Jump to content

City of Lover

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

City of Lover
One-off concertbyTaylor Swift
Poster for theABCTV special
Location
Associated albumLover
Date(s)September 9, 2019
Duration
    • 60 minutes (concert)
    • 42 minutes (TV broadcast)
No.of shows1
Attendance2,000

City of Loverwas a one-offconcertby the American singer-songwriterTaylor Swiftheld at theOlympiain Paris, France, on September 9, 2019. It happened slightly over two weeks after the release of Swift's seventh studio album,Lover(2019). The concert was reserved for fans who had won tickets through online contests or album purchases. Theset listconsisted of 16 songs, with eight fromLoverand eight from Swift's other albums. City of Lover ran for one hour, and was the only concert that Swift held to promoteLover,after the planned sixthconcert tourLover Festwas canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.On May 15, 2020, a television special titledTaylor Swift: City of Lover,filmed at the concert, was broadcast onABCin the United States. Compared to the original concert, the TV special only included the eightLovertracks and ran for 42 minutes, including commercials.

City of Lover and its corresponding TV special received positive reviews from media publications, who lauded Swift's stage presence and intimate engagement with fans. However, a few critics complained that the TV special should have included the whole sixteen-song set list instead of just the eightLoversongs. Some publications noted that Swift's concert at the Olympia—a venue with a 2,000-seat capacity—was a rare move for her after her 2018Reputation Stadium Tour,which sold-out venues with much higher capacities. The TV special was made available onHuluandDisney+for a few weeks beginning on May 16, 2020. A live album, titledLover (Live from Paris)and containing the performances from the special, was released in aValentine's Daylimited-editionvinyl LPon February 14, 2023.

Background[edit]

The American singer-songwriterTaylor Swiftreleased her seventh studio album,Lover,on August 23, 2019, throughRepublic Records.[1]Described by Swift as a "love letter to love itself",Loverexplores the "full spectrum of love", inspired by the connections with fans during Swift'sReputation Stadium Tour(2018).[2]The album received positive reviews from critics, who complimented Swift's songwriting for showcasing her maturity as an artist.[3]It enjoyed commercial success, peaking atop the albums chart in countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States,[4]and was the world's best-selling album by a solo artist of 2019.[5]

To celebrate the album's release, Swift held the City of Lover, a one-off concert, at theOlympiamusic hall in Paris, France, on September 9, 2019. Prior to the event, tickets were not available for the public, but were reserved to fans who had bought the album to enter online contests from a select 37 countries around the world.[6]Due to the event's secrecy among selected fans, there were no extensive promotional campaigns for it.[7]City of Lover was the only concert Swift held at a music hall to accompanyLover,[6]after the plannedLover Festconcert tour was canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[8]

City of Lover marked Swift's first concert at a music hall in France since her 2011Speak Now World Tour.[9]She had also held a small performance on a boat by theSeinein 2013 to perform songs fromRed.[10]Before, Swift had not had attained commercial success in France to the same extent as in the United States or East Asia—during its first week of release,Loversold 7,500 copies in France first-week, compared to one million units in China or nearly 700,000 copies in the United States.[7][9]Swift toldLe Parisienin a May 2019 interview that she deemed it a "priority" to hold a concert again in France after eight years.[11]

Concert synopsis[edit]

The concert was held at theOlympiain Paris(interior pictured).

The title of the concert plays on the nickname of Paris as the "City of Love".[12]There were a total of approximately 2,000 attendees, all of whom had won tickets to the concert through online contests or album purchases.[13]The concert'sset listis primarily made up of songs fromLover,including the singles "Me!","You Need to Calm Down","Lover","The Man",and the album tracks"The Archer","Death by a Thousand Cuts ","Cornelia Street",and" Daylight ".[6]Concertgoers were givenLED-illuminated wristbands that flickered and flashed in sync with each song Swift played.[6]

After opening the concert with "Me!", Swift greeted the crowd in French, "Bonsoir Paris! Je suis Taylor, enchantée!" before switching to English.[9][10]She then sang "Blank Space"(from her 2014 album1989) and "I Knew You Were Trouble"(from her 2012 albumRed).[6]She proceeded with "The Archer", over densesynthreverberation,[13]before performing two songs from her back catalog— "Love Story"(from her 2008 albumFearless) and "Delicate"(from her 2017 albumReputation).[6][10]After "Delicate", Swift explained to the audience about her songwriting process and introduced them to an "acoustic session" which featured songs she performed on anacoustic guitarand apiano:"With this album, everything I wrote, I wrote it with one instrument. I wrote with my guitar or with my piano, so I thought to myself that I wanted to try them out for you. sing the same way tonight, live, because this is my first time playing them in front of you."[10][14]

