Taylor Swift dazzles in first Australian concert in Sydney
TAYLOR Swift was on time, on song and on fire with her opening Australian concert at Sydney's Allianz Stadium, writes Kathy McCabe.
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TAYLOR Swift was on time, on song and on fire with her opening Australian concert in Sydney on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old Taylor Swift, the American country artist turned pop star, is the first female artist to play our sports stadiums since Madonna two decades ago.
Swift's concert at the Allianz Stadium threw down to her peers as 40,000 ecstatic and enthral led girls and their bemused parents experienced every Olympic hair flick, dramatic arm flourish and morality tale.
SYDNEY THAT WAS SO LOUD!!!
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) December 4, 2013
SEVEN REASONS WHY WE LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT
TAYLOR SWIFT LAPS IT UP ON EVE OF AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Her musicality is undeniable as evidenced by those pristine live vocals which can be tough to push out in such a big crowded space and her playing.
SEND US YOUR REVIEW OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S CONCERT BELOW
It's a love story baby just say yes! #redsydney
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSwiftOnTour) December 4, 2013
There ain't no other pop stars playing banjo as well as guitar and piano.
Swift's Red tour is constructed more as a musical in several acts rather than a conventional concert.
There's the geek dancing in the bedroom Taylor, the acoustic guitar porch singer Taylor, the Hollywood glamour Taylor, Princess Taylor and the T-shirt and sneakers girl-next-door Taylor.
And there was chatty Taylor who would spend five minutes opining about love, heartbreak, emotions and mean people.
Of course her largely teen and tween audience hung on every word.
The musical may be heavily scripted but Swift breaks from it when she presses the flesh along the long corridor from the B stage back to the main stage during Sparks Fly.
She injected some more local spontaneity with an Aussie Aussie Aussie chant.
RT "@NZTSFans: "@tswift_NZ: VIDEO OF TAYLOR SAYING "AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE" @TSwiftOnTour http://t.co/XLt8OHdsDJ""
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSwiftOnTour) December 4, 2013
Her pyros and set design made the Justin Bieber shows look like a suburban shopping mall talent quest.
It is completely obvious why Swift is the parent's choice for the perfect pop role model even with that mouthed F bomb in 1D's direction during the MTV VMAs earlier this year.
The wildly successful young woman is talented, confident, aspirational and fully clothed.
Warped Tour Australia! Wait no. @taylorswift13 concert! I'm in the PIT! http://t.co/MQKupgbVrF
— Chad Gilbert (@XChadballX) December 4, 2013
Her dancing is more a cross between ballet and game show hostess poses than twerking and grinding.
Maybe talent and hits can still win.
Taylor Swift's next concert in Australia is at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, nib Stadium, Perth on the December 11 and Etihad Stadium, Melbourne on December 14.
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