples Center on Wednesday night. Pulling out more surprise guests (Kudrow! Gomez! Timberlake!) and memorable moments than previous shows combined, she didn't let the audience down in the slightest. 

    I had the pleasure of getting a last minute ticket to see Miss TayTay, and I am rather shocked to say, I didn't expect how much she bowled me over. I think I am now a pleasantly surprised fan of Taylor Swift. How could I resist the catchy tunes, the definite songwriting chops, and the way she genuinely captures the emotions and truths of not only her generation, but generations older than she is? All this in one delightfully spunky and playful bundle of 25 year old energy? Where have I been?

Well, you all know I've been writing and blogging about things in the Gaga Universe here and on other fansites. But this show moved me to the point that I really felt it deserved a good exploration and writeup, too. 

What a blast! Let me tell you about it:

Taylor used  a nice slow-burning build at the beginning of the concert. Much as The Monster Ball began in darkness, so does the 1989 Tour. Dimly lit city backdrops and honking car horns teased at the first track off 1989... "New York".

 

 
The crowd absolutely collectively lost it. 

I have never seen a crowd go as stark-raving batpoop as this one. Ever. Remember how the Beatles felt at Shea Stadium, unable to hear their own instruments! Being there was something like being in an oceanic power surge of screaming, crying, hysterical, uncontrollable female energy.  Taylor knew this, and to avoid causing them to reach critical mass, she actually had to begin singing "New York" slowly. Stopping and starting her vocals as the instrumental pushed on around her, she paused after she said each line, to allow the crowd to continue to go crazy and ultimately absorb the fact that she was existing in front of them!

She put on a magnificent show. Check out some of these shots:

 

 

 

 

 

One thing that struck me as incredible (should I really have been surprised?) was the great similarity in the speeches of self empowerment and discovery that Gaga pioneered for all of us a few years ago -- I heard that echoed beautifully, like the same light shining in a different facet -- through Taylor Swift's voice.

Here is what she had to say:

 

 

 

"I had a feeling about you, I really did.  I had a feeling that this was the one, this was the crowd. (laughs) You know, looking at you.... one of my favorite things about this tour is that I decided that I wanted to light everybody up. I wanted to illuminate everybody. So, one thing I love about that, is that I'm not looking out into a vast, endless sea of darkness that screams... and dances... and I can't really see it -- I can see all the things that you are doing. And I love it. You think I can't see you up there, that's incorrect, yeah! Yup. And because of this, because I can see every single one of you, it makes me start thinking about you. Individually. And then my mind starts to wonder about your backstory.  Like, if you're back in school yet, or if you have work off tomorrow, or if you are here with your friends, Or how it long it took you to make the costumes you've got, where you are wrapped in Christmas lights, all that... If you've got, like, glitter and puffy paint all over your house because you made signs... yep. Lookin' at you. And then I start thinking about other things. Like the fact that maybe you traveled a really long distance to be at this particular show. And then I think about the fact that maybe, there is a possibility you listened to my music at really high, high times in your life or really low, low ones in your life.

'Cuz that's what we do, isn't it? That's why we're all here. Because when we feel extreme pain or extreme joy, we turn to music. And that's why we are here in this arena together tonight. That's the one thing we've got in common. Looking at you, it's impossible to pick one age group, or one possible group to talk to, because the coolest thing about looking at you is that everybody is at a different place in their life. Everybody's got different hobbies, individual sets of hopes, dreams, wishes, fears, doubts, regrets... all of it. And I guess, I just look at you, and I never want you to go through anything bad. Ever. And I know that's so naive, but... I guess... I look at you and I know, I know how tricky happiness can be, to find, in two thousand fifteen. Because we have so many ways of looking at what someone else has going on, and maybe feeling like our life comes up short. Or feeling like maybe other people have it all together, and we don't know where we are going with our life. Feeling like we have all these insecurities and we are just walking around the world hoping that no one else can see them, like, "God, how long am I going to be at this party before people realize I'm not cool?!"

(Laughter ensues in crowd) ...

"How long am I going to be dancing before people start laughing at me?" All that stuff. And I guess what i wanted to tell you is that -- you are not someone else's opinion of you, you are NOT someone's comment on your Instagram, you are so much more than that!

(Cheers erupt)

This is coming from someone who loves the internet, because it gives me a chance to talk to you to know you, even if you live far away... but the one thing that I want, is for you to not get hateful comments, or terrible, terrible criticisms I don't want anyone to ever tell you that you are not what you should be. But, that's how life is, and we go through and we try to do the best that we can. All I am saying is, there are enough people that are cruel, and mean, and critical of you. If you could possibly just be kind to yourself -- as much as you possibly can, that would make me so happy."

The crowd went nuts. For the second time of many in the evening.

"Don't be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake. Don't focus too much on your regrets, learn from them. Sometimes, in our heads, we get this idea, that there is [something] like an invisible record, and we get strikes against it when we mess up, but that's not how it works. We learn lessons from the times we mess up. No one has a spotless life. And if you consider yourself damaged or tarnished because you've made mistakes in your life, that's just not how it is. I think it's the opposite. I think that if you make mistakes and you learn from them, that makes you wiser, and stronger. And brave for taking those risks in the first place, don't you think?"

