DirecTV and AT&T threw the most anticipated party of the Super Bowl last year by attracting the biggest superstar in the nation… or at least the one with the most hardcore fans. Having Taylor Swift headline their event resulted in the most coveted tickets of the weekend and the most jealous onlookers.
The 2017 DirecTV Super Saturday Night Party
Eager crowds, celebs, super fans, VIPs, and a crowd of over 9,000. All for this one party.
DirecTV handed tickets out to VIPs and celebs, but any regular folks who attended won them through a “Swiftstakes” or local Taylor Swift fan parties (whatever those are). Or they knew somebody that worked for DirecTV or AT&T who could throw them a ticket.
And many of those serious Swift fans came to wait in line for 12 hours in order to snag the best spots to see the show.
Don’t worry, she gave them the action they were hoping for. Since this was the only performance Taylor had on her schedule for 2017, this was it – these were the only people who got to see her perform live this year.
Australian model and DJ (and friend of Tay) Ruby Rose spun some jams and mixes to get everybody fired up for the main event – as if they needed it. Fans danced, visited the bar, and (duh) chanted “Taylor” as they prepared for the pop star to take the stage.
Let’s be real. When has Taylor ever disappointed a crowd? She gave an epic hour-and-a-half performance of 17 songs. That included two she’d never done live, including “Better Man,” the country hit she wrote for Little Big Town, and the controversial Calvin Harris and Rihanna song “This is What You Came For” which she also wrote. There were throwbacks too, with songs from her first album like “You Belong with Me” with its references to cheerleaders and bleachers – particularly appropriate for the Super Bowl.
Her ability to wow this crowd had some speculating that she’ll be headlining the Super Bowl’s halftime show soon enough.
The venue was perhaps equally impressive. Club Nomadic is the mobile, custom-built, 62,500-square-foot space that hosted the show for the evening. The idea was to give guests fab views of downtown Houston as well as an intimate environment so that no matter where you stood for the concert, you’d feel close to ol’ Taylor. But just in case you needed more coverage, there was a video screen spanning the whole stage. And there was pyrotechnic bursts and confetti throughout the show to keep you on your toes.
Club Nomadic is – apparently – one of the nicest venues in the U.S, with beautiful scenery, upscale design, and (of course) open bars. But the coolest part about it? The whole place was built in just a few months for these pre-Super Bowl festivities and dismantled shortly afterward, making this literally a one-of-a-kind performance.
Okay, okay, so it was a great concert space. But it wouldn’t be a Super Bowl party without totally ridiculous, extravagant, and some might say “unnecessary” stuff. And lots of it.
DirecTV provided all that with stalls where fans could design their own personalized merch, makeup stations, and a photo booth. Fans also received the same LED lit bracelets that Taylor gave out on her world tour – with lights that coordinated with the music of the show, making the whole sea of fans a glowing light show.
The food? Well, it was Taylor-themed obviously. They weren’t just cupcakes. They were “Loving Him Was Red Velvet Cupcakes.” Not just cheesecake, but “Bad Blood Orange Cheesecake Bites.”
Celebrities showed their preference for this particular party by showing up in droves. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen were there, along with stars like Vince Vaughn, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, and Lea Michele. Erin Andrews and model Adriana Lima were also in attendance.
And oh man, holy athletes! Get ready for a long list of big timers who showed up to see Taylor perform: Tony Romo, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Rodgers, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. And Olympic gymnasts like Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Gabby Douglas were also part of the crowd.
Even if you’re not impressed by Taylor, in the past DirecTV has had headliners like Pharrell and Rihanna, with a surprise appearance by Kanye West, so you know whatever they do in the future, it’ll be big.
Verdict: This party is all about attracting quality, uber-popular performers that people are dying to see. And that necessarily means celebs will show up too. If you’re trying to get in the best show of the weekend, this just might be it! But be warned this is not an ultra exclusive party where you get the chance to brush heads with your favorite celebrities. It’s a massive concert where you’ll probably get lost in the crowd and have to wait for drinks. Get tickets here!
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