“Starlight (Taylor’s Version)”? It was more like Candlelight (Taylor’s Version), thanks to the event company Fever Up and the string quartet they hosted at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline for a concert series titled “Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift.”
The show consisted of some of Swift’s most popular hits, including “Shake It Off” and “Love Story,” as well as some fan favorites like “All Too Well” and “New Romantics.”
Fever Up tours this Candlelight series with dozens of other artists all around the country.
A huge part of the appeal to these concerts is how the performers are surrounded by nearly 100 candles. On their website, the company describes it as “an intimate ambiance in a beautiful venue bathed in candlelight,” which they did not disappoint on.
The concert took place inside of a synagogue, and the dome ceiling projected the string instruments around the large room. The pews were warm, a nice difference to Boston’s freezing winter weather, but a lot of fans were already bundled up in their trademark cardigans anyway.
This gave the event a very interesting feeling, the emotions high throughout the hour-long show. Between the intimate lighting and the way that the music sounded so gentle, there wasn’t a dry eye in the building by the ending number.
The show was sold out, packed full of people, but everyone had to be spaced out in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.
The audience was encouraged to take videos and photos, and even to sing along, most notably when the entire crowd let out a loud “What?” during Swift’s ever popular song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
Upon arriving, guests were asked to show their tickets as well as proof of their vaccination status. By following the COVID-19 rules put in place by the City of Boston, the event was enjoyable without the underlying fear so many of us have now when out in public spaces.
There was a tip jar at the exit of the building so that guests could either tip the performers in cash or donate to their Venmo accounts.
“I came because my girlfriend didn’t want to go alone, but now I feel like I should listen to Taylor more,” said one man after the event.
Fever Up is running three more of these performances in Boston: Feb. 24, March 24 and April 14.
Tickets range from $30 to $60, with every seat in the place bringing a great experience to those in attendance.
Follow Hailey on Twitter @haiIeycampbell.
