A wonderfully nice time with Taylor Swift
There is no one nicer than Taylor Swift.
The country pop starlet writes nice songs (even when theyre about mean boys), she wears nice clothes (really nice clothes) and on Thursday night she brought her super nice Speak Now tour to Valley View Casino Center (formerly the San Diego Sports Arena).
The 21-year-old, Grammy-nominated singer spent two hours and 15 minutes sharing stories, singing about heartbreak and acting out scenarios from her popular videos with a troupe of dancers, a 9-piece band, aerialists and lots of fireworks.
There was everything from the rollicking Our Song country jamboree complete with a stuffed goat on wheels, to a wedding scene with gown and bridesmaid dresses for the sentimental Speak Now.
And in return, the sold-out crowd that included best friends to dads and their daughters jumped and screamed and swayed for most of the dazzling extravaganza.
What I remember is that San Diego is really bouncy, Swift said after popping out of the stage in a sparkly, gold-tasseled dress and belting out Sparks Fly and Mine.
Taylor Swift's San Diego set list
Encore: "Ours," "Fifteen" and "Love Story"
Not only was the crowd bouncy, it was loud. Super loud. People of a certain age might compare the shrieks and tears to Beatlemania or Backstreet Boysmania, but the ones who would say that were out in the lobby, enjoying the short beer and wine lines.
Inside the arena, it was clear why so many girls see Swift as a role model. Just as Lady Gaga embraces the worlds freaks, Swift celebrates the anti-freaks, the ones who love ballerinas and glitter and first dates ! and long hair. She makes it OK to be the girl (or the boy) next door.
And as the narrative in so many of Swifts songs goes from You Belong With Me to Fifteen - the good girl always wins in the end.
Of course, the 511, modelesque singer is not your average girl next door. She travels with a glamorous wardrobe and has a natural talent for making music, even if at times, the juvenile lyrics feel like youve been reading a diary for too long.
Taylor Swift performs to a sold out show in San Diego on Thursday. K.C. Alfred
Ive been writing songs since I was 12, she said during a solo acoustic set, performed at the back of the arena. Thank you for making it a possible career choice.
See? So nice!
During that solo portion, without the dancers or band members sharing the spotlight, Swift was equally engaging. And she did a lot less of her aw, shucks, you really like me, style posing, where she looks up and smirks coyly during the loud screams in between songs.
She even did a cover of Switchfoots Dare You to Move, saying the San Diego band was one of her favorites.
Swift was also nice enough to take a walk around the arena floor so fans could reach out to touch her hand or her hair. Sometimes she even stopped to give hugs.
Thank you for knowing the words and caring enough to be here, Swift told the crowd after a thoroughly entertaining concert. She then closed with "Love Story," one of her biggest hits, soaring overhead on a flying veranda, just like a lovely musical princess should.