I was allowed to shoot the first three songs from the pit in front of the stage, and then via a review pass watched the rest of the show from the media gondolo up in the rafters - thus managing the trick of going from 6 ft. in front of Taylor, to possibly the furthest seats in the building in one fell swoop.
Even from up in the thin air of the press area it was apparent that this was an exceptional concert event. None of the shows I've seen lately could touch this one for the intense bond between performer and audience, a feeling enhanced by the relatively modest sound levels that allowed for a sing-along atmosphere with the crowd from beginning to end. The sound from the stage never drowned out the crowd which had the effect of shrinking the large impersonal arena down to a more human scale as thousands fell into sync with every song.
Taylor's warmth and personality harnessed the technology and impressive staging to make a real connection with her fans. Whether it was forays right into the audience, warmly embracing fans with generous candor, or the frequent personal anecdotes that lead off many of her songs, she was met with loud approval at every turn, effortlessly shouldered being the focus of the entire production non-stop for nearly two hours.
She danced and swirled with an infectious tomboy energy propelled by an ecstatic wave of crowd energy from beginning to end.
It was a show that many veteran performers could learn from with it's mix of down to earth honesty, humour and spectacle.
At just 21 years of age, Taylor Swift has mastered the art of holding an entire arena in her thrall. A true star.
All images copyright Torontowide.com. No reproduction in any form is allowed without prior written permission.
Photos done with Olympus E30 cameras with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 and 12-60mm 2.8 lenses.
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