During the six-song acoustic session,[11]Swift performed stripped-down versions of "Death by a Thousand Cuts", "Cornelia Street", and "The Man". In-between each song, Swift shared with the audience her songwriting inspiration and context.[10]She then performed two songs fromRed— "Red"and"All Too Well"—on agrand piano.[6]She followed with "Daylight" before embracing a more upbeat sound for "Style"(from1989).[10]Two songs fromLover— "You Need to Calm Down" and "Lover" —followed, before the concert wrapped with "Shake It Off"—the lead single from1989.[6]The City of Lover concert ended without anencore.[6]

Video and music releases[edit]

City of Lover
GenreConcert film
Directed byDan Massie
StarringTaylor Swift
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerMike Downs
Production locationParis, France
CinematographyBen Coughlan
EditorLaura Randolph
Production companies
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseMay 17, 2020(2020-05-17)

On May 17, 2020, the concert was aired as a one-hour special, titledTaylor Swift: City of Lover,onABC.The following day, it was made available foron-demand streamingonHuluandDisney+.[15][16]Media publications opined that the release was due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,which led to Swift's plannedLover Festtour to supportLoverbeing postponed and ultimately canceled.[17]While the actual concert consisted of 16 songs and ran for an hour, the TV special only included the eight songs fromLover,and ran for 42 minutes (including commercials).[18]The ABC premiere attracted 3.63 million viewers, whichThe Hollywood Reporterdescribed as "so-so numbers".[19]Following the ABC premiere, live versions of theLoversongs were released to digital music and streaming platforms,[16]except "The Man", which had been previously released on February 18, 2020.[20]Swift released a set of two heart-shaped vinyls of the liveLoversongs forValentine's Dayin 2023, titledLover (Live from Paris).[21]

Cast[edit]

  • Taylor Swift, vocalist
  • Max Bernstein, guitarist and keyboardist
  • Matt Billingslea, drummer
  • David Cook,keyboardist
  • Jeslyn Gorman, background vocalist
  • Amos Heller, bassist
  • Kamilah Marshall, background vocalist
  • Mike Meadows, guitarist and keyboardist
  • Melanie Nyema, background vocalist
  • Paul Sidoti, guitarist
  • Eliotte Woodford, background vocalist

Reception[edit]

Upon completion, City of Lover received positive feedback from the European press. Most critics were particularly fond of the acoustic session, which showcased Swift's songwriting crafts and intimate connections with the audience.[6][9]The French webzineMeltydeemed it a "memorable night".[10]Reviews from the British publicationsNME,thei,andThe Timesall gave the concert five-star ratings. Hannah Mylrea fromNMESwift's stage presence, vocals during the acoustic numbers, and intimate interaction with the audience.[6]Sarah Carson from theideemed Swift a "confident and commanding performer" with a more laid-back and self-asserted attitude. Carson appreciated Swift's decision to play at the 2,000-seat Olympia rather than stadiums as on her previous world tour,Reputation Stadium Tour(2018), which fostered an intimate setting with fans.[13]Will HodgkinsonofThe Timesapplauded Swift for "appearing unguarded while remaining entirely professional, and it drew you towards her".[22]In an article for the French magazineLes Inrockuptibles,Ahlem Khattab noted that Swift had had limited commercial success in France, because she prioritized the English-speaking countries and East Asia. Through the City of Lover concert, Swift proved herself to be a capable musician and performer, which could possibly pave a path to French success.[12]Le Mondejournalist Stéphane Davet was otherwise skeptical about whether City of Lover could turn Swift into a pop star in France, but concluded that it "doesn't matter".[9]

The ABC TV special received positive reviews in the American press, although some critics felt that the 42-minute run was too short. Chris Willman ofVarietylauded Swift's storytelling abilities through both her songs and her conversations regardingbehind-the-sceneconception of her music. He also praised Swift's simplistic appearance in a black dress and black boots and the minimal lighting, which fostered an intimate setting.[23]InThe Philadelphia Inquirer,Dan DeLuca considered the concert to be a showcase of Swift's "gift for marrying personal stories to undeniable pophooks",but felt that the 42-minute run was not successful in promotingLover—a "not-so-new-anymore album" —and the TV special should have included the whole set list.[18]In a 2021 article commemoratingLover's two-year anniversary,USA Todaydeemed "Cornelia Street" a highlight on City of Lover: "Something about this version's raw energy and Swift's connection to her audience breaks our heart a 'Lover Fest' tour never happened. "[24]

Set list[edit]

This is the set list for the City of Lover concert.[6]The songs that featured on theABCTV special are marked with adagger (†).[18]

  1. "Me!"†
  2. "Blank Space"
  3. "I Knew You Were Trouble"
  4. "The Archer"†
  5. "Love Story"
  6. "Delicate"
  7. "Death by a Thousand Cuts" †
  8. "Cornelia Street"†
  9. "The Man"†
  10. "All Too Well"
  11. "Red"
  12. "Daylight" †
  13. "Style"
  14. "You Need to Calm Down"†
  15. "Lover"†
  16. "Shake It Off"

