So, not only is Taylor Swift an incredible songwriter, who can play instruments, with a beautiful face, a charming and adorable personality but she can put on a show too! After a year of taking the Red Tour worldwide it finally reached our shores, I've spent hours watching YouTube footage, I knew this wasn't going to be naff like Britney or GaGa's style-over-substance performances.
I know people who refuse to go to arena shows, claim they are soulless places but I like them, they beat outdoor shows any day and yes, it might be nice to be up close and personal with an indie band who'd look lost on the huge stage but for pop this is the perfect platform, the O2 is made for stars like Taylor. We were sat top deck, but dead central, I'd have liked to have been able to see Taylor's face, her cheeky smile and fluttering eyelashes but there was plenty going on to keep eyes occupied.
Before the American starlet took to the O2 stage for the first of five sell out shows The Vamps entertained the excitably crowd, who were surprisingly mixed in ages (and I don't just mean children and their parents). This confident, boarding on cocky four piece bounced around the enormous stage like they'd been doing it for years. These boys are on their way up the charts on you can tell way, great pop hooks, if they had to (they didn't) win the crowd over, it was with ease. Current single, Can We Dance was received like the 15,000 strong crowd were theirs whilst covers of Mr Brightside and Oh Cecilia showcased their showmanship. This band, who also play their own instruments are in the running to be the next big boy band.
So, Miss Swift. I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for this.
Her silhouette hid behind a red curtain as State Of Grace began. The fabric fell, revealing the singer in her signature bowler hat, white top, black short shorts and red shoes outfit. Those pins go on forever. From then on it was one incredible pop song, followed by another, only to be interrupted by excessive chitchat (a tad annoying/cringe-worthy at times) and a few costume change, although they were impressively snappy.
As opening nights go this was executed with precision. You Belong With Me brought Motown glitz with a sparkly red number whilst Hollywood glamour was the focus of The Lucky One. The stage rarely stood still as it switched themes constantly, for the youthful anthem 22 Taylor, now wearing a Union Jack top was given a piggy back to a second platform towards the rear of the arena where she picked up an acoustic guitar. So far she's showed she can play guitar and banjo, she attends a piano for a dramatic rendition of All Too Well where her vocals peaked, she isn't showing off, with an instrument where she's most at home, you'd never catch her miming either. There was a theatrical element to the show where the entertainment was never-ending. Ballet dancers played their part on Love Story whilst a Bucks Fizz inspired costume change saw the singers white Princess dress whipped off to reveal a dark raunchy number on a dub step fuelled,I Knew You Were Trouble.
Taylor likes to bring her mates out on stage, it was Ed Sheeran's turn. Instead of performing their duet, Everything Has Changed they sung one of Ed's numbers, Lego, bit weird but not as weird as the Brit's awful jumper. Looked like something that you would dismiss at a jumble sale.
When you have We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together you are gonna keep it till the end, it was worth the weight as it made one hell of a closer. Decked out like a circus jester the singer dictated the stage one final time whilst the dancers clowned about it felt like an anthem, ticker tape fell across the arena and Taylor made one last humble trip over the crowd with triumphant goodbyes. An intruder managed to get himself on stage and chase the singer up the stairs as she was leaving, it took a couple of security guards to deal with the only hitch in what was a perfect performance.
My only grumble, a few more songs would have been nice. The set was only one hour, forty five minutes, which a large chunk was taken up by her lengthy ramblings. With her back catalog like hers I'd have happily stayed all night. I'm not complaining, what we got was first class entertainment.
