Introduction
People attend live music performances for many reasons apart from a simple desire to listen to some music. They may seek a sense of community, a surge of adrenaline, or a distraction from their routine, but, in general, they want to get a unique experience that only life concerts can provide. The most recent event of that kind I have attended was a concert by Taylor Swift in Madison Square Garden on January 13, 2020.
Main body
I truly enjoyed the song selection since it contained both Swift’s most recent and all-time favorite songs. There was a good balance between active dance songs and more lyrical ones. Though I love to watch a good dance, I was particularly excited to see Swift perform one of her recent lyrical songs Lover while just standing and playing the guitar. I also loved this feeling of community the fans shared while singing along.
I appreciated that Swift’s backup dancers and singers were women with different body types. Such an explicit example of body positivity goes in line with the recent documentary about Swift Miss Americana (released on Netflix later the same month), where she was open about her experience of fighting with an eating disorder. I did not like her costume, though, because the massive boots she wore made her overwise good dancing look heavier.
Another thing that struck me was that the day of the concert was actually Swift’s birthday. Her decision to perform that day shows her devotion to her fans and to what she is doing. The singer seemed inspired and happy to perform and appeared to be really excited to communicate with her audience; she was constantly giving feedback and praising them. People were particularly delighted when Swift said that she could see absolutely every person in the arena. Later she asked her fans to forget about their anxieties for a couple of minutes and “shake them off” while dancing and singing with her, and indeed she allowed us to do so.
Conclusion
The concert provided me with the emotions I sought when I decided to attend it – I had this remarkable sense of community with the artist and the other fans while listening to my favorite compositions and singing along. Swift’s involvement, openness, and positive energy was pleasant surprise for me. The concert helped me to forget about my anxieties and just enjoy the moment.