Swift leaves fans in a state of grace at 'intimate' Minnesota shows

Are the Swifties right? Star Tribune music critic Jon Bream thinks so. He joined All Things Considered on Monday with guest host Catharine Richert to discuss the Taylor Swift takeover.

Bream has been on the beat since 1975 and declared Swift’s show as “one of the most fan-fulfilling concerts of all time” in Minneapolis.

“With Taylor doing songs from nine of her 10 albums, she touched on all her eras, as she is calling the tour,” Bream said. “And you had to be fulfilled, I mean usually when a concert ends there’s a kind of buzz and people just stand there and beg for more, but people got up and walked away, not because they didn’t have the time of their lives, but because there wasn’t nothing more they wanted.”

He described the concert as “wonderfully intimate,” going against how large the venue is. The show wasn’t quick — fans were left in awe over three hours. Swift broke down her discography speaking to fans about the songs and her appreciation for their years of dedication.

Bream says the most personal moment were the surprise songs Swift plays each night. The two songs have often not heard crowds before, at least at the stadium level. Swift played “Paper Rings” and “If We Were a Movie” on Friday, and “Dear John” and “Daylight” on Saturday.

There’s no dancers or vocalist back ups in these moments, just Swift, her instrument of choice, a flowy beautiful gown and almost 70,000 fans but somehow — it feels like she’s only talking to you.

“It feels one on one, not because she pointed at you or whatever, because she is saying these personal things,” Bream said.