Performed by The Scottish Quartet
Review by Dominic Corr
A soft‑glow sanctuary for Swifties and sceptics alike. There’s something quietly disarming about stepping into Assembly Roxy under a sea of candlelight. The venue — a former neo‑Gothic church with vaulted ceilings and a hush that settles on the skin — already feels like a place built for confessionals and communion. So when Fever’s Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift begins, performed by the Scottish Quartet, the effect is less concert, more collective exhale.
Swift’s catalogue, sprawling as it is, lends itself surprisingly well to strings. The programme moves through eras with a curator’s instinct: the sweetness of Love Story, the bite of Anti‑Hero, the ache of the Folklore selections, the fizz of Shake It Off — each chosen not for chart dominance but for how naturally they slip into bow and fingerboard. The quartet understand the emotional architecture of these songs, letting melodies bloom rather than forcing them into classical shape. Cruel Summer becomes a shimmering rush; the 1989 medley glints with a kind of crystalline nostalgia.
What elevates the evening is the decision — a wise one — to let some of the musicians speak between pieces. A brief explanation of why a particular song works for strings, or how a motif transforms when stripped of production, adds a welcome layer of intimacy. It’s not overdone, nor is it the usual panto‑banter padding; it’s thoughtful, warm, and pitched with just enough humour to keep the room breathing rather than reverent.
The candlelit staging, of course, is the brand’s calling card, and here it feels earned. The glow softens the edges of the space, drawing the audience closer, creating a sense of shared listening that’s rare in a world of phones and fidgeting. Even newcomers — the partners dragged along, the curious locals, the “I only know the hits” brigade — seem to settle into the purity of it all. Swift’s aura has always been of a respect to the craft: whether it’s the full splendour of the record-breaking Era tour, or the simplicity of a guitar and an audience. There’s no spectacle beyond the music, no choreography, no costume changes, just four musicians and a catalogue that has defined a generation.
There are only a couple of potential drawbacks, both dependent on the expectations of the audience: how pure the quartet sticks to Swift’s repertoire, and the longing for more. The musical sets are constructed well but don’t allow for much in the way of originality or creative elements Swifts tracks, though, this may also be down to issues outside of the musician’s control. The other is that it’s simply that the hour‑long format leaves you wanting one or two more deep cuts. But perhaps that’s the point: leave the audience suspended, glowing, wanting. A gentle, beautifully crafted tribute — and a reminder that, stripped back to strings and candlelight, Swift’s songwriting still hits straight to the heart.
A Collective Exhale Straight to the Heart
Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift ran at Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh
Running time: Fifty minutes without interval
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Editor for Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected publications such as BBC Radio Scotland, The List, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
