Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour: A monumental moment in popular culture
Stood next to Tom Cruise and Taylor’s boyfriend Travis Kelce, I could feel the goosebumps gathering in anticipation of the show.
Okay, so I say ‘stood next to' - they were actually 20 metres away in the VIP tent.
But when I tell people about my Eras Tour experience in years to come I will definitely be embellishing the story to have me rubbing shoulders with them.
I, along with nearly 90,000 others, was in attendance on night two of three during her first stint at Wembley Stadium - she’s back for another five sold out shows in August.
Let me tell you, the TikToks, Snapchat videos and Twitter threads don’t do the atmosphere justice. Even Taylor’s Disney+ film about the tour doesn’t prepare you for the electricity that fills every corner when the countdown clock begins, eventually revealing the music royalty to her loyal subjects.
Over more than three hours, Taylor takes you on a somewhat transcendent journey. You visit pivotal points in her musical career but there is a sense of being alongside her at each stop.
She constantly thanks the crowd for allowing her to do what she does, and she does it very well, I must say.
It’s not just that everyone is singing every word, but there is an empathy between the performer and those filled with awe as they observe the spectacle.
Looking around the stadium, the connection is palpable. It’s something unlike anything I’ve ever really been a part of before. It’s like a gigantic family gathering, one with lots of music, inhibition-free dancing and friendship bracelets, oh there are so many friendship bracelets.
For those unfamiliar, The Eras Tour started back on March 17, 2023. When it comes to its conclusion on December 8, 2024, Tay Tay will have travelled the world, having performed 152 times, in 54 different cities.
She will have cemented her place in history - her tour has already become the highest-grossing of all time.
It’s crossed the $1 billion mark and took top spot from Sir Elton’s John’s ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road.’
Swift is most certainly a bonafide record breaker. Whether it’s her number one albums or shattering attendance records for venues, she’s writing her own very successful story.
Taylor Swift’s tour is expected to boost the UK economy by £1 billion during her dates in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff and London.
Much is said about the economic impact of The Eras Tour and the money it brings to each of the host cities, but all of that is firmly secondary to the joy it brings.
I’ve covered a couple of her concerts and there is an energy and delight that exudes every avenue of her destinations.
It’s not just the fans with tickets but the locals, the police, the security teams, the food vendors, the feather boa sellers - when Taylor’s in town the sun might not always be shining but the people most certainly are.
One thing that really stood out to me watching The Eras Tour, is that there is a strength and unity to the ‘Swifties’ that is hard to quantify.
They don’t know each other, they most certainly had varied upbringings and have different stories to tell, but their collective love for Taylor Swift and her music brings them together indefinitely.
It’s my belief that the fandom has only grown since Taylor re-recorded and re-released a number of her early albums, in order to gain control of her music.
Away from the stage she preaches inclusivity, positivity and fairness. This is clearly reflected in the show she has put on for millions.
It trots through each of her ‘eras’, from thought-provoking ballads to pure pop bangers…Shake It Off is a personal favourite - a cliché, I know!
The music entertains, but the atmosphere inspires and you walk away feeling as if you’ve been a part of something special.
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