Swift's Speak Now World Tour DVD a must have

Put in Taylor Swift's Speak Now World Tour 2011 DVD and you'll hear her greet audiences from all over the world, from "Hola Madrid," "Good evening Nashville." Her stories and songs have captivated audiences everywhere, and now she's captured her performance on a DVD for fans to watch over and over, no matter where they live.

Swift takes the stage to the level of a motivational video about not holding anything back, and "speaking now," entering on a lift pad from under the stage, with sparks shimmering around her and fireworks shooting from atop the Broadway-themed stage. She begins her performance in a gold glittery dress, singing "Sparks Fly."

Dancers and various shots pieced together provide different perspectives on the outdoor and indoor setup. Swift's creativity comes full-force on the stage setting, which she played an integral role in designing.

Performance-wise, Swift is top notch. Her vocals are sharp live, and the band behind her is consistent as she engages the audience with her tireless stage presence.

Her girl-next-door appeal comes through full swing, dancing and smiling, and her classy dresses, tasteful songs and innocent messages are "kid tested and mother approved." She plays multiple instruments, keeping enormous audiences screaming along with every word.

After introductions, Swift compliments the crowd for welcoming her. Known for her adoring fans, she says that she's always so interested in their stories, like how long it took all of them to make their light up signs and T-shirts. She says she is flattered that thousands have come to hear her stories, and then goes into the sugary-pop "The Story of Us," dancing around in her typical hair-whipping way.

The stage settings and themes truly make the Speak Now World Tour special. The pseudo "Gone With the Wind" theme was one of the more subtle and endearing setting concepts. Stage members in Southern dress dance in front of a rickety house and porch during "Our Song" and "Mean," two of Swift's most country-style songs. She plays along on a banjitar, a combination guitar and banjo, showing her multi-instrumental talent as well as her country roots.

For a more romantic feel, Swift takes to the piano in a long, white dress for "Back to December." Imitation snow falls from above the stage, and a string sextuplet plays above Swift on a bridge, making for an intensely emotional performance.

As she runs away with the groom from the simulated wedding theme of "Speak Now," Swift winds up off stage, amidst the fans on a stool set up under a tree, where she plays a ukulele led version of "Fearless," which nods at Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" and Train's "Hey, Soul Sister."

She plays several more acoustic tunes before running through the crowd, shaking hands and hugging fans on her way back to the stage, where she joins the rest of her band for "You Belong With Me."

Whether she's wandering through a mysterious garden during "Enchanted" and "Haunted," or flying through the crowd on a Roman gazebo in a Victorian wedding gown during "Love Story," Swift rises to the challenge of putting on a extravagant live production that is sharp, meticulously planned and consistent in spite of her young age of 21. She's on key vocally, and puts on a fascinating show with dancers, various themes and multiple stage sets.

The Speak Now World Tour Live DVD and CD do an excellent job of giving viewers and listeners the best seats in the house, for just $20. Regardless of the huge stage and tens of thousands of seats, Swift utilizes her storytelling abilities to make an intimate bond with each fan there.

Both Swift and her fans sing, smile occasionally tear up and take in the moment, showing a genuine mutual love for one another.