The Canopy Club opened its doors on Friday night for “Swift Me Away,” a Taylor Swift-themed dance party.
The event was organized by 22 & good4u, a DJ-led dance company that hosts themed parties. The group has previously hosted other Swiftie-themed events at Canopy Club.
On this occasion, the set was led by DJ Cassiana, who kept the audience excited throughout the event. Matching the vibe of the sparkling audience, Cassiana gave out friendship bracelets to the crowd.
The night began with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” a hit from Swift’s 2012 album “Red,” followed by the upbeat “Welcome to New York” from the Grammy-winning “1989.”
“Swifties,” the term used for Taylor Swift fans, showed off their creativity at The Canopy Club, as several attendees wore costumes or recreated looks Swift has worn on her recent Eras tour.
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During the set, the DJ acknowledged the effort put into the crowd’s outfits. Among those were Swift’s willow dress, complete with a green velvet cape, and her iconic “not a lot going on at the moment” shirt from the “Red” era.
DJ Cassiana played songs across Swift’s vast catalog, including oldies like “Our Song” from her debut record, and new tracks released from the vault featured in her most recent album “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
The crowd erupted into chaos when the DJ brought out the surprise guest of the night: none other than the Kingfisher, the proposed mascot for the University of Illinois. The Kingfisher proceeded to dance to “…Ready for it?” from Swift’s electropop record “reputation.”
The party turned into a celebration when the DJ gave a shout-out to a Swiftie in the audience turning 22 and then played the classic “22” in honor of their birthday.
The songs that elicited the strongest reactions from the crowd were naturally Swift’s biggest hits, which were played in a row – “Shake it off,” “Blank Space” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” to name a few. Throughout the night, Swifties religiously sang lyrics spanning 12 albums and several genres.
However, the most impressive moment of the night was when the crowd recited word-for-word the fan-favorite “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” in its entirety.
In the heart of The Canopy Club, Swifties and non-Swifties alike had a magical night of music, buzzing with the enthusiasm that only Taylor Swift can create and inspire.
