Last night Taylor Swift brought her Fearless Tour to Nashville’ Sommet Center.  The two hour show rocked the sold-out crowd with non-stop impressive stage production, fan worship, and talent…Taylor Swift not only proved she deserves her CMA Entertainer of the Year nomination…I think she proved she’s the one who will be taking the award home on November 11th.

Last night’s crowd walking into the Sommet center was definitely different from the crowd two weeks ago.   Instead of the jean-wearing 20-60 something crowd Keith Urban attracts; Taylor Swift brought out the 2-22 year old crowd sporting cowboy boots and sundresses.  Throw in the occasional soccer mom for chaperon and you’ve got the Fearless Tour crowd.  Obviously the most popular item at the merchandise booth was a light-up multi-colored flashing wand since the $5 bobbles lit up the dark arena like a star-filled night sky in the middle of a meteor shower.

Unlike most concerts I’ve been tour, Taylor entertains the awaiting crowd with fun videos, not just music.  This is perfect since a majority of her audience have the attention span of a 5 year old…(yes, I’m aware that’s the precise age of her audience).  However, I was also entertained, and my 5 year old wouldn’t have made it through as much of the show as she had without it.

Gloriana was first up.  This wasn’t my first rodeo with the fab and fresh foursome.  Their acoustic set rocked about 5 songs.  The group ALWAYS sounds amazing live, but you can tell they’re still new.  If they’re going to get better with interacting with the crowd, there is no better mentor than Taylor Swift. Gloriana’s biggest crowd pleaser was obviously their single “Wild at Heart.”  Even those around me who thought they didn’t know who the 4 hip young performers were, suddenly had an “Oh, I know them,” look on their faces.

Kellie Pickler was up next.  Boy, has the pint-sized busty, blonde come a long way since American Idol.

Kellie’s voice has improved and matured by leaps and bounds.  She has control and power and an emotional connection to her songs that I had no idea she possessed.  Kellie flew through her hits “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” and “Best Days of Your Life.”  The crowd was jumping and singing a lot at the top of their lungs.  Then Kellie sang some ‘new stuff.’  “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You?”…Wow…not only is this song WAY better live, it’s obvious Kellie is feelin’ the lyrics.  However, even though “Red High Heels” was the big hit of the night and the last song; my favorite was “I Wonder.”  Kellie had expressed her excitement to play Nashville when she first walked out.  But it was  obvious that singing that song to a sold-out  Nashville crowd touched her.  By the end, with a cracked voice, Kellie had tears streaming down her face.  I was sold.  Kellie was growing-up and I think she’s becoming a contender to play with the ‘big dogs.’  Her crowd interaction was natural and impressive.  She slapped hands and signed dozens of autographs while singing and working the entire stage.  Watch out…mark my words…Kellie Pickler is gonna be a force to recon with.

The energy definitely changed between Kellie’s and Taylor’s set. The natives became restless and obviously ready.  The large wide-screens on each side of the stage started playing a video Taylor made and the lights went out.  When the curtain raised, the crowd erupted with screams…much too shrill to come from an adult.  Rising up from an impressively massive stage, a band-geek Taylor Swift kicked-off her show with “You Belong With Me.”  Again…this stage is MASSIVE and Taylor Swift works the ENTIRE thing.

Complete with impromptu costume stages on stage (ie clothes being ripped-off by her background dancers only to reveal something swingy and shiny), Taylor put on a show…no…Taylor put on a production.  However, with as larger than life as Taylor appears on stage, she doesn’t act it.  That girl slapped more hands and signed more autographs from stage than anyone I’ve ever seen.

Because the production is so big, there are much needed ‘intermissions’ to get things set-up for the next ‘act.’  Mini movies entertain the crowd.  In these short films, Taylor pretty much makes fun of herself…writing songs about the guys who break her heart…Love and Theft even make a special cameo in one of the films to explain the song “Hey Stephen.”  In the  midst of the darkness and silver-screen enjoyment, Taylor appeared in the middle of the crowd at the far end of the arena in section 102 (what a treat, since I have always refused to buy seats there).  When the spot light revealed a blue-sundress wearing Taylor, the folks around her literally freaked out.  You could see screaming, crying, and convulsing fans reaching out to touch her.  It took Taylor FOREVER to sing “Hey Stephen.”  Mainly because the song took a long instrumental break while Taylor walked through the crowd to a small stage (yes she was hugging, taking pictures, signing autographs, and high-fiving all the way).

