“Young Swifties”, Dressed In Glitter, Danced All Evening At The Croswell

Young “Swifties” dressed in glitter filled The Croswell Theatre in Adrian on Friday, Feb. 13, dancing and singing along during a high-energy Taylor Swift Experience concert starring 19-year-old Kanin Wren.

What do you do when you are asked to review a Taylor Swift Experience concert, knowing you cannot hum a single note of a “Swiftie” song. I requested a set list for the concert. And I recruited. I asked 12-year-old Alayna Brazzil, from Holland, Ohio for help.

Alayna Brazzil at Farver’s at The Croswell. Photo by Steve Sheldon.

She took the set list, circled Swift’s most popular songs and marked her favorites. Check.

From the moment I took my seat, the front of the stage was swarmed with little girls, dressed in glitter, wearing glowing halos, talking, giggling and running up and down the aisles. I was, once again, seated in the “party bus” section of The Croswell, entirely surrounded by Swifties.

Brinlee Way opened the evening playing her guitar while singing five songs. Way opened with “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, then “Birds of a Feather,” “As It Was,” “Espresso” and closing with “Just A Man.”

Brimlee Way singing on the Croswell stage. Photo by Steve Sheldon.

Then, the lights changed hue. The band picked up their instruments. The crowd waited. The music started. And, into the spotlight walks a 19-year-old bundle of talent and energy. Dressed in a gold dress that sparkled in the lights, Kanin Wren unleashed a high energy performance for two plus hours.

Kanin Wren singing in her Taylor Swift Experience at The Croswell. Photo by Steve Sheldon.

She opened with “Miss Americana,” then “Our Song,” “Picture to Burn” and mega-hit “Love Story.” The little girls went into frenzy mode, screaming, jumping and singing. Song after song, the band kept playing and Wren kept singing and the little girls kept screaming.

Taking a breath to welcome the audience, Wren encouraged everyone, “if you know the words, please sing along.” And they did. “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” “Getaway Car,” followed by two of Alayna’s favorites “Out of the Woods” and “Style.”

Wren grew up in DeWitt, Michigan, a small town just north of Lansing. She struggled in school, dealing with a learning disability that limited her academic progress. But she was good at music from an young age and she knew it. Singing daily, she released her first song at eleven.

She describes her style as Americana, a mix of country, pop with her own unique blend. Her voice is strong and pure. She can belt a song like Tony Award winning star from Broadway’s Sunset Blvd. Nicole Scherzinger. And she can pick up her guitar and sing a ballad that can bring a tear to your eye. Wren brings the complete package to the stage.

With her band, her show is entertaining. Wren engages with her audience with the girl next door charm. Mixed in with her Swift Experience, Wren sang three of her own songs. “Can’t Catch Me If You Can,” “Eyes Talk” and finished with the jam number “What I’m Missing.”

Following another quick costume change into a blue evening gown, Wren closed out her show with Swift songs “Opalite,” “Elizabeth Taylor” ending with “Life of a Showgirl.”

Kanin Wren singing “Life of a Showgirl” to end her Swift Experience. Photo by Steve Sheldon.

The little Swifties were still standing, dancing, and screaming their approval. Wren said she would be happy to sign autographs and take pictures with everyone after the show. As I prepared to leave, the line to get Wren to sign something stretched from the stage to the last row of the theatre.

Wren is nineteen. She is a freshman at UM, studying music. She balances her studies at UM with her budding career. Prior to this concert, I had never heard of Kanin Wren. I liked her original music more than the Swift songs. After watching her show, I know her name. And I am a fan.

The Croswell is located at 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian, MI. For more information, visit Croswell.Org