Eras Arrive Swiftly in Tasmania
Burning Red: The Australian Taylor Swift Tribute Show is a family friendly concert that showcases Swifts Eras in music.
The costumes are inspired by those worn by Swift herself. The show is an excellent tribute for fans of the girl given a purposefully non-gender specific name in the hope she might have a career in business, but who, with an opera singer grandmother had the pedigree to be both a musician and businesswoman.
Some of the hits canvassed will be 22, Cruel Summer, Love Story, Willow, Anti-Hero, Look What You Made Me Do and many more from Swift’s debut album right through to TTPD.
This fun and energetic show will have you singing and ‘Shaking it off’ to Swift’s hits.
Natalie James is the lady taking on the task of tribute to Taylor Swift and we spoke about the challenge of celebrating a modern musical icon.
James tells me she has been a singer for a long time, and it was her two daughters, fans of Taylor Swift, that set her into this new adventure.
They encouraged mum “To pick up a guitar and develop a country twang.”
After listening to snippets of Taylor swift’s music, James’s husband agreed she would do a great tribute. As for the transformation James says, “it is a long show to perform at 160 minutes” and she “needs to be fit to perform it”.
There is the makeup and the signature red lipstick and a wig, but James cautions me, rather than just replicating a look she is mastering the physique and mannerisms of Swift.
James attempts in the production to connect to the person Swift is ‘Humble and down to earth, personable and wholesome’, and while there might be a song that features ‘swear’ words James will omit the swear word in keeping with the family friendly nature of the show, but apart from that concession, it’s a full-on performance with “something always happening”.
James will be interactive with the audience, wearing the friendship bracelets which are also a signature of a Taylor Swift concert. Kids in the audience will be able to reach up and exchange a bracelet with James.
It’s a fun night and James, like Swift, is happy to share a bit of herself via the bracelets with her young fans.
After all it is the youngsters who connect with Swifts’ lyrics discovering that they too sometimes feel broken but they also know with their hero they are not alone.
It’s a huge preparation for James as she began in August and in January, six months and it is over.
James loves Tasmania and has played with her band here twice prior to COVID. She said the hard work is “rewarding to see all the beautiful faces (in the audience).”
Before the show to get into the mood James tells me she paces back and forth, breathing and telling herself ‘You are Taylor Swift”.
You can see James pay tribute to Taylor Swift on the following dates and venues:
Friday, 12 September 2025
19:30 Country Club Launceston Casino
Saturday, 13 September 2025
19:30 Hobart, Wrest Point Casino
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