In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was boarding a plane to head to Glendale Arizona for the opening weekend of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. It was my first time in Arizona. And my first time going to an opening weekend Taylor show. But it was far from my first Taylor show. Before then I think the earliest I’d seen a show was the 3rd city on the Red Tour. That would have been in March of 2013. For The Eras Tour I had tickets to the Saturday show on March 18, 2023. So the second night. And honestly, I had no idea what to expect. Taylor hadn’t toured since 2018 on the Reputation Stadium Tour and things couldn’t be more different from that time.
The Journey From The Reputation Stadium Tour To The Eras Tour
It had been 1680 days since the last time I saw my favorite artist in the world live. In that time she would go on to change record labels and release her first album as part of her new label home Republic- Lover. The album brought about Lover Fest which was going to be a series of festival-like shows across the world. She was only scheduled to play in two US cities- Foxborough and Los Angeles. I had tickets to one of the Foxborough shows, but unfortunately, COVID had other plans. Lover‘s promotion was cut short when Taylor surprise-released her COVID-project Folklore on July 24, 2020. That album would become a massive hit, widening her fan base, and winning her her third Grammy for Album of The Year.
She would follow it up with evermore released in December of 2020, and her first re-records Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) both dropping in 2021. Both boosted the star’s popularity back into the mainstream and introduced her to a whole new generation of fans. And then in October 2022 came Midnights and the subsequent announcement of The Era’s Tour. Taylor announced the tour on GMA and then on social media writing “I’m enchanted to announce my next tour: Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, a journey through the musical eras of my career (past and present!)”
The Build Up To The Eras Tour
In the 15 shows I’d seen Taylor play prior to The Eras Tour it was always a battle to get tickets. They sold out instantly. But I never truly had an issue getting tickets. So when I sat down to figure out where I was headed for this tour, I never once thought that I wouldn’t get tickets. Perhaps it wouldn’t be to my first choice city. And luckily I was able to secure the tickets. Glendale was my first choice of shows to attend, and I was selected for verified fan. Side note that is the single worst thing Ticketmaster has EVER come up with. EVER. Many people around me were stuck in an hours-long Ticketmaster queue as the site ultimately crashed. But they went on sale based on the local time so I stressed, and waited, but luckily State Farm Stadium where the show was held used Seat Geek and that platform was still functioning. I got in and bought my tickets. Finally, I knew when I’d see Taylor Swift again.
The anticipation grew. Not only for me but for the entire world. I wasn’t the only one on my flight from Charlotte to Phoenix wearing Taylor merch. And soon the eyes of the world descended on Glendale Arizona. Hotels were going for the same rates at the Super Bowl which the city hosted a few weeks later. The airport? It was sold out of rental cars. But when I really realized how big this was? When my uncle texted saying they were showing the stadium and talking about it all on the national news on March 16th. Just 24 hours later the world fell in love with The Eras Tour.
The Eras Tour
From the moment doors opened on Friday, March 17th I avoided spoilers like the plague. Like I disappeared from social media the same way Taylor did before releasing reputation. As with every Taylor tour (and I’ve attended them all since The Fearless Tour in 2009), I didn’t want to see one spoiler. And it was difficult. But completely worth it. The only thing I knew, was the set times and that according to the show sheets handed out to State Farm Stadium employees- Taylor’s set was scheduled to be just over 3 hours long. Other than that I was trying to do anything other than think about what was happening just a few miles from me.
Like it did everyone else, the show blew me away. 3 plus hours of songs that took me back, new favorites- including multiple tracks I never thought I’d hear live, and a production value unlike any show I’ve ever seen. I left Glendale basically in a state of depression. I was actually going to Walt Disney World the day after I returned home to North Carolina. And I remember saying that wasn’t “the happiest place on earth”, no that title went to The Eras Tour. I said I’d sell my soul to see the show again, and I was lucky enough to get to just about 6 weeks later in Atlanta.
But looking back at the year since the opening night of The Eras Tour on March 17, 2023 it feels like we have liked 9 lives as Taylor Swift fans. She’s been everywhere, talked about by everyone, and has truly become the biggest star in the world. So now that we’ve reminisced about opening night and what brought us to that point, let’s take a look at everything that has happened since the tour began. It’s certainly a journey.
The Breakup
Taylor Swift attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Joe Alwyn arrives at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2023 at The Royal Opera House on November 15, 2023 in London, England.
I will never forget I was on my way back from dinner the Saturday before Easter when my phone started blowing up. Taylor and her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn had broken up. I was in shock. And I was heartbroken for Taylor as I knew how many songs she had written specifically about her fear of losing him. Lover’s “Cornelia Street” is one of my favorite tracks that’s hook goes “I hope I never lose you, I hope it never ends, I’d never walk Cornelia Street again”. As time moves on and we slowly learn more I truly believe it was the best decision for her. But even the setlist switch from “Invisible String” to “The One” didn’t prepare me for the breakup news.
Travis/Football Season
No one had the association of Taylor Swift and the NFL on their bucket list for the fall of 2023. But when Taylor appeared at a Kansas City Chiefs game in September everything changed. She was there to support Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce who it turns out she had been seeing for a few weeks at that time. Taylor would go on to attend numerous more games and even be present at the Super Bowl to support her man. And I couldn’t love this relationship more if I tried. First the merger of football and Taylor Swift two of my favorite things in the world. Plus how well he treats her, how supportive they both are of each other, how proud he is of her, and how happy she seems. Are they “End Game” no one knows. But as someone who has been around for all of Taylor’s public relationships, something about this one seems different. Can we also talk about the absolute chaos social media went into when he joined her in Argentina, she sang “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs” and then they ran to each other to kiss after the show. My heart.
Super Bowl
It’s no secret the NFL has been at least casually interested in booking Taylor for the halftime show for years. She hasn’t taken them up on that offer (and honestly in her shoes I wouldn’t either) but she did make her Super Bowl debut this year to support her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Kelce and the Chiefs won the game, and Taylor made her way onto the field to celebrate with him, kissing him on the field in a scene that seemed straight out of a movie. Actually, if you scripted it I doubt they would even record it because everything was just too perfect. While I certainly didn’t watch the game for that reason (die hard football over here) many Taylor fans tuned in that hadn’t before. How do you get the most popular sporting event in the country even more attention? Add in the Swift factor.
