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Memo to dads in tow at a Swift show: There’s a better way

Taylor Swift in concert last month at Gillette Stadium.Barry Chin/Globe staff/Globe Staff

I was saddened reading Beth Teitell’s article “Not broken up over Swift duty” (Page A1, July 27), about the plight of the dads who had to not just pay outrageous ticket prices, but then actually attend a Taylor Swift concert. There is no reason for them to torture themselves like that. I have two teenage daughters, and I’ve been able to avoid it, and I believe other dads can too.

You have to start early. I started by playing them my music and enjoying it with them. Does this guarantee they’ll want to see the Eagles, the Stones, or Dr. John? No, but it will give them an appreciation of something other than pop diva warblings. If they end up with an appreciation for rock along the way, so much the better.

How do I know this works? I took my girls to see Imagine Dragons last month. Admittedly, I thought I’d failed, just as fathers sucked into the Swift concert certainly did. But no, these guys are actually musicians, with a sense of the roots of their music. You could hear the influences of Eric Clapton from the guitarist and John Bonham from the drummer. And while it was a show made for teens, I think it was secretly a show for dads too. Can Swift do that?

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So, my advice is just say no to vacuous pop, and find the modern rock alternative. It’s for the best — for your teenage daughter, and certainly for you.

John Sisson
Needham