The weather in Great Britain is known to be completely atrocious for three
out of four seasons, so after spring has sprung and things start heating up,
there’s an unquenchable desire to celebrate the simple things – like wearing
t-shirts and shorts whilst enjoying an ice cream simultaneously.
British Summer Time, or BST as it’s fondly known, is now in its third year
following two successful runs after the grounds were monopolized for the 2012
Olympic Games festivities. The Strokes, Blur, and Kylie Minogue have all
headlined their own respective days of this almost fortnight-long festival, but
only tonight’s headliner Ms. Taylor Swift, has completely sold it out; and weeks
in advance at that. After all, she’s one of the biggest pop stars in the world,
this is the first time she’ll debut her 1989 tour in the English capital, and in
her spare time she wins battles with gargantuan corporations like Apple.
The demographic of a Taylor Swift fan is a curious thing. The women to men
ratio is exactly what you’d imagine: women. Mainly. Yummy mummies with their
pampered children, single young professionals with their friends and an almighty
plethora of pre-pubescent teenage girls. ‘Taylor Swift’ is painted on various
faces and limbs, lovingly handmade banners are held, coloured fairly lights are
sewn into both clothing and signs, there’s a sea of official merchandise from
this tour and those previous and even a smattering of official “TS” cheerleader
outfits from the “Shake It Off” video. It’s an impressive army by anyone’s
standards indeed.
Swift eagerly takes to the stage a full 15 minutes earlier than scheduled.
It’s somewhat poignant that in Hyde Park, the piece of land that Central Park
was modelled on, she begins with “Welcome to New York”. Above her signature
smiling red lipstick, sunglasses adorn her giddy face and she dances up a storm
in a sparkly green bomber jacket over a high-waisted purple skater skirt and a
modest black bra top with shimmery black ankle boots. When the opening song
wraps she animatedly pulls off her shades. Cue her predictable shocked face. But
it’s not annoying anymore, it’s an intrinsic part of her image and right now,
it’s fairly charming.
She launches into “New Romantics”, one of the bonus tracks from the deluxe
edition of1989, followed by her high-charting single “Blank Space” which see
dancers each pushing large mobile frames out onto the catwalk for Swift to weave
in and out of, drawing symmetry to the music video whilst menacingly wielding a
golf club.
Next is the track that arguably catapulted her to global superstardom, the
crushing heartbreak anthem “I Knew You Were Trouble” from the Red album. The
poppy Max Martin-produced single is almost unrecognisable when it begins. Swift
slumps down onto the catwalk, sitting back to back with a male dancer, beads of
sweat now visible on her brow as she sings the track darkly, multiple octaves
lower and over minimal instrumentation. So sombre and resonating, that it’s
almost gothic.
In between songs Swift could almost give Kanye West a run for his money with
her monologues about love and self-worth. The main difference is that they
aren’t focused on her; they’re focused on sending waves of motivation and
positivity to her fans.Loud drops of rain pour from the stage screens and a
graphic of a large bridge is prominent whilst male dancers in grey suits and
bowler hats, twirl with transparent umbrellas. Swift emerges in a pink crop top
and matching pink ‘50s diner skirt, both flash LED lights as she sweetly
performs “I Wish You Would” and “How You Get the Girl”.
She follows with by far her raciest number yet, a white sweetheart tube top
with white short shorts with over-the-knee black boots that evolve into black
suspenders. Providing the entertainment at the annual Victoria’s Secrets shows
in New York in 2013 and London in 2014 has clearly rubbed off on Swift, because
now not only does she ooze kink and sex-appeal, but she can really strut those
seemingly never-ending pins. Which are insured for a cool 40 million
dollars.
The catwalk breaks away from the stage to extend and rise over the audience,
slowly moving in a semi-circle while Swift’s acoustic guitar gently weeps bonus
track “You Are in Love” and the crowd sing backing lyrics upon her instruction.
To showcase her multi-instrumentalist talents, she then plays a keyboard and
reworks “Love Story”, one of the hits from her second album “Fearless’” to keep
it consistent with the sound of 1989. An inspired choice, and throwing an older
song into tonight’s set not only shows a tangible division between old and new
fans, but also that Swift hasn’t forgotten her country music roots.
Clad in an unforgivingly tight leather catsuit, she performs “Bad Blood”.
Swift lays, slides and purrs on thick slabs of rectangular glass, which are
moved around the stage by her dancers in representation to the music video minus
the rap.
