Authentic And Real! Taylor Swift’s Show In Buffalo, New York

The hype surrounding Taylor Swift is pretty incredible these days, to say the least. In fact, 31 million people were reported to have been in the waiting line to buy tickets for her shows in Toronto, Canada in 2024. Taylor is everywhere including the NFL Playoffs. While the Buffalo Bills get ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, Western New York is on Taylor watch. Will she be at Highmark Stadium this Sunday??

The Traylor Effect

The "Traylor effect" as some are calling it, is pretty incredible. But it is not a surprise to Taylor Swift fans or any of us who have watched and followed Taylor Swift since the beginning.

A Magical Night In Buffalo

I was thinking back to when I saw Taylor Swift in Buffalo and how impressed I was at what I saw, and experienced, that night. It was a MASSIVE and magical night for her fans who packed HSBC arena, now called Key Bank Center. I have seen Taylor Swift perform in the past and I have had the chance to meet her as well at different radio events. This by far, was a different Taylor than I have ever witnessed.

Taking Extra Time

Prior to the show, I stood from a distance and watched her meet and greet fans. It didn't matter if it was moms, dads, or the many many teen-aged girls that came to say hello, Taylor Swift took her time to give each person a little extra time. More than the normal "hello" and photo op. I even watched as she knelt in her fancy dress to hug a little girl. You don't see that at most meet and greets. She was just about in tears when another young fan called her a "hero"!

Crossing All Genres

Admittedly, Taylor Swift's music does not speak to me the way it might others. I prefer hard core country music. However, what I saw that night went beyond any specific genre when it came to her performance. I don't recall ever seeing an artist, since Garth Brooks, have every person in the audience in a trance. She OWNED the HSBC arena that night. From the opening song to the very last one, she gave her fans more than what they paid for.

Taylor Gets It

Taylor Swift totally gets it. She has not forgotten what it is like to spend an afternoon painting song lyrics on a homemade shirt. She has not forgotten how exciting it is when a star recognizes a homemade sign. She has not forgotten what it is like to sing every word, of every song, hoping the star will see that you are the biggest fan in the audience. She has not forgotten what it is like to be bullied, or put down by others, and knows how devastating that is to a person's life. Taylor gives people, young and old, hope and courage through her music.

Can't Write If You Can't Relate

I saw one fan completely overwhelmed with emotion. I mean crocodile tears. I have seen the videos of the fans who would faint when they saw Elvis, or the Beatles, and never really believed people would be so overwhelmed, until that show. Taylor Swift is a star for so many reasons beyond the music. After seeing her show that night, it became clear what she really is all about. Those young fans that came out to see her, are who she was just a few years ago. I have met enough stars, and seen enough shows, to be able to say that too many of today's stars have strayed away from their "bread and butter" - THE FANS. Give the fans what they want and relate to who they are.

What The Focus Should Be

In my opinion Taylor Swift is one of the few artists that is focused on what the fans want. She makes it a point to give them more than just a song or a story. She truly includes them in her fairy-tale life for an hour and a half at a time!

Perhaps the "Traylor effect" is a good reminder to established artists, and a great lesson to newer stars who wish to connect with their fans the way that Taylor Swift is able to. If we have learned anything from a lack of concerts and shows that we faced in the COVID pandemic, it's that if you take away the lights and the glamour, the most important part of being an artist, in any genre, is relating to your audience and being real!

Will Taylor make an appearance in Buffalo? Perhaps. After all, if your boyfriend was an NFL player in a playoff game, wouldn't you? That's as real as it gets.