My Experience: Taylor Swift's RED Tour!!!

Hey everybody!

I am SO sorry this has taken this long to post, but uploading all the pictures and videos took a lot longer than I anticipated! Anyway, here is a look into my night watching Taylor Swift's RED Tour! Enjoy xx

I guess I'll start out by saying that I was extremely lucky to have seen this tour. I was at college when these tickets went on sale and of course, I was at my computer eagerly awaiting the sale time. And let me just say that I get so incredibly nervous when I try to buy concert tickets. Like, I kid you not, when I bought tickets for Justin Bieber's Believe tour, I literally brought my laptop to school with me, and bought them in my AP Lit class. I mean, it was after the AP test, so we weren't doing anything, but my hands were honestly shaking and my heart was racing as I waited for the tickets to drop (This was my first time buying tickets ever...ha). When I finally got through to the site for the RED tour (thanks Ticketmaster! .... oh the sarcasm) the only tickets that came up (because it kept saying it was sold out because of all of the shuffling around of tickets with everyone trying to purchase) were basically nosebleed seats that they were trying to sell for the price of club level seating.... I think not Ticketmaster. I was so devastated! I had only been to 2 concerts before (Justin Bieber and Mike Posner at a Six Flags if that counts) and I realized just how much I LOVE live music. So, as you can imagine, especially considering this is T-SWIFT, and I knew I loved her new album and past songs too, that May 11 would be a sad day if I didn't get my hands on tickets somehow. 

A few hours later, I called my friend Gabby who I had talked to earlier about this tour. We were both really excited about it and I wanted to know if she was able to get through and see what tickets she got. That's when she told me she got 2 FRONT ROW TICKETS for the Ultimate RED Experience.. .. . .. ...... .. .. . . . . . excuse me....I don't even. I was SO excited for her and couldn't believe it. I thought that those kinds of seats were next to impossible to find. She told me that she clicked on the VIP Red Experience package and was able to get them somehow?!?!?!? I immediately asked who she was taking and she initially said her Mom, but her Mom was nice enough to let me go instead! We had SUCH an amazing time, and it is definitely a night I will never forget. 

So, I guess I'll explain what the "Ultimate RED Experience" ticket entails in case anyone is interested in getting one or if they are curious for the future or for whatever reason...because before Gabby told me, I'll be frank, I had no idea what that meant. You are seated in the first...??20ish? rows, you go to a pre-party with food and drinks, a raffle giveaway, you get a signed CD, and that was all I knew. However :))), about 2 weeks before the concert, Gabby called me and told me that 2 boxes arrived at her house FILLED with amazing goodies! There was a blanket, (which unfortunately I left at my grandma's house so I can't show you a picture:( ), bracelets, a tote, a glow stick, an iPhone case, and 3 Tour Program Books!!! PS: I don't want any of you guys to think I am in any way bragging about this stuff and showing it off! I just thought you guys would be interested to see what a great deal this ticket really is and let you know how excited I was to hear that all of this was included with my ticket! I will let you know off the bat that I saw the same blanket that came with my VIP ticket for free, on sale at the venue for $50, programs for around $20, and the glow stick was $5 or $10..... #lovefreegifts Here are some pictures of a few of my favorite things in this package!

Tote

Tour Program

This is a really cool phone amplifier. You can slide your phone right in and it plays the music noticeably louder! And it also doubles as a really cute phone stand :) 

Before I get into the actual concert, I'll show show what I decided to wear and the makeup look I chose :) I went girly but comfortable with my outfit, which seemed really appropriate for the event I was going to. I felt like Taylor Swift would definitely wear something like this too, which was the point:) And of course, I HAD to wear a red lip (no, seriously. I went out the night before to buy red lipstick...haha) Other than that, I just had a light shimmer on my eyes with some mascara, pink blush, and bronzer. But the focus was definitely on my RED lips ;)

A tour bus outside the Verizon Center.

Getting to Verizon Center (it was my first time at the venue and it was quite a large space compared to TD Garden where I saw JB), I was so excited for what was about to happen. Not only as a Taylor Swift fan, but as a music lover as well--Music just does something inside of me that makes me feel invincible; as though a song can last forever if you are listening to it in the right way. And I knew experiencing all of this live would be over the top amazing.

We first checked in and got wrist bracelets to enter the VIP party, a raffle ticket for the party, our actual tickets for our seats, and a copy of "Red," and a SIGNED booklet that goes in the CD!!!!!!!!!

SIGNED CD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then, me and my friend Gabby entered the party, and it was ahhh-mazeballs. First off, it said there would be food, but we expected like waters and a bag of chips..haha. No, no, no. Complimentary strawberry lemonade, soda, chocolate, candy, ice cream, pasta, mini burgers, salad, hot dogs, pop corn, etc. Literally everything you could possibly want to eat and get a sugar high from right before walking into a concert venue to see your favorite pop vocalist. 

