In what is becoming something of a rock nyc tradition, this is how it goes with us and Taylor.
1. Review the new album
2. Catch her preview of the new tour at Z-100s Jingle ball
3. Review the setlist at the start of the tour.
4. Go and see her whenever she visits nyc. March and July this year!
So we reviewed Red and we reviewed the additional Target Tracks, and the Red sneak peak at Z-100 Jingle Ball late last year and loved it, and we reviewed the Speak Now setlist in June 2011 and was less certain and now looking at the 2013 setlist, I have the same problem I had in 2011. Way, way too heavy on the new album, but I ended up adoring the 2011 tour when I got see it
So the 2013 set list is very heavy on Red. 18 songs. 13 off Red. One cover. That leaves 2 off Fearless and 2 off Speak Now. Set length is average for Swift, 18 songs this year, 17 on the Speak Now tour, 16 songs in 2009 so yeah, that's as expected. "State Of Grace" is one of her greatest songs and deserves the opening slot. And the three slow songs in the middle are bracketed by a cover ("Ho Hey" right now but that will change) on one side and "Sparks Fly" on the other. And ending the set properly with "Treacherous" and not "Love Story" is a strange choice thought he encore makes sense.
After seeing a third of the concert at Jingle Ball last December, and with no production values really, I think this could be her best tour yet. Song for song, Red has grown into my fave Swift album. My first viewing will be March 27th at Prudential (than in July at the 80,000 seater METLIFE). Here is the set list plus opinions. I just wish she'd included "Girl At Home".
1. State Of Grace – This is a thundering anthem of desire and the first sighting of truly pre-teen Taylor Swift. An adult love song but a great one, very sexy, very intense. Very post-innocence – A
2. Holy Ground – Undoubtedly chosen for its thundering beats, modern day TS but the bridge doesn't quite click – B+
3. Red – Album titles about color coordination never hit me as a great idea. This is an iffy calling card – B
4. You Belong With Me – A High School plea on record, becomes wish fulfillment on the video – A+
5. The Lucky Ones – The travails of pop stardom are pretty much nailed down. Good vocal – B+
6. Mean – Really, we aren't getting "Mine" so she can play "Mean"? On stage it will work very well just before "Stay" = B-
7. Stay Stay Stay – This and "22" are pure fun – A-
8. Ho Hey – Let's hope Taylor gets more adventurous before the tour is over – B+
9. 22 – This is the end of her party on segment. A personal best – A
10. I Almost Do – And this begins three slow sad ones (I bet she's at the piano) – B
11.Everything Has Changed – The Ed Sheeran one, acoustic beauty – A-
12. Begin Again – And here is the third and probably the best of this lot. Very romantic and sweet and just a little damaged, the bridge/chorus is the best on the record – A-
13. Sparks Fly – No, no, no, with a catalog to die for, why this? – C+
14. I Knew You Were Trouble – Dubstep but only as a sound effect – B
15. All Too Well – If there was ever a time in the set to through a loop, stick in a "Tied Together With A Smile", this is it. – B
16. Love Story – Her best song – A+
17. Treacherous – Her choice, but really? It isn't fast enough for the last song before the encore – B+
18. We Are Never Ever Getting Back – Like never – A