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Keith Urban/Taylor Swift @ Wachovia Center, 8/1
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Keith Urban/Taylor Swift @ Wachovia Center, 8/1
Chalk it up to high-school histrionics and adolescent angst unleashed with a boundless production budget.
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Billy Joel and Elton John played Citizens Bank Park Saturday night, but anyone seeking a hearty dose of big gushy sentiment, pop/rock star-power and good old-fashioned melody would have done just as well to wander across the sports complex to the Wachovia Center, which could hardly have felt more packed and eager to receive its own pair of bona-fide megastars (and first-class songwriters), Keith Urban and Taylor Swift. Sure, this was a country show, though about all that meant in practice was an occasional mandolin, banjo or fiddle adding a bit of timbral inflection to the battery of barn-storming guitars ' for what it's worth, there were no cowboy hats or even boots evident on stage, though there was a smattering throughout the (predominantly female, substantially blonde) crowd.
True to her name, Swift took the stage promptly and bashed through a scant-hour set that was a scaled-down version of her batshit-spectacular headlining tour earlier this year, without the fairy-tale castle but still pretty preposterously overblown, with multiple set and wardrobe changes. The ostensible takeaway message of her performance was 'don't cross Taylor (more specifically, don't break up with and/or get broken up with by her) or else she'll write a nasty song about you,' a theme underscored by a video interview clip (which played while she changed out of her tinselly silver dress before reappearing in the same sparkly red dress she wore in the video ' ' and sitting on the same nondescript couch! ' to sing the more-rueful-than-vengeful 'Forever and Always') and later reinforced by melodramatically staged renditions of her kiss-off numbers 'Picture to Burn' (with video-screens full of flaming picture frames), 'Should've Said No' (featuring a bizarre and unfortunately underused garbage-can-drum assemblage), and 'You're Not Sorry,' the latter performed at the piano with lightning crashing in the background, cleverly medleyed/mashed-up with Justin Timberlake's 'What Goes Around Comes Around,' which is pretty much the pinnacle of modern revenge-fantasy pop.
Taylor's caked-on make-up and weirdly dispassionate expressions did fit the heartless, vindictive bitch role surprisingly well (and tossing around her tremendous blond mane, as she does at every available opportunity, makes everything seem that much more dramatic) but on the whole it's a pretty bad look for her, far from the sweetly homespun image she typically cultivates and the understated romantic pragmatism that characterizes most of her best songs. Chalk it up to high-school histrionics and adolescent angst unleashed with a boundless production budget. Thing is, Swift's on-stage manner is so uncomfortably labored ' particularly her cringably trite, stilted, awkwardly drawn-out banter (worst bit: 'I've got this theory' I think you'll agree with me' my theory is that music' is just love stories' set to melodies' ') ' that the sweetness and self-awareness of her songs all but disappears. Still, the girl's only nineteen. She may not be nearly as gifted a performer as she is a songwriter, and she has yet to rack up the arena-touring experience to make up for it, but by that same token she's new enough to this thing that a bit of genuinely infectious, youthful gee-whiz wonder can't help but seep through despite her most affected, schmaltzy-face stagecraft.
She made a big show of hometown pride (she was born in Wyomissing, in Berks County) which seemed relatively sincere, though it's hard to really tell, and she wandered into the crowd mid-set to commune with her adoring fans, many of whom look more or less like her, if a bit younger ' or more specifically, to let them flood over her and hug her while she clutched a microphone and sang 'Love Story,' a two-way display of affection which was genuinely heart-warming to watch. But the set's nicest, simplest, and most potent moment, corny as it was, came after a solo acoustic rendition of her first and maybe-best single, 'Tim McGraw' (performed at the end of a thrust stage on her custom koa-wood guitar, which is, naturally enough, a Taylor), when she stood, silent, looking out at the screaming, cheering crowd, first in strained, studied disbelief and hand-on-heart I'm-so-touched earnestness, then laughter, and finally just eyes-wide astonishment at the impossible craziness of it all, which you've got to believe, after a full several minutes of letting it all settle in and wash over her, has got to be real. That's the gawky, ham-fisted performer Taylor, to be sure; it's also probably the writer in her, pausing to observe and respond to the world around her; but it's the real-live bemused-and-bewildered teenaged girl Taylor too ' the one who just happens to have been America's top-selling artist of 2008 ' and if it can be her, it can be all of us, sharing that corporately-sponsored space in that carefully scripted magic moment.
