Hits, glitz and surprises for those making the trek from Spokane to Seattle for Taylor Swift
Two hours before taking the stage during her Reputation tour in July 2018, Taylor Swift covered me courtesy of a pandemic-worthy sneeze. “I’m so sorry,” Swift said backstage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
“Please don’t apologize,” I said while chuckling. “I want to catch whatever you have.”
Swift, 33, who is selling out stadiums throughout the world, is incomparable. In an age when record sales are non-non-existent, Swift’s latest album, “Midnights,” released in October, is her most commercially successful album to date. More than three million copies were sold during its first week of release and over $6 million were purchased within two months.
The 12-time Grammy Award winner, who has sold more than 200 million albums, is the most streamed woman on Spotify and has endless accolades. The cultural icon, who has more awards than many of her peers have ideas, isn’t just eye-candy.
Swift, who is on her Eras tour, which stops Saturday and Sunday at sold-out Lumen Field, made her mark as a teenager with her second album, 2009’s “Fearless.” Her writing ability was evident early on with such well-crafted songs as “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.”
Few have been able to make the transition from country star to pop sensation. Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Shania Twain pulled off that trick. The latter was a huge influence on Swift.
“I’m blown away with what Taylor has accomplished,” Twain said during an April interview, days before kicking off her tour at the Spokane Arena. “It just blows your mind.”
Twain detailed how incomprehensible it is how much Swift has accomplished at such a young age. “It’s hard to believe what she has done,” Twain said. “But you have to hand it to Taylor. How can you not love what she’s doing?”
Swift has effortlessly moved from genre to genre. There are hip-hop elements to 2018’s “Reputation.” Swift has explored folk with the National’s Aaron Dessner with 2020’s “Evermore.” There’s electronic-tinged songs throughout the moody “Midnights,” which picks up where “Reputation” left off.
It’s fascinating how Swift takes sonic chances. Many successful recording artists are afraid of losing their audience but Swift has no fear about leaving anyone behind. “Midnights” is comprised of stylish, catchy and at times urgent tunes.
And then there is performance. Swift always gives her fans much bang for the buck. Her three-hour and 20-minute show May show in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was filled with hits, glitz and some surprises. Swift played a Springsteen-esque 45 songs. Each show features a pair of tunes that Swift will only deliver once during her tour.
Yes, there is an army of dancers and endless spectacle but the focal point for the marathon of a concert is Swift. This is the fifth Swift tour I experienced and I can’t help but revert back to the first of her concerts I witnessed. There was a technical glitch during a show a decade ago in Newark, New Jersey. Swift was performing “Everything Has Changed” with then-opener Ed Sheeran, who was lost in the headlights during the sonic breakdown. However, Swift at just 23, guided the lost Sheeran through the situation.
When something goes wrong, it’s not always easy for an entertainer to bounce back. But Swift is always in the moment and has composure to burn. During a May concert Swift, while singing, protected a fan, who was getting roughed up by security.
Swift is adept at dealing with the unexpected, such as a hurricane of a sneeze. It’s not difficult to understand why fans from Spokane and from around the world are flocking to Seattle to catch an unparalleled phenomenon.
Reach the writer at edwardcondran@gmail.com.