Sound Check blog

5
March

Review and photos: Taylor Swift sparkles in tour debut in Tampa

Taylor.swift2


After months of hype and debate, Taylor Swift's much-anticipated spring tour kicked off Thursday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

More than 15,000 wild-eyed fans packed in to watch the 20-year-old country-pop singer-songwriter perform a setlist full of hits like You Belong With Me, Love Story and Today Was a Fairytale (featuring a surprise onscreen cameo by Taylor Lautner!)

As for Swift's performance on the mic? Sean Daly was there, and he writes in his concert review:

If you're still
wondering: No, there weren't any caterwauling catastrophes a la her
unfortunate Grammys duet with Stevie Nicks. ...

To shush the haters who claim she's all studio sheen, Swift played a
short acoustic set on a small stage in the back of the venue. For Hey Stephen, Fifteen and White Horse
— all cozy diary entries from a prodigious talent — she performed and
picked unaccompanied. Is she Streisand? No. But what she lacks in vocal
chops, she more than makes up for in star power.

Click here to read Sean's full Taylor Swift concert review, including how exactly that Twilight werewolf fit into the show. And after the jump, get more photos of Taylor Swift's concert in Tampa.

Taylor.swift
Taylor.swift3
Taylor.swift4
Taylor.swift5
Photos: Luis Santana, tbt*

Have your say...

CHECK, CHECK ... ONE, TWO

Soundcheck is your backstage pass to the Tampa music scene, from the best Tampa bands to the hottest Tampa concerts. Join us in the pit and sing along.

Advertisement

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BAND

Soundcheck wants to know about your band! Introduce yourselves and send concert photos to soundcheck@tampabay.com.

TAMPA TAKE ON POP CULTURE

2010 MUSIC GUIDE

2010guideOur 2010 Ultimate Local Music Guide was our biggest to date, featuring 180 bands, singers, rappers, DJs and artists across all genres.
Check it out!

2009 MUSIC GUIDE

2009guideIn 2009, our Ultimate Local Music Guide spotlighted 150 of Tampa's Bay's top artists. To celebrate, we launched Soundcheck -- the blog you're reading now!
Check it out!

2008 MUSIC GUIDE

2008guideOur 2008 Ultimate Music Guide featured the 10 best local bands, 130 more artists that we love, a SXSW photo gallery by Giddy Up Helicopter and more. Check it out!

2007 MUSIC GUIDE

2007guideIn 2007, we profiled nearly 100 of the Bay Area's best music acts. See who was hot back then. Chances are, you're still rocking out to them today! Check it out!

50 Concerts

50rockWhy would anyone voluntarily attempt to see 50 concerts at 50 different venues in a single summer? Jay Cridlin shrugged and thought: Eh, why not.

COMMENT POLICY

    Please be sure your comments are appropriate before submitting them.
    Inappropriate comments include content that:
  • Is libelous
  • Is abusive, harassing, or threatening
  • Is obscene, vulgar, or profane
  • Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive
  • Is illegal or encourages criminal acts
  • Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution
  • Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others
  • Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious)
  • Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises
  • The Times does not edit posts but reserves the right to delete comments that violate our policy.

    Report abuse: concerns@tampabay.com

Registration FAQ

Read our Frequently Asked Questions on how to register to comment on the site.