I can still vividly hear the echo of fans screaming and shouting, I can hear the words, '“Hello, I’m Taylor and Welcome the 1989 world tour!” It was something I’ll remember forever - who forgets their first Taylor Swift concert?
Though this was my first Taylor concert, it was also the biggest concert I had been to. I was freaking out over the size of Staples Center and how it felt t be surrounded by thousands of fans who shared the same love for Taylor as I did.
Before Taylor’s opening acts began I was sitting down taking in everything when I saw this guy walking with a group of people with a VIP lanyard around his neck. It was almost like instinct that I just blurted his name out without even thinking.
I asked for a picture as every thing that happened in those few seconds have become a blur in my head. I stared at the picture for a few minuets after he walked away thinking did I just meet Austin Swift? My first Taylor concert was already incredible because I got to meet her brother.
Vance Joy opened up the show, and I loved his music! Seeing him live was so amazing and though he was performing for a sold out crowd, it felt intimate.
Vance’s Setlist:
From Afar
Wasted Time
Mess Is Mine
Stay With Me (Sam Smith cover)
Georgia
Riptides
There was about thirty minuets between his set and HAIM, the incredible all sister group. I love their energy on stage and how much excitement they brought to the crowd.
Don’t Save Me
Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac cover)
The Wire
Forever
Pray to God
Let Me Go
Taylor came out about another thirty minutes. It seemed like a dream as the stadium went dark and the loud noises of New York City were played through the venue. Seeing Taylor in real life was life a dream. The show was flawless and I was so spoiled to be able to witness the grand production that Taylor puts on.
Courtesy of For the Love of Music Reviews
Welcome to New York
New Romantics
Blank Space
I Knew You Were Trouble
I Wish You Would
How You Get The Girl
I Know Places
Taylor is known for bringing special guests out mid show to surprise her fans. That night we got three special guests! Taylor brought out Selena Gomez and they sang Selena’s song, “Good For You” for Selena’s first time ever singing it live.
Mean
Clean
Love Story
Taylor then brought out Lisa Kudrow from FRIENDS and they performed, “Smelly Cat” together. After Lisa’s performance Taylor the brought out Justin Timberlake to sing, “Mirrors” with her.
Bad Blood
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Wildest Dreams/Enchanted Mashup
Out Of The Woods
Shake It Off
While Taylor was singing Mean, out of the corner of my eye I saw some people going to a row next to me and asking someone for pictures. It was Este from HAIM. I walked over and asked for a picture and she was so kind!
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Though it was so hard to pick a favorite moment, one of the best moments of the show was hearing the Clean speech live!
I can’t imagine that you’ll live in a world where people don’t hurt your feelings. I can promise you that if you keep moving on one day at a time the opinions and words of people who hurt you will matter less and less to you. People are going to say things about us that aren’t true. I just want you, in those moments, to look in the mirror and understand what you are and what you are not. You are not somebody else’s opinion of you. You are not damaged goods just because of a few mistakes you made in your life. You are not, not going nowhere because you haven’t gotten to your final destination yet. What you are is wiser and stronger because you’ve made mistakes. What you are is brave for living your life in a daring way. Who you are is someone who has walked through a bunch of rainstorms but continues to put one foot in front of the other. I think in 25 years I’m still learning every single day but one thing I do know is that pain actually makes you stronger and that walking through rainstorms does not make you damaged, it actually makes you Clean.”
Courtesy of For the Love of Music Reviews
Taylor is the pinnacle of entertainment. She flawlessly turns her songs into captivating scenes of a movie or more so a broadway production. Even if I wasn’t a fan, the amount of hard work and talent is incredible. From the lights, stage set up, outfits, choreography to the creation of the setlist the tour was done to perfection.
Venue: Staples Center is pretty legendary and at the time, one of the only big venues in Los Angeles. I really liked it but since this concert there have been other venues that I have liked and will recommend way more.
Seats: I had great lower bowl seats on the left side of the arena. We had a great view of the stage and the visuals on the screen behind the stage. They were really great seats and I would get them again.
Parking: Got really lucky with parking. We were able to park right by the entrance and getting out of the lot, after the concert was hassle free. Like any show though, if you want great parking always get there early.