In classic Friday the 13th fashion, Taylor Swift had her opening night of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour… or well, she was supposed to. On Oct. 11, Miss Swift decided to surprise her fans by announcing that the film would premiere a day earlier due to unprecedented demand. A tad bit salty I was no longer going to opening night, I hopped on a Peter Pan bus all the way to New York City and prepared to have my Swiftie brain chemistry altered.
ERAS TOUR VS ERAS FILM
As someone who devastatingly never got tickets to The Eras Tour (still cursing Ticketmaster to this day), I still had a sense of the show itself, courtesy of the grainy TikTok lives I joined every weekend. I memorized the exact order of the eras, adored her glamorous outfits, and perfectly timed every surprise song o’clock throughout all the different U.S. time zones. So, you can imagine my surprise mixed with disappointment when Taylor went straight from performing “Lover” to spinning in her sparkly gold Fearless dress, completely erasing any trace of “The Archer.” Other songs she removed from the setlist included folklore’s lead single “Cardigan,” 1989 icon “Wildest Dreams,” Speak Now staple “Long Live,” and evermore favorites “no body, no crime,” and “‘tis the damn season.” Needless to say, I did not agree with these choices, and if she really wanted to cut back on time, there were better contenders for the chopping block. (For my own safety, I’ll keep my opinions to myself…)
As for the much-awaited surprise songs, Taylor chose to include the veteran “Our Song” and the cathartic “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” It makes sense why Taylor chose these two as the featured surprise songs in the film, seeing as they showcase her growth as an artist from her first to her current era. However, I’d be lying if I said this was my preferred choice. As a reputation defender, I would’ve loved to see “Getaway Car” with Jack Antonoff, and the sultry “Maroon,” which might I add, were played on the same night. (MetLife night one was right there, Taylor.) I would have also lost my mind if she played the bonus track “right where you left me,” but I’ll admit that was a far-fetched wish on my part.
A LOVE LETTER TO THE FANS
As the closing notes of “Karma” faded into the background and the credits started rolling, a slew of friendship bracelets and fan recordings of the concert began playing. Coupled with the tear-jerking anthem “Long Live,” the credits majorly thanked the fans who have supported and been with Taylor throughout her career. The credits also included bloopers of past Eras shows featuring moments like Taylor screaming into her faulty mic, her “Karma” jacket getting caught on her dress, and putting her surprise song dress on wrong.
Moments like these really showcased Taylor’s love for her fans, as well as her involvement in the film. The friendship bracelet tradition commenced simply because she mentioned friendship bracelets in one of her lyrics, and fans followed suit by making them as a way to connect over their love for Taylor’s music. As for the bloopers, tons of funny videos of Eras tour mishaps have circulated over TikTok, so much so that fans nicknamed it The Errors Tour. Again, this proves Taylor’s connection with her fans, as she dedicated the closing credits all to them. Not to mention, the entire movie too.
THE ATMOSPHERE
Last but not least, I have to mention the atmosphere. When I stepped into the theater I felt an overwhelming sense of safety and welcoming. I saw friend groups, mothers and daughters, sisters, fathers and daughters, and so many more people bonding over Taylor’s music. There were definitely different levels of excitement in the room, as there was a big group of fans standing and belting every single song, while there were others sitting and singing along occasionally. As for me, I was in the corner of the back row singing my heart out to the entirety of “All Too Well (Ten Minute Version),” and recreating Taylor’s iconic “Vigilante Sh*t” choreography, “Bejewled” shimmery hands, and of course her “Bad Blood” Lorax dance. Overall, my theater treated it like an actual concert, with the “Delicate” chants and “You Belong With Me” claps, which was exactly what I was hoping for!
FINAL THOUGHTS
While The Eras Tour movie will never be a replacement for attending the actual concert, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. As someone who’s been a fan of Taylor since her Fearless days, seeing her relive her eras was nostalgic and inspiring all in one. And besides, The Eras Tour isn’t over yet, so I still hold out hope that I’ll be able to see Taylor rock the stage, live and in person. (Fingers crossed!)