Even more so, they had a red carpet where we took the pics below AND a photobooth. The pictures were then posted on a site and you can access them at no charge. All of this was just so amazing, and the concert hadn't even started yet!

Me and my friend Gabby at the RED Ultimate Experience VIP Party! Thumbs up for Gabby's awesome T-Swift pajamas! :)

On the red carpet:)

Our photobooth pic! Haha I love this! PS: I took a picture of the copy we were given at the party so ignore the glare!

Gabby and I then ventured off to find our seats and we were amazed when we found them! We were so close and that really does make a difference on the experience you have. For Justin Bieber, I was as far, laterally, as I could have been from the stage (straight back to the first ring) and I couldn't really see his face as close as I obviously was able to see Taylor's and it really impacted the way I look back on that concert. As much as I do love Justin Bieber....I think, yep, yep, I know that this was a better experience and concert as far as the performance, dancing, and vocals. I kind of feel bad saying that but..... #sorryboutit JB, you had just broken up with SG, and you were sad. What is a fan supposed to do...hmmmm. Nothing personal at all. STILL LOVE YA!!!

I stopped to take this when we were heading down to find our seats.

In front of the stage!

For this show, there were 2 opening acts. One was a country singer named Brett Eldredge who was actually quite good. I feel like I have heard of him, but I didn't recognize any of his songs by beat. UNFORTUNATELY, I only brought my phone to the concert, and thus space was limited. So, I literallllly had to delete some videos I had taken FROM THIS CONCERT in order to have space for later videos I wanted to take. For this reason all my videos are just little clips from some of the songs. 

The other opener was ED SHEERAN...........................yaaaaas yaaaaas. He. was. amazing. Speechless. He didn't come up to the crowd like Taylor did, which was mildly annoying considering he would have been really close if he did (because there were 2 pit sections wrapped within the stage). But what was most irritating is that he looks white in all my videos/pics. Taylor does too at some angles. I think it was because of the way the lights were shining on them and the angle I was taking the pictures/videos. :( Anyway, he was onstage for a good bit of time. He sang the following (though I'm sure I'm forgetting some) : "Give Me Love," "Drunk," "Lego House," "No Diggity," "Thrift Shop," and "The a Team." I was extremely pleased with his performance. It really did blow me away. He is such a true talent and I think the music industry needs more of what Ed brings to the table. #theessenceofEd :) Here are some pics and videos I took! (Definitely watch the videos in HD because they were uploaded from my phone and look incredddibly blurry otherwise!)

Then it was TIMEEEEE for T-Swift!!!!! Here's the set list:

State of Grace, Holy Ground, Red, You Belong With Me, The Lucky One, Mean, Stay Stay Stay, 22, Everything Has Changed, Begin Again, Sparks Fly, I Knew You Were Trouble, All Too Well, Love Story, Treacherous, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

hahaha this basically explains the night

!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

freaking out at this point....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I really liked about this concert was that Taylor went to the back of the venue and performed a few songs there. As someone who doesn't usually sit in the front row (like, ever ;)) I can appreciate her giving a show to people further back. Then she brought Ed back, which was nice too! On top of this, she also flew overtop the crowd (getting closer to the top levels too!) in a balcony-esque looking device, which gave the them a chance to be closer to her as well. I think she did a great job of making it fair for everyone, and giving everyone a great show! Thanks Tay:)

I am so incredibly mad that I didn't get more of the closing song^^ because it was really sooo amazing! There was confetti everywhere and just such a sense of joy in the venue. I think it kind of made me experience the moment a little more though. That's the one dilemma I always have with concerts: I always want to take pictures and videos to have for later, but I want to pay attention and really feel the music and be present in the moment too. I tried to balance it as much as I could!

Overall, this concert was simply the best I have experienced and such a fun time. Taylor was so energetic which made the crowd go even crazier! Considering this show (the first of two nights in DC and the 1/3 mark of her tour) she was nothing short of incredible. Taylor obviously has the songs to make you jump up and stand (as I did the entire 2 HOURS she was on stage! with only short costume changes) and dance around, but also to feel the slower, more emotional songs that she has on her album. (I may or may not have squirt one......) I really appreciate every single song on the album, which is unusual if I'm being honest. Usually, I really like some, and think some don't add anything to the album. But, with "RED," I can honestly say I enjoy all of the songs, and even more, I was lucky enough to have seen the performance of the songs right before my eyes. :') Definitely 10/10 for me :)

I really hope you guys enjoyed this post! If you want to check out more videos (I didn't post all of them because I didn't want to overload on video), just click on one of them and it will take you to my channel with many more! Stay tuned for a Music Monday (on Tuesday bc of the holiday)! Enjoy the holiday and see you next time! :)

xx Monica