 
Red isn’t just the name of Taylor Swift’s latest album, or her sold out tour. From red lipstick, sparkly red shoes, and a fire-red guitar, it was obvious the color was the theme of the night.
Coincidence? I think not. Everyone can relate to songs about love, heartbreak, and the struggles of growing up. From five year old little girls, to adults ranging in their teens to 50s – moms to dads, girl friends, and bro-friends, it seemed like everyone came out to see Taylor Swift last night at the Colonial Life Arena.
I wasn’t expecting to see the whole show – armed with nothing but a camera and a press pass, I was happy to see the songs allotted for photographing. A nice gesture from Free Times photographer, Thomas Hammond, landed me with a ticket and much to my excitement, a great spot to see The Red Tour in its entirety.
With a two and a half tour set and over seven outfit changes, the former country sweet heart has certainly grown up to be one of the top pop performers. As a more closeted Taylor Swift fan, I was happy to hear the radio songs I’ve grown to love, from “You Belong To Me” and “Love Story,” to some of my favorites off of her latest album, “Red.” She opened with “State of Grace,” the opening track to the album, followed by “Holy Ground,” and the title track, “Red” kicked off what was about to be quite an experience.
The prelude to “22” was a slide show of Taylor growing up, something that got the fans cheering as we watched twelve-year-old Taylor sing the national anthem, to eighteen year old Taylor after winning her first Grammy’s. The most recent single, “I Knew You Were Trouble,” followed the theme of how much Taylor has grown, opening with the violinist and her sparkly red violin that later turned into a dub step remix, stripped down outfit change, and a sultry dance sequence at the front of the stage.
The singer/songwriter certainly puts every emotion into her life performance as she did when writing the songs, allowing the glitz and the glamor of the event that is The Red Tour, to seem nothing shot of genuine.
If I wasn’t already a fan of Taylor Swift before, her performance certainly would have changed that.
