Over 10 million attendees throughout a 20-month period and over $1.9 billion earned from one single tour. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour started on March 17, 2023, and concluded in Vancouver, Canada on Dec. 8. It has become a legendary success, breaking several records across many cities worldwide and boosting the economy wherever it goes.
Despite almost two years of shows nearly every weekend, it remained popular, still selling out stadiums several times over for three reasons, the fans, the production and several changes to the setlist and show.
Spanish teacher Pamela Dentler attended the Eras Tour in Indianapolis with her daughters. The show wowed Dentler.
“My favorite part of the show was honestly the anticipation leading up to the start of the show. The final countdown with Applause by Lady Gaga playing right before, and watching the wings cover the stage before Taylor showed up the first time was unreal,” Dentler said.
At every show, there is a playlist full of songs that play before the show starts, the second to last song on that playlist is Applause by Lady Gaga. After that, there is a countdown while You Don’t Own Me by Lesley Gore plays, and once the countdown ends, the dancers come out with wings on to cover the stage lift that Taylor comes out of. Finally, once the intro ends, they lift the wings and reveal Taylor to the audience, no doubt an extremely anticipated moment in the show.
Sophomore Sydney Sowa attended the show in Pittsburgh with her sister. She enjoyed all of the camaraderie.
“It’s more of an experience than a concert, with the friendship bracelets and the outfits,” Sowa said.
At every show, fans dress up as Taylor at notable points in her career, such as a specific era or an outfit she wore, or in outfits inspired by her in some way. Swifties also make friendship bracelets with references to something she said, wrote, or did, and traded them with other fans at the concert. This all started from the lyric “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it,” from the song off of her 10th studio album “Midnights” titled “You’re On Your Own Kid.”
“The culture created by ‘Swifties’ is one of love, but not just any love. It’s a non-discriminatory, open to everyone of all ages love. There was nothing like the experience of walking through the streets of Indianapolis and interacting with everyone there for Taylor,” Dentler said.
Every show, before the last act, the Midnights era, Taylor plays 4-5 songs on guitar and piano. Taylor tried to make each show a bit different with surprise songs.
“I got the best surprise songs ever. Cornelia Street and The Bolter on guitar, and Death by a Thousand Cuts and The Great War on piano,” Dentler said.
Surprise songs unite Swifties, they interact with people who went to the same show as them because it really is a special experience seeing your idol do and say things unique to your show, and having that shared experience is so special.
In May 2024, Taylor changed the setlist following the release of her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. She merged two eras, and got rid of several songs to make room for The Tortured Poets Department on the setlist, completely changing the show and refreshing it for a second go around of The Eras Tour.
Swift ended her show in Vancouver thanking fans who came to support her throughout her 149 shows journey. In a statement to her fans Swift said “Thank you so much for being a part of the most thrilling chapter of my entire life MY BELOVED ERAS TOUR!”
While the Era Tour may be done, fans are ready for the next Era.