References[edit]

  1. ^Collins, Katie."Taylor Swift'sLover:How to stream and buy the album now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon ".CNET.Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2019.RetrievedAugust 25,2019.
  2. ^Suskind, Alex (May 9, 2019)."New Reputation: Taylor Swift shares intel on TS7, fan theories, and her next era".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon August 12, 2019.RetrievedAugust 17,2019.
  3. ^Moniuszko, Sara (August 23, 2019)."Taylor SwiftLoverreviews: Critics are enamored by the 'earnest,' 'romantic' new album ".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on August 23, 2019.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  4. ^"australian-charts – Taylor Swift – Lover".Hung Medien.Archivedfrom the original on February 28, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  5. ^"Biggest-selling album worldwide for a solo artist (current)".Guinness World Records.Archivedfrom the original on July 9, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  6. ^abcdefghijklMylrea, Hannah (September 10, 2019)."Taylor Swift's The City of Lover concert: an intimate celebration of her fans and career".NME.Archivedfrom the original on November 25, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  7. ^ab"Taylor Swift Fans Descend on Paris for 'City of Lover' Concert".Reuters.September 9, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on April 17, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  8. ^Blisco, Elise (February 27, 2021)."Taylor Swift officially cancels Lover Fest tour because of 'unprecedented pandemic'".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2021.RetrievedMarch 12,2021.
  9. ^abcdeDavet, Stéphane (September 10, 2019)."Musique: opération séduction de Taylor Swift à l'Olympia"[Music: Taylor Swift's operation of seduction at the Olympia].Le Monde(in French).Archivedfrom the original on September 22, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022.
  10. ^abcdefg"Taylor Swift éblouit Paris lors du City Of Lover Concert à l'Olympia, notre récap'"[Taylor Swift dazzles Paris with City of Lover concert at l'Olympia, our recap].Melty(in French). September 11, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on November 24, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  11. ^abGlaubitz, Sabine (September 10, 2019)."Taylor hält Hof in Paris – Auftaktparty mit euphorischen" Swifties ""[Taylor Swift holds court at Paris's Olympia – a euphoric party with "Swifties" ].Die Zeit(in German).Archivedfrom the original on September 22, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022– viaDeutsche Presse-Agentur.
  12. ^abKhattab, Ahlem (September 26, 2019)."Taylor Swift est-elle enfin à la conquête de la France?"[Is Taylor Swift finally conquering France?].Les Inrockuptibles(in French).Archivedfrom the original on April 7, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  13. ^abcCarson, Sarah (September 10, 2019)."Taylor Swift – City of Lover, L'Olympia, Paris: this tiny show was magical, intimate, and unique".i.Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  14. ^Garvey, Marienne (May 18, 2020)."Taylor Swift's 'City of Lover Concert' was an intimate, stripped-down performance".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on January 27, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  15. ^Kaufman, Gil (May 8, 2020)."ABC To Air Taylor Swift 'City of Lover' Concert Special".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on May 9, 2020.RetrievedMay 10,2020.
  16. ^abLipshutz, Jason (May 17, 2020)."Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert: Best Moments".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on May 25, 2020.RetrievedMay 18,2020.
  17. ^Lanza, Alexis (May 26, 2020)."Taylor Swift: City of Lover review".North by Northwestern.Archivedfrom the original on April 14, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  18. ^abcDeLuca, Dan (May 18, 2020)."Taylor Swift's 'City of Lover' concert special was brief and bittersweet. Remember live music?".The Philadelphia Inquirer.Archivedfrom the original on May 18, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  19. ^Porter, Rick (May 18, 2020)."TV Ratings: 'American Idol' Finale Tops Sunday, Down From 2019".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on August 28, 2020.RetrievedNovember 24,2020.
  20. ^"Taylor Swift Releases 'The Man – Live from Paris' Song and Video... and it's Glorious: Stream It Now".Billboard.February 18, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on May 5, 2020.RetrievedMay 18,2020.
  21. ^Doherty, Kelly (February 13, 2023)."Taylor Swift has shared heart-shaped vinyl for Valentine's Day".The Vinyl Factory.Archivedfrom the original on February 13, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 13,2023.
  22. ^Hodgkinson, Will(September 10, 2019)."Taylor Swift review—unguarded, irrepressible, but entirely professional".The Times.RetrievedJanuary 2,2024.
  23. ^Willman, Chris (May 18, 2020)."Taylor Swift's Acoustic Side Commands Center Stage in 'City of Lover' Special".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on April 2, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  24. ^Yasharoff, Hannah; Oliver, David (August 23, 2021)."A love letter toLover:Why we adore Taylor Swift's lost triumph ".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on July 2, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=City_of_Lover&oldid=1225909723"