Taylor Swift gives spectacular performance for 72,000 fans opening night in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH ― Ever hear 72,000 people singing together?

You did if you attended Taylor Swift's opening night, record-setting show at Acrisure Stadium on June 16.

The mighty sound of that many unified voices impressed even more than the concert's colossal stage, light-effects drones, incredible video screen and fireworks that lit up the sky above the North Shore stadium at 11:20 p.m., as Swift finished her spectacular three-hour-15-minute performance.

The crowd adored her, with a high percentage of fans wearing outfits paying homage to their favorite Swift "era," after they already had stood in lines wrapped around the block to buy her merchandise.

Fans cheered loudly when Swift pointed in their general direction.

They cheered wildly each time the pop superstar emerged on stage in her latest bedazzled costume.

They even cheered when she blew her nose. In characteristic fashion, Swift evoked composure and humor as she handled that quick bit of facial tissue maintenance prompted by allergies and getting over a cold,

Her voice sounded strong all night, showing remarkable stamina as she attained powerful notes as on her next-to-the-last selection, "Mastermind."

Swift wisely utilized four backup singers to fill in any vocal gaps caused by her strenuous stage work. Though that was her all alone on the outer edge of the lengthy stage runway, approaching three hours in, resplendently singing the night's two exclusive surprise songs: "Mr. Perfectly Fine," from her "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" release, and "The Last Time," which she hadn't performed live since 2013. Acutely knowledgeable fans screamed with delight before Swift finished verbally introducing "Mr. Perfectly Fine," which she performed solo on acoustic guitar, then piano alone on "The Last Time."

Her band often stayed in opposite corners of the stage, though sometimes tagged along as Swift skipped, sashayed and rhythmically marched around the stage. Strategically positioned cameras always caught Swift facing forward, so on that gigantic, crystal-clear video screen above the stage, it always looked like she was coming at you. The most seamless use of video projection a Pittsburgh stadium concert has ever seen, it was easy to get lost in watching the big-screen image, with the actual-sized Swift an afterthought.

Stage designs changed quickly and seamlessly, too. Swift symbolically climbed a corporate ladder with her dancers clad in business suits for "The Man," which calls out sexism and the patriarchy.

When Swift got to her "Folklore" era, a woodsy cabin emerged on stage, evoking the indie-folk vibe from her 2020 album. Swift explained how that album arose from the early days of the pandemic, when she fantasized about dwelling in a cabin, walking the woods at night holding a candle that flickered but never extinguished. That eighth studio album was a first for her, she said, in that the lyrics were character-driven, and not so autobiographical. That set up nicely her strong performance of the country-folk-ish "Betty."

Swift began the "Folklore" segment lying her on back atop the roof of the woodsy cabin, catching her breath after a stirring rendition of the esteemed 10-minute version of "All Too Well." A stadium-full of fans sang along with that whole song, cathartically conjuring the same pent-up angst as Swift.

The night's best song?

All of them, might be the reply of some Swifties.

There was the simple, throwback dance appeal of "Shake It Off," the irresistible chorus of "You Belong With Me," with Swift's high-rising voice nailing the "Can't you seeee."

The bouncy "22" sparked a lively sing-along for fans looking forward to that age, and those who somewhat fondly recall it. That's why Swift is so popular: She's retained ground-level fans and keeps adding legions of young new ones.

And as a performer, she's a dynamo.

Bookmark for next time: Going to see Taylor Swift in Pittsburgh? Here's what you need to know:

The "Reputation" era segment brought the loudest beats and fiercest attitude with songs like "...Ready for It" and "Look What You Made Me Do."

From a Gregorian chant-infused opening to the "Evermore" segment, to her female backup singers riding bicycles illuminated in blue as Swift wielded a neon blue golf club, there was always something interesting happening.

An early set pick, "The Archer," ended with cool guitar-style atmospherics a la The Edge from U2, a band Swift leapfrogged over in the North Shore stadium's all-time attendance record.

"Generally, it's insane for this many people to be in one place for any reason," Swift said, casually mentioning there were 72,000 in attendance, which the record books indicate was equivalent to Garth Brooks' 2019 concert at the then-called Heinz Field, and last year's University of Pittsburgh-West Virginia football game.

The Panthers and Garth didn't have a squadron of drones beaming shafts of light on the crowd, though, or a stage trap door Swift bravely dove into headfirst.

Swift's banter, as always in Pittsburgh, name-checked her Pennsylvania upbringing, promising to deliver a performance that would make local fans proud.

From her costumes, singing, stage theatrics and overall connection with her fans, Swift set the bar extremely high for Ed Sheeran, Beyonce and P!nk, three other pop stars playing Pittsburgh stadiums this summer.

And that was just night one.

Much of the pre-show social media and TV news chatter focuses on the anticipated traffic and parking ordeals for those headed to see Swift. But those who left home early, parked on the hill above the stadium lots, and hunkered down for a pre-show meal and maybe a Swift-inspired drink− like the Lavender Haze some restaurants were serving − probably found the experience no different than any other stadium event.

And if you were wondering, day-of-show resell tickets fetched $1,600 on the internet, or $700 for limited view.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at the Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Taylor Swift gives spectacular performance for 72,000 in Pittsburgh