Taylor Swift's Reputation set at the opening night of her final Eras Tour leg on Oct. 18 began as it has for more than 130 shows over the last year and a half: with a fast-cut montage of Swift, clad in black, walking down a dark hallway, juxtaposed with clips of coiling, hissing serpents. They flash across the gigantic stadium screens to a throbbing bass, the music accelerating and the screams of the crowd growing louder until she emerges to perform her 2017 banger "...Ready for It?"
But as Taylor Swift took her first steps out from backstage and a glimmer of gold sequins caught the light, Miami's Hard Rock Stadium absolutely erupted with noise. Phones that were hidden in pockets and clear bags just minutes before were whipped out at light speed. In front of me, a young woman in a 1989-coded skater skirt turned to her obviously perplexed male partner, shook his shoulder, and shrieked, "It's finally happening!" I, a normally composed reporter, jumped and gripped the arm of the journalist next to me, jaw best described as "dropped." Maybe it was just the extra jolt of excitement in an already charged atmosphere, but I swore I could feel the ground move under my feet.
