Taylor Swift Candlelight tribute concert comes to Hamilton for first time

Imagine experiencing Taylor Swift’s hits with an audience surrounded by thousands of glowing candles.

Those who can’t get enough of the 33-year-old mega pop star or didn’t get tickets to any of her six Toronto concerts next year have more chances to hear her music live – albeit, the real Taylor Swift won’t be there.

For the first time, Hamilton is hosting Candlelight concerts including a tribute to the pop princess. The first one in Hamilton was Aug. 17 with a Tribute to ABBA.

Listeso String Quartet will be doing classical renditions of Swift’s famous tunes in a 65-minute concert at the Cotton Factory, a former industrial building from 1900, at 270 Sherman Avenue North in Hamilton. The concert is on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Tickets are available for the second show, but the first one is already sold out. Tickets are $45 for Zone C, $55 for Zone B and $65 for Zone A (closest to the stage).

“The Candlelight concerts are a Fever Original experience aimed at democratizing access to classical music while discovering unique spaces that are part of the cultural heritage of cities, giving visibility to talented local artists and offering a wide variety of musical programs to meet every taste,” said Amanda Boucault, PR and communications coordinator for Candlelight, in an email to inthehammer.com.

Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Doors open 45 minutes before the start time and late entry is not allowed. The concert is open to those aged eight and older, and those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

COURTESY OF CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS BY FEVER

Hamilton will also host other Candlelight concerts: Friday the 13th Special – Favorite Halloween Movie Themes on Friday, Oct. 13; A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics on Wednesday, Oct. 25; and Holiday Special featuring “The Nutcracker” and More on Saturday, Dec. 23. For more information on the Hamilton shows, click here.

Fever Up, a global live-entertainment discovery tech platform that hosts the popular Candlelight Concerts around the world, hopes to inspire a broader audience to appreciate classical music.

Candlelight concerts invite people “to connect with the most iconic pieces of the greatest composers and listen to the top hits of well-known artists in a different way,” said Boucault.

Fever Up had been hosting traditional classical music concerts before launching Candlelight Concerts in 2019 when it saw a need to make this genre more accessible to people, said Boucault.

“Beyond this unique and intimate atmosphere, the connection with the musicians is much stronger as they speak directly to the audience,” she said. “We hope people enjoy this different way of listening to classical music.”

For safety reasons, flameless LED candles are used for the concerts.

“Thousands of candles are used to illuminate the venues, creating a serene atmosphere that enhances the listening experience,” said Boucault.

There is no dress code. Drinks will be available for purchase on site. The venue is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

For the Taylor Swift Tribute concert, the following is the tentative program: 

• “Lavender Haze”
• “Love Story”
• “Cardigan”
• “Blank Space”
• “Enchanted”
• “Anti-Hero”
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
• “All Too Well”
• “Wildest Dreams”
• “Lover”
• “I Knew You Were Trouble”
• “You Belong With Me”

Besides Hamilton, other cities like Toronto will host Candlelight shows including the Taylor Swift Tribute. 

COURTESY OF CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS BY FEVER