From the small stage on the back of the floor, Taylor broke out into an acoustic set to sing “Tim McGraw” and “Fifteen.”  Even though Taylor’s vocals aren’t as impressive as some…They definitely aren’t as bad as most of the Taylor-haters make them out to be.  Does she have power and impressive range…no…Does she sound decent and have an emotional connection with her lyrics and her fans?…Yes.

Once Taylor finally made it back to the big stage, she was visibly overwhelmed by the crowd.  Standing in a single spotlight on the catwalk, Taylor gasped at the screaming crowd…This only provoked more screaming.  It took nearly 10 minutes for Taylor to start singing again.  She thanked the crowd for the ‘best week ever.’  She said to wake up Wednesday morning and hear her name called 4 times for the CMA nominations and to have this on a Saturday…It pretty much makes it the ‘best week ever.’

Do y’all like surprises?  I have a little surprise for y’all, and I think you’re gonna like it,” Taylor said before announcing Faith Hill to the stage.  In case you’re missing the significance here…Faith HIll was the last female to be nominated for Entertainer of the Year (Shania Twain was the last female to win the award in 1999).  The two bubbly blondes broke out into an impressive duet of “The Way You Love Me.”  Surprisingly enough, Faith and Taylor had amazing chemistry and sounded great live.  The crowd was pretty much freaking out.

The most impressive part of the evening is when Taylor performed Love Story.  The curtain rises to reveal a massive castle complete with turrets and renaissance-Esq dancers. I can honestly say, I have NEVER heard a crowd sing-a-long as loudly as this crowd sang to “Love Story.”  In true Taylor fashion (literally) in the middle of the song, Taylor’s massive red ball gown is ripped apart to reveal a flowing white dress.

And…Unfortunately…this is the end of the show…Ok, not really, but my four-year-old had seen what she came to see and was asking to go home.  No nap, a birthday party, and a much-too-long of a walk to a parking lot gave the munchkin heavy eye-lids.  I was looking forward to the finale, but even without it I knew…

Whether you’re a Taylor Swift fan or not….whether you think she belongs in country music or not….You cannot deny the effort, work, talent, and love she puts into her craft.  The show is obviously a HUGE undertaking and Taylor pulls it off seamlessly.  The girl has outsold and out-played most artists and after seeing last nights show…I’m betting she takes  home that Entertainer of the Year Award….and she should.  The only complaint I left with is I didn’t get to see the entire show…I think 2 openers is pushing-it for her crowd.

You can see all of our pictures on our Flickr here.

**UPDATE:  I feel the need to update this post after reading a few comments…I was expecting an over-done show when I went to the Taylor Swift concert last night.  I was expecting more of a broadway play than an actual and over-the-top concert.  However, I found this to be an ultimate perfect balance…The parts that were theatrical fit, and I was highly impressed with Taylor’s acoustic set…If anything, that was my favorite part.  I think her show fits her audience perfectly…Am I more entertained by Keith Urban…Yes…but Taylor puts everything she’s got into her show.  I feel like I can say I like the production because I’ve seen Taylor without all of this ‘glitz and glamour.’  I’ve seen her perform at the Opry with nothing more than her guitar.  Do I think Taylor ‘needs’ this big show?  No…but I think she realizes that if she’s going to keep 5-25 year olds entertained for 2 hours…it sure does help… but I would have sat and listened to her sing with just her guitar for hours.  I think she is versitile.  Much like Keith Urban…she alters her show for her audience…

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale?  Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

Related posts:

1. CMT Music Awards Nominations
2. Taylor Swift is HOT HOT HOT!
3. Country Music Cleanup
4. Taylor Swift’s Bored Saturday Night Ramblings…Thank God I’m Not Alone…
5. Taylor Swift Visits WSIX