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BY: ALYSSA BARDOL —- ST. LOUIS, MO
It is seldom to leave an event knowing you’ve just watched history be made, but as I’ve grown to be no stranger to Taylor Swift’s live gigs, it’s become an increasingly common occurrence.
Sure, Swift is written into history books already with record breaking attendance in a multitude of venues around the world, an entire slew of Grammys, and an insane amount of RIAA certifications, but in witnessing her live show on Tuesday night, it is undeniable that Swift will also be written into history books as one of this generation’s pop icons.
Photo © Alyssa Bardol
As part of her critically acclaimed reputation Stadium Tour, Taylor Swift played to thousands of diehard fans at The Dome at America’s Center on Tuesday night and delivered a performance nothing short of perfect. Featuring pop anthems like “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Delicate”; and quiet, acoustic moments like her secret song “Hey Stephen”, Swift played over 20 songs on three different stages, giving fans a night they will surely never forget.
While much can be said about her incredible musicianship and immaculate stage set up, what sets Swift apart from the rest of the female pop stars blazing the same trails is her undeniable gratitude toward her fans. Although 70,000 fans were in attendance Tuesday night, her performance felt remarkably intimate no matter where you happened to be seated.
Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Part of this can be explained by the huge amount of real estate Swift covers by transitioning from her main stage to two satellite stages located near the back of the floor, known as the B-stages. After performing several power pop songs on the main stage with big choreography numbers, lifts, giant snakes, and pyrotechnics, Swift soared through the audience in a cage draped in lights to the back of the stadium floor to give fans in the stands a special treat.
It is here where her infectious personality shines most. With just an acoustic guitar, Swift serenaded the crowd with an acoustic rendition of “Dancing With Our Hands Tied”, explaining that if a song is written well enough, it does not need big production to be effective.
Photo © Alyssa Bardol
And right she is. While the huge production of the tour is immaculate and even mesmerizing, it is Swift herself that makes the difference. Her setlist full of hits, infectious attitude, and ability to make stadium shows feel inclusive are unique attributes to her own self and have fans wanting more the second the show ends.
And I can’t say I blame them.
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September 18th Set List
“…Ready For It?”
“I Did Something Bad”
“Gorgeous”
“Style”/”Love Story”/”You Belong With Me”
“Look What You Made Me Do”
“End Game”
“King of My Heart”
“Delicate”
“Shake It Off”
“Dancing With Our Hands Tied”
“Hey Stephen”
“Blank Space”
“Dress”
“Bad Blood”/ “Should’ve Said No”
“Don’t Blame Me”
“Long Live”/ “New Year’s Day”
“Getaway Car”
“Call It What You Want”
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”/”This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”
