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Chicago Sun-Times

National

Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Taylor Swift conquers Chicago in first of three sold-out Soldier Field shows

Taylor Swift Chicago Ashlee Rezin SunTimes Soldier Field

Taylor Swift performs on Friday night in Chicago during the first of three sold-out Soldier Field shows this weekend. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

Taylor Swift has officially taken over Chicago.

After months of anticipation, the pop singer-songwriter brought her Eras Tour to Soldier Field on Friday night for the first of three sold-out shows, marking her first time back in Chicago since 2018. Offering a mammoth, three-hour-plus, more than 40-song performance, her concerts are among the biggest music events of 2023 (with new international dates just added).

For days, there have been Eras Tour-themed brunches, karaoke parties, trivia nights, cover bands and themed workout classes for Swifties to partake in across the Chicago area. There have also been countless PSAs from the city, issuing precautions to anyone without tickets huddling on the Museum Campus hoping to catch a listen of the show from outside the stadium. And, of course, there’s been a mad dash for tickets as resale portals continue to list four- and five-figure prices for even nosebleed seats, echoing back to the “historically unprecedented demand” that crashed Ticketmaster when the Eras Tour first went on sale in November and instigated consumer watchdog groups, Congressional hearings and lawsuits.

Taylor Swift performs for the sold-out crowd at Soldier Field on Friday night. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

“Who here put in an expensive amount of effort?” Swift cheekily asked the adoring throngs early on in the night, eliciting a large swath of applause. She heartily thanked the masses and declared love for the fans who filled every seat in the house and snakelined all of the merchandise sale points, including outside the stadium where many diehard fans showed up to be part of the experience even without a ticket.

And what an experience it was. Countless fringe/sequin/caped-costume changes, precise choreography and dramatic bits, rotating sets (including bringing the “folklore” cabin to life), brilliant lighting and a finale of fireworks were all neatly padded into Swift’s marathon show that, according to reports, has prompted some fans to wear adult diapers to not miss a moment. Others have reported feeling post-show “amnesia” after the high of seeing the Eras Tour, though they can surely relive it all via #SwiftTok.

It’s all part of the ongoing mutual appreciation society Swift has masterfully cultivated over her career. It was on full display Friday night as she walked down the stage’s long catwalk to wave to every corner of the stadium, pointing at people decked in highly elaborate and bedazzled costumes that paid homage to the singer’s personas over the years, and becoming visibly teary-eyed after performing “champagne problems,” taking in the magnitude of a once country girl now dominating the music scene. At one point, Swift removed her in-ear monitors just to hear the roar of the 65,000-deep crowd who reverently shouted every lyric to every song.

“It must be crazy to be her,” one fan in the crowd said, voicing perhaps the understatement of the night.

At 33, Swift’s young age belies her many career accomplishments. The Eras Tour “best of” production sprinkles in songs from each of her 10 albums since she debuted at the age of 16 in 2006.

Taylor Swift performs while making a costume change at Soldier Field on Friday night. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

There have been multiple generations that have grown up right along with her and new ones just entering the throes of heartbreak that will cling to Swift’s music as their guide. There are women who find strength in her anti-patriarchy power moves like regaining the rights to her work by re-recording her first six albums, and lambasting her exes before they get the first word. And there are those who simply cling to her relatability and positivity. All of them came out in full force on Friday — kids likely seeing their first show, couples, girlfriends, even dads who were proud to represent in their T-shirts declaring “Dad Swiftie” and “I named my daughter after Taylor.”

In addition to rolling out all of the heartsick odes and cautionary tales, from the positive (“Love Story”) to the ruthless (“Don’t Blame Me”) to the empowered (“We Are Never Getting Back Together”), Swift also took several moments to speak one-on-one with the crowd like a friend would, most notably taking a few minutes to address her strong following of LGBTQ+ supporters.

“Happy Pride Month, everyone!” Swift started, commending anyone “living their most authentic lives, loving who they want to love, identifying how they want to identify.” Calling her shows a safe space, she added, “I wish every place was safe and beautiful for people in the LGBTQ community.”

Swift’s stance on inclusivity was not just for show, as it extended into her talented ensemble — four backup vocalists, six instrumentalists and 14 dancers — who represented varied ages and ethnicities.

Though there were no surprise guests on night one in Chicago (previous dates have seen collaborators Ice Spice and Marcus Mumford and producer friends Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff), Swift did have something special in store during her “Surprise Songs” part of the set list in which she goes off-script. For this night, she offered a rare acoustic take on “I Wish You Would” and a tour debut of “the lakes” on piano, inspired, she said, by being in the city by the lake.

“These songs may be about something I felt once, but by the end of tonight, the goal is these songs being about the memories we made here,” Swift shared, clearly successful in her mission.

Whatever era is next, her Swifties are ready and waiting.

The Eras Tour returns to Soldier Field on Saturday and Sunday.