Tag Archives: Concert Review

A&E, Alyssa Book

Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’ Tour wows fans at Tuesday night’s concert

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By Alyssa Book

Taylor Swift graced her presence among Kentuckiana again last night on her much anticipated ‘Red’ tour. Swift brought along two opening acts, Ed Sheeran and Florida Georgia Line, that got the crowd up on their feet and preparing their vocals to be singing along with girl empowering songs for two more hours. Swift was a seasoned professional up on stage and is on the peak of her game.

Red lights, red dresses, and red guitars. From beginning to end, Swift rocked her new favorite color and had me loving it by the end of the night. As the lights shut off and she started singing ‘State of Grace,’ the screaming began and did not waver until the Louisville crowd had to leave the Yum Center.

Not only were her vocals impressive, but her set for this tour was top notch. Every song had a theme tied to it and it kept the concert fresh and exciting. Swift was a ringleader of a circus, a fairy-tale princess, and a glamorous superstar all in a short two hours. Her  fan enthusiasm cannot be matched and her ability to make 1500 girls feel like they are her best friend is a talent that comes with experience and a gift she was born to share.

Swift played songs off of her ‘Red’ album as well as bringing back songs from her past albulms that really pushed  her into the limelight she soaks in today. The crowd got a taste of what it felt like to be ’22’ for a night. The songs that generated the most electricity were ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and ‘Never Getting Back Together.’

The choreography of this tour was incredible and her dancers never missed a beat. Come to think of it, neither did she. Swift has came into her own, and showed a poise and grace on stage that I had never seen. What was amazing to see was the crowd get so into her songs. Girls relate to her lyrics and seeing her in person star struck many across the stadium. Whether Swift sang a slow ballad or a sassy pop song, the crowd was up dancing and swaying and enjoying their time in red lights.

Swift performs with such enthusiasm and a wit that makes her fans keep wanting to attend her sold out concerts. From the sparkles on her microphone to the red lipstick brilliantly painted on her lips, Swift basked in the joy of her profession last night and made her joy contagious. Her ‘Red’ tour is massively brilliant and demands recognition. Taylor Swift has transformed from country singer to world wide phenomenon.

 

 

 

 

 

A&E

The Black Keys surpass expectations

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By Paige Thompson

An empty arena quickly fills with fans, full of anticipation and excitement for the next few hours.  It is Friday, March 16 at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and the Arctic Monkeys are about to take the stage to open up for The Black Keys.

The Monkeys come on stage and open up with “Brianstorm,” followed by “This House Is a Circus.”  The band has the intention to get the crowd ready and “warmed up” for The Black Keys to take the stage. It is clear that there is a sense of admiration for the band and a clear friendship and support between them.  The Monkeys are successful, and a the crowd is definitely warmed up as they play the up-beat “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor,” even though it is only the seventh song in their 15-song set of the night.  Alex Turner, the band’s frontman, does an excellent job with his smooth words to the crowd to get them pumped up. The crowd goes crazy when they finally perform the single, “Fluorescent Adolescent,” and close their set with “R U Mine?”  The Arctic Monkeys have set the stage for a mind-blowing show by none other than The Black Keys themselves.

Less than 30 minutes later, the lights go back down in the arena and everyone screams, knowing what is about to come.  The stage set-up is different, and we can finally see the shadows of the band behind the screen as they take the stage.  They plug in their guitars, turn up the bass, and keep the audience waiting with anticipation before they finally start the show off with “Howlin’ for You” from their previous album, Brothers.  Dan Auerbach, lead vocals and incredible guitarist, entrances the crowd with his guitar talent and vocals that sound as if they were just recording in the studio.  During their fifth song in the set, “Dead and Gone,” the screens change and their are various images and videos of different cities and landscapes.  The band also turns it up a notch with various light mixtures during different songs.  The band then surprises the crowd by playing the first few notes of “Strange Times,” one of the band’s earlier hits.  The show closes with their latest single, “Lonely Boy,” and thanks the crowd for coming out.  Once the crowd goes nuts and refuses to stop, the band returns for a three song encore consisting of “Everlasting Light,” where they bust out the disco balls and light up the entire arena with their everlasting light.  They then close the night for good with “She’s Long Gone,” and “I Got Mine.”

The Black Keys’s performance was as unique as their music, and if you are looking for a band that has the perfect soundtrack for your summer, check out the Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys to see if they put that spark in your summer.