I distinctly remember when my daughter was four years old and she thought Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast was a real person who actually performed songs live.
Three years later, my daughter is now 7, and while not yet a Swiftie, she knows enough that the songs “You Need to Calm Down” and “Shake It Off” are what she considers “jam.” Our family also loves Katy Perry, and if I had my advice, I’d rather listen to Katy Perry than Swift (I know, I know) .
But, as many parents know, Swift has a special influence on very young children (and, well, the older ones among us), even if much of her songs are beyond our kids’ collective heads. Singing a Taylor Swift song with your kids is not only a great way to bond, but it’s also cathartic. But the thing is, while it might be nice to think about seeing Taylor Swift in concert right now at the pinnacle of your parenting goals, the reality is that not only is it financially out of reach for most of us, it’s also highly unrealistic. Practical. four hours of activities any kind Not getting along well with primary school students, once. If you have younger kids, you already know that going to a big concert can immediately lead to a nightmare of “where is the bathroom?” “I’m so tired.”
Here’s why you should take your kids to see a Taylor Swift cover band. This summer I discovered a national organization called Rock Theater. Essentially, the group curates live local musicians in specific towns and cities and has them perform cover versions of popular music acts. Rock theater overwhelmingly favors Phish, the Grateful Dead and the Beatles. But the other show that pops up the most in their lineup is an event where they play “The Music of Taylor Swift.”
This summer in Portland, Maine, my wife, 7-year-old daughter, and I Attended a Taylor Swift concert at Portland Music House. This is a regular music venue, not a children’s space, which means the actual experience of seeing a show is 100% authentic. I might even order myself a hard seltzer! But the best thing about this concert was that – during the day, after lunch – it was exactly 45 minutes long and no one was bored for a second.
Children (mostly girls) dress in glitter and rainbows and are encouraged to sing if they know the lyrics, but more importantly to dance. My daughter loves to dance to any beat and she thrives in this environment. “Shake It Off” can cure your troubles, especially when you are seven years old.
But the most important thing is that there is nothing flirtatious About this show. This band is a real band, the drums are huge and the guitars sound incredible. There are a few songs with two singers, which is also great because the band isn’t actually trying to picture Taylor Swift. Instead, the goal is to present these songs as great live rock songs that will feel fresh when you’ve heard the digital versions of all of these songs (Tyler or otherwise) a million times. What’s more, what live music teaches kids is that the sounds aren’t just the result of pushing a button or dropping a pin. Human beings make these sounds and strive to make these sounds. It’s good parenting 101: Kids need time away from screens, even if those screens are the ones they use to choose their music.
Aside from the fact that my daughter is absolutely amazing on the dance floor and her glow is the coolest of all the kids out there, I think my favorite thing about Taylor Swift cover bands is how authentically they rock. There was no rave during Karma, but for a brief moment the energy of the place made it look like this Can It’s already happened. It’s beautiful and innocent chaos that also has very clearly designated stop and start times; the very definition of nurturing happiness. My daughter has been to live music before, but this space made it feel real where she might one day see a big kids show. Going to a rock show means sweat and effort, and while the band is working hard, the kids (and parents) feel it too.
There’s been a lot of discussion about families spending too much time and money on Swift, or about how the connection between Swift and her children can change or destroy a relationship. All of this ends up being a bunch of noise. Now, today, my children’s relationship with Swift is no longer about the singer personally, but rather about the music. By the time my daughter is old enough to attend 21+ rock shows, Taylor Swift will be turning 50. Good music has nothing to do with age or some weird generation gap. Long after all thoughts of what a generation Taylor represented (or didn’t represent) were forgotten, the only thing left was the music.
I would be a little sad if I never saw Taylor Swift perform live, if only because I love music and I’m curious about the spectacle. But if my daughter never does that, I won’t worry. Her local rock band performed the songs, and if we’re all lucky, Taylor Swift cover bands will never go out of style.
Ryan Britt is the author of three nonfiction books, editor of Inverse, and a former editor of Fatherly. He lives in Maine with his wife and daughter.