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So much for openers. Keith Urban, who's twice Taylor's age and then some (and is also waaay hotter, no question) is a totally different animal; a mature, affable presence who needed no fancy gimmicks to put across the power and intensity of his hybrid pop-country-rock. That's not to say his set was without its bells and whistles ' this was still a lavish, sophisticated production, with a seamlessly integrated mobile video-screen system making creative use of a live camera crew (with real-time visual effects and overlays and sporting-event-style cut-aways to unsuspecting audience members) and a few cute stunts like the flashy (literally) 'lite-brite' guitar and, for the encore, canons spouting glow-in-the-dark confetti. But for the most part the focus was squarely on Urban, who sported a fresh, ruggedly tidy look (jeans, no-frills red plaid shirt, shiny guitar strap, plus earrings and tattoos) and a persistent grin, and led his bandmates (each of whom sang a short a cappella cover, ranging from 'Ain't No Sunshine' to 'Who Do You Love') through a powerhouse two-hour set. For my taste, the set list leaned a bit too heavily on the big emotive ballads (his back-catalog is packed with them) and left the inventiveness and variety of his excellent 2006 album Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing sadly underrepresented ' though several of the snappier tunes from his new one, Defying Gravity, helped to make up for it. With slow jams coming seemingly every other song or so, the energy level seemed to flag after a while, but the crowd sure didn't seem to mind. As made clear by a YouTube montage of fans (including a fatigued serviceman and a cute little kid) singing his sentimental 'You'll Think Of Me,' they like the weepy ones (and I'll admit his recent-issue ballad ''Til Summer Comes Around' got to me a bit too, but then I have a soft spot for love songs about amusement parks, with bonus points for Knopfler-esque noodling.) Keith also did Taylor one better by walking through the crowd all the way across the arena to perform a few numbers at the far end (quipping 'Who's got the good seats now?') ' is this something only country musicians do? Maybe they're the only ones willing to put up with the annoyance of being tugged on by thousands of hands (not to mention the uncertainty and potential danger involved), in order to demonstrate their commitment and connectedness to normal folks. Anyway, it's a touching spectacle (pun, er, semi-intended?), and if it tends to take on a disturbingly religious quality, that's probably just an effect of the rapturous joy which is common to all great musical experiences.
Taylor Swift is HORRIBLE. I had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing/hearing her droaning tone deaf voice live.Even though it still sounds awful after production. She looks like a chimp prancing around on stage with her shapeless ruler-like body w/ over sized head. Her lyrics are all the same sh$t...poor me I got dumped again. Your typical little girl lyric. No wonder young teens eat this crap up cause they don't know anything about good music. She is just another Britney Spears gimmick to make money. I personally don't see her being around in 10 years
NO TAYLOR SWIFT IS NOT HORRIBLE! those who say she is are tone-deaf. if she's as horrible as you claim, why is she the most recorded artist of 2008, alongside with her numerous songs which topped US charts AND her very successful road show. on top of that, she won 2 awards at the CMA, beating many other 'capable' country singers, as you claim
This is a load of bull. At every arena she has played, she had been droned out by her band at intense moments, THAT'S WHY YOU should listen to her songs BEFORE YOU GO. It is her FIRST TOUR and you can't see that because you have GOo Goo eyes for the old, untalented, Kieth Urban, who's been doing this for 20+ years.
I saw her with Keith a couple of weeks ago and she was the most annoying entertainer I've ever seen. Saza....you are the one that's tone-deaf!!! She's the most recorded artist because of fans like you and "shouldn't have read this" who don't really care for the music, but who the present fad is at the moment! Mostly the little girls that Taylor hooked herself on the internet by promising this and that if they would buy her music...that's how she started building her "immature" fanbase. It proves just how silly and immature you people are by calling Keith Urban an old, untalented artist. Keith worked his way up on his own talents and not by his father buying his career like Taylor's has. I feel sorry for the kids growing up this day and time not knowing what real talent is!
If you don't like her, then don't go to her concerts, can't imagine someone who says she's being drowned out by her band at 'ALL' her concerts would keep going back to them. I think she's good, she has allot of fans and she's worked hard to get where she is. Their is plenty of other music you can listen too, without taking cheap shots at hard working people that also provide much needed jobs to over 100 people and staff.
I was looking forward to seeing Taylor, even though Keith Urban was my main draw. I don't love Taylor's music but as an older adult, can appreciate her talent (such as it is) and can fully understand why her young fans have brought her to wear she is so early in her career. That said, I found the show just a bit irritating. Again, this is from the perspective of an older adult. I realize her show is geared towards her many, teenybopper fans and it was obvious they ate it up. However, I found her performance self indulgent and bordering on conceited. The constant and long pauses between each song so she could bask in the glory of the wild applause...well, sickening. For Taylor's age she is a talented songwriter who connects to her fans in a way that is staggering. So why dilute that talent with unnecessary things. Personally, I found it embarrassing to watch her gyrate in front of a crowd made up of many kids. What kind of message is THAT sending? As for Keith, who the author of this blog largely ignored (compared to Taylor) he was amazing. The man just oozes talent from every pore. He is the complete package...musician extraordinaire, a singer with a very appealing voice and charisma that is so natural, it's hard not to love him instantly. My daughter, who was there for Taylor was simply mesmirized by Keith and within two songs she was on her feet. His show was so good that it nearly canceled out my disappointment over his opening act.
Taylor is a doll! If you don't like her music, don't show up until Keith or whoever comes on. Keith always puts on a good show. He is very talented. One of the best guitar players anywhere. Taylor is young, but she has the world in her pocket right now. She's living her dreams. More power to her!
Just a question, lioness? How has Taylor's father bought her career? Have you got her mixed up with Miley Cyrus? Both of these young ladies are talented. Keith Urban is talented. Why do you run down one artist to build up another? They are all doing what they love. Lucky, lucky people.
Lioness, I've noticed your name on CMT and Just Jared websites and you always post the same crap bashing Taylor. For someone who dislikes her music so much, you sure go to a lot of trouble visiting articles and posts about Miss Swift. Obsessed much? You're either a jealous fan of an artist who's being overshadowed by Taylor or you just need an attitude re-adjustment. Whoever you are, just get the help you obviously need.
Well boohoo TGN (your name on this board)!! If you don't like it, well, all I can say is, "too bad"! Are you the board monitor or something? I don't want you to worry so much about me. You post everywhere with different names is what I've been told. So go and find you some kind of life and don't worry so much about me, ok!!
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