I’ve been waiting to see Taylor Swift live since 2006. I’ve been a Swiftie since “Our Song” and “Tim McGraw” hit the radio waves, so when she announced the Eras Tour I knew I had to go. So, my dear friend survived the Ticketmaster “Great War,” secured us tickets in Denver, Colorado, we bought out Eras Tour outfits, and started counting down the hours until we got to see the pop star live. Considering all this anticipation and work, when it came time for the concert the vibes were high and I was incredibly excited. Now that I’ve seen the show for myself, I can safely say it lives up to the hype, and there were five moments that actually altered my brain chemistry.
As the “Cruel Summer” singer took us through a tour of all her eras, and as I thought about all of Swift’s upcoming projects, I couldn’t help but get emotional as we went on this journey with her. As a lifelong Swiftie, the Eras Tour was personally special, but on top of that it’s also a technical masterpiece making for some truly magical moments that left me wanting to make sure I “[remembered] this moment.”
Fearless
It’s important to note that I’ve been a Swiftie since the start. My first favorite song by Taylor Swift was “Our Song,” and I think I’ve seen the “You Belong With Me” music video hundreds of times throughout my life. So, when Swift skipped out onto the stage in her Fearless dress with her 13 bedazzled guitar to play the title track, I was transported back to being 9 years old and listening to my CD of her second album on repeat.
While the entire set had me feeling all kinds of ways, it was her opening the section with “Fearless” that left me near tears. Seeing her do the hand-heart and sing one of my favorite songs by her really meant the world to both 24 and 9-year-old me who has been dying to see Taylor Swift in concert for over 15 years.
To put it simply it was: “flawless, really something, it’s fearless.”
The Entire Reputation Set
I’m a Reputation girly through and through, and I will be absolutely insufferable when Reputation (Taylor’s Version) finally comes out. With this in mind, you can now understand why I was completely gobsmacked by the entire Reputation set during the Eras Tour. The minute Taylor Swift’s heels started clicking, and the beginning of “...Ready For It?” started playing I knew I was a goner.
From the way the light-up bracelets shifted from red to white during the opening track, to the seemingly interactive screen Swift was creating fractures in during “Delicate,” the entire set was a technical masterclass. On top of that hearing her hit the high note in “Don’t Blame Me” was a spiritual experience, and screaming “Why? Because she’s dead,” was a real moment of elation.
This part of the set captured the dark vibe of Reputation perfectly, while also showing off the album's range. While this quality is on display throughout the show, this album’s section is the best example of Swift giving us mini-tours of all her eras.
When it came to this concert, this part was easily the most hyped-up moment in my mind, and let me tell you it did not disappoint. Honestly, it exceeded expectations.
Long Live
While I didn’t witness the first time “Long Live” was played on the Eras Tour, I did witness the moment where it was confirmed that “Long Live” was on Taylor Swift’s permanent set.
The anticipation at Empower Field was palpable as Swift finished singing “Enchanted,” and we all waited to find out if she’d stay on stage to play the fan-favorite song off of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Then she grabbed her koi fish guitar, our light-up bracelets turned purple, and we all lost our minds.
@katiebaker16 ♬ original sound - Katie Baker
There really isn’t anything quite as powerful in this show, because Swift wrote this song for the fans about touring. So, hearing and scream-singing it live with 73,000 other Swifities only a week after she re-claimed the album “Long Live” is on was very special.
Surprise Songs (Specifically Picture to Burn)
Now, as the person who has been keeping track of all Taylor Swift’s surprise songs here at CinemaBlend, I was very aware of what was available for the two tunes she could play in Denver. I literally told people that one of my top choices would be “Picture to Burn” off debut, however, I never thought in a million years we’d get it…and then we did!
Considering “Picture to Burn” is one of my all-time favorite songs from the singer, and it was one of my first favorite tunes by her, you can imagine how I reacted when she started strumming her guitar to play one of her OG revenge songs.
@sophie33star ♬ original sound - sophie33star
Not only was I transported back to my childhood as I screamed along to this song, I also realized that because of this moment, we got a track from all ten of Swift’s albums which felt really surreal.
To top the surprise songs off T-Swift played “Timeless” for the first time live…ever. This song is a vault track off of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and witnessing this historic moment was beautiful. So, between hearing an OG hit that Swift hadn’t played in years, and seeing a song played live for the first time ever, it made for a moment that seriously altered my brain chemistry.
Karma
“Karma is a god,” “Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend,” and “Karma” is the perfect way to end the Eras Tour. The upbeat number perfectly encapsulates the show as Swift sings about everything she’s been through and how she’s still here and stronger than ever.
Symbolically ending with this song was so powerful, because Swift has embarked on this tour in the middle of reclaiming her work and re-recording it. To have her sing about how karma will always come back around, and how she’s emerged better than ever from a really tough time was empowering.
Also, the way this number is staged and all the fun surprises involved made for the perfect ending that left me smiling from ear to ear as I left the stadium. At the end of the song, fireworks fired off during “Karma,” which was epic, and confetti colored as her eras fell to the floor. On top of all that Swift, her dancers and her backing vocalists were wearing tinsel jackets that sparkled in the night sky, topping off this shining, shimmering show.
Is it dramatic to call my experience at the Eras Tour transformative? Maybe. But, that’s what it was. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’ll cherish forever. As someone who has been dreaming of seeing Taylor Swift live for a very long time, this was a truly special experience that left me “Enchanted.”