What a unique way of looking at it! Just as Gaga has, she's taken views we've had and stood them on their heads.

She then launched in to "Mean". We understood where she was coming from, just as easily as if she really was our friend.  She played dexterously, and soulfully, and gave such an honest performance that the fans stood mostly raptured all around me. 

Being at a Taylor Swift concert is something similar to being at a old time church revival. All around me there were girls crying, tears streaming down their faces, as they mouthed every word of every song back at her. Yes, I've experienced this at Gaga concerts, but somehow this one was just a little different. Perhaps it was because how many younger girls were in the audience. By young, I mean anywhere from 8 to 16... the kind of young where you feel everything so much more powerfully, perhaps just because you are going through puberty or you are transitioning between kid to adult, experiencing all the pressures that go along with that.  The parents and grandparents didn't look bored, either, and everyone was enjoying those awesome light up bracelets that pulsed with each drumbeat. 
Taylor Swift's five sold out nights at Staples Center had featured a surprise guest or two every night, and our night was no different! 

At one point, the music built, almost suspensefully, and Taylor declared to the crowd: "This artist has never performed her hit song of the summer live before!"

Of course the crowd went INSANE... as young pop star Selena Gomez walked out and began a duet with Taylor of her new tune "Good For You". 

You can listen below... it did seem a bit risque to hear Taylor singing some of that song, but I guess she has to grow up sometimes! (Edit: Insert Wildest Dreams video here now that it's 8-30-2015...!)

 

Taylor knew everyone was hyped about her special guests, and she is a tease! "I think you are in the mood for another surprise! This singer hasn't ever played anything except coffeehouses before..."

Lisa Kudrow, best known for playing Phoebe Buffay on the hit 90's show "Friends", treated us to a rendition of her cult classic "Smelly Cat". Check it out below!

 

 

But the moment of the night had to be this: Taylor Swift introduced the one and only Justin Timberlake. 
Performing for the first time since the birth of his new baby, JT caused pandemonium when he came out to sing his song "Mirror".

 

Taylor rolled out twelve hits from 1989 and four tunes from other older albums, such as "I Knew You Were Trouble" ("Red")  "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" ("Red") "Mean" ("Speak Now") and "Love Story" ("Fearless", 2008)

All in all, including interludes with her celebrity pals, and covers of other songs, Taylor performed or was part of 19 songs. You can listen to all of them here and here!

 

I walked away from the show that night surrounded by people of all ages who had smiles on their faces, singing impromptu, and talking non stop about how great it all was. Taylor Swift charmed and entertained Los Angeles, with true "Style" ... and now she has a permanent banner on the wall of Staples Center to prove it. 

Like Gaga, Taylor has had some massive achievements at a relatively young age, and, like Gaga, Taylor is bringing to light important messages of self esteem, tolerance, and bravery to all generations. I know I will look forward to the next time Taylor comes into town to sell that 17th show!

-- Katharine Styles-Burroughs

(c) ChicaSkas

No part of this article can be reprinted without credit to the author.

[monsterdreams 1,529]

Glad you enjoyed it! 

[malazam 15,710]

Good quality show! I'm waiting for the day that she came to South America! Taylor Nation is coming by the way.....

[Sunny 12,234]

Glad you enjoyed the show

 

[ChicaSkas 21,454]

Good quality show! I'm waiting for the day that she came to South America! Taylor Nation is coming by the way.....

Not if you don't tell them... 

[Gianni Versace 2,987]

The Queen of Pop looks so good here:

Taylor doesn't look too bad either

[malazam 15,710]

The Queen of Pop looks so good here:

Hidden Content

Can I hug you? 

[AlexanderLevi2 5,849]

Her voice sounds so weak.

I'm glad you had a good time though! I'd like to experience one of her concerts soon.

[malazam 15,710]

 

Not if you don't tell them... 

They're everywhere...watching, they Know Places 

 

Btw: thanks for that playlist!!!!!!!

[JEWRJEWR 5,663]

nnnn those audios

 

taylor nation will get ya!

[ChicaSkas 21,454]

The Queen of Pop looks so good here:

Hidden Content

aww thank you :)

[ChicaSkas 21,454]

nnnn those audios

 

taylor nation will get ya!

why does everyone say this, why can they not see they are potentially deleting the history of the very artist they claim to love I don't get this idiocy it took a hell of a lot of hard work to write this and report on this and give you a taste of being there , all free promo for the (admittedly already massive) Taylor Swift brand and you are saying they would penalize me for doing them a service.... *insert eyeroll here*.... Oh well. Just enjoy the article. :)

[Hecturr 1,921]

yaaas queen chica glad you had a fun night

[Yves 1,891]

I'm glad you had fun. She's very true. I don't know how people say she's fake. From what you described, it was a fun concert.  I wish she adds more dates. I need at least one date in Manila.  I badly need to see her.  

By the way, as one of the Swifties in this site, I welcome you to the group.  

[ChicaSkas 21,454]

I'm glad you had fun. She's very true. I don't know how people say she's fake. From what you described, it was a fun concert.  I wish she adds more dates. I need at least one date in Manila.  I badly need to see her.  

By the way, as one of the Swifties in this site, I welcome you to the group.  

Thanks! Yeah, It's kind of refreshing!