The Canadian Eras Tour shows have been a long time coming… but Taylor Swift is officially taking the stage in Toronto and Vancouver this November and December! Some of the best nights of my life were at the European Leg of The Eras Tour this summer. Below are all the tips and tricks I think you should know before you go!
Before the Show + The Preshow
For some context, I was lucky enough to go to Edinburgh Night 1, Night 3, and London Night 4, and to say that “the night was sparkling” is an understatement—I cannot describe how incredible the whole experience was! I am so excited for everyone who gets to experience one of these shows. Every single part of the day is magical- the air feels infectious and I am getting excited just remembering it!
Words cannot describe the feeling of seeing the Eras Tour Stage for the first time: for me, that was the first time that it truly felt real. I had seen the movie and tuned into countless live streams in time to watch the surprise songs, but seeing it in real life was insane. There is plenty of time to take pictures with the stage in the background before and after the opening acts! The build-up to the show is so exciting in itself: there are behind-the-scenes videos on the stage and it’s the best time to trade those homemade friendship bracelets.
At the show, “Applause” by Lady Gaga played just before the backdrop changes to the countdown for Taylor—so make sure you are in your seat at this point! The electric atmosphere when this song plays is like nothing else (I think you could hear my scream outside the stadium LOL). I’m actually not sure I can remember the intro; I was sobbing as if I hadn’t expected Taylor Swift herself to be at her own concert. The moment cemented itself as a core memory.
The show itself is three hours long. There are separate sections for each album, and honestly, I couldn’t pick a favourite era. The setlist in order is: Lover, Fearless, Red, Speak Now, Reputation, Folkmore (Folklore and Evermore combined), 1989, The Tortured Poets Department, Surprise Songs, Midnights.
They are each so magical in their own ways but I was actually so surprised at how much I loved the 1989 set; “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” were so much fun in the stadium! Each era just got better and better. I hadn’t seen anything about The Tortured Poets Department set, so it was a surprise during my Edinburgh shows and that made it an absolutely mind-blowing moment.
Surprise Songs
The surprise songs are such a special piece of the tour, and happen just after The Tortured Poets Department set ends. This is the part of the show that is unique to the show you’re attending; whatever songs you get they will be so special to you afterwards. I would recommend filming your reaction to it (without flash so you don’t blind the people behind you) because it is so fun to watch back. I loved watching the video of the moment that I realised which songs she had chosen—especially with the mashups! You can see the soul leave my body when Taylor brought Ed Sheeran on stage; I can honestly say that I think I was doing the “End Game” rap louder than Ed Sheeran himself. Nobody has ever been as excited as I was at that moment. Also, don’t worry about not recognising the surprise songs—even if it takes you to the chorus to recognise the song that has been your favourite since you were 8 years old (“Haunted” sounds very different when it’s acoustic haha!) it’s all part of the fun.
Anyway, I’ll stop replaying a thousand memories: here is everything you need to know about chants, bracelets, merch, and timings. Don’t panic about going overboard with preparing- I saw so many detailed TikToks, but given my experience, I have compiled the things you definitely need to know!
Tips and Tricks for the Show
“I Got a List of” … Quick Tips
- Make sure you have space on your phone storage: uninstall old apps and delete the random screenshots in your camera roll!
- Read your emails from Ticketmaster to make sure you have the newest version of the app downloaded and you’ve followed all the steps they tell you to before getting to the show!
- Plan your route to and from the stadium in advance, but don’t stress too much because you can usually just follow the crowd of Swifties once you’re there! In London, they shut down Kings Cross and I think the Swifties were more effective than anyone else at getting the message out!
- Check the timings of the opening acts as it changes for each city. Give yourself plenty of time. We arrived at roughly 4.30 pm and that was enough time for merch, photos and some food beforehand!
- Toilet breaks: I went just after the opener finished and then didn’t even think about it for the rest of the show. If you need to go, the gaps between each ‘Era’ are long enough to go without missing much! The transition to the ‘Red Era’ is a good one if you don’t want to miss anything because it’s a longer transition!
- Stay hydrated and eat before you go! They give out water in the stadium for free and there are food options available but it’s still super important to be fueled properly before the show to properly enjoy yourself!
- Bring a portable charger!
- Attach your phone to your body. I bought a cheap lanyard phone case from Amazon- it was actually so useful because you could dance and take videos without worrying about pockets or holding your phone!
“Standing In Your Cardigan” Everything you should know about merch!
- The merch that is being sold is clearly labelled everywhere with a number and a price. When you get to the counter you just have to tell them the number! There is plenty of time to deliberate in the queue but if you want an idea of what’s on offer and the prices you can look at Taylor’s online store.
- The merch situation differs slightly depending on the venue so look at @TaylorNation on Instagram to get the most up-to-date info. In London, they had a merch megastore which was so quick and organised, but in Edinburgh, it was just merch stands outside and inside the stadium. The queues are smaller inside the stadium- but it didn’t take longer than 50 minutes anywhere!
- Don’t worry about any merch or sizes selling out. They had enough of everything (even the famous blue crewneck) for every night of the tour for all the European dates.
- Sizing: the merch is naturally oversized so I would recommend buying true to size if you want a comfy, oversized look, and sizing down if you want it to be more fitted! In Edinburgh they had merch that you could try on for size too. It was really well organised and you could take your time to choose your size.
“1,2,3 LGB”: All the chants to know before you go!
The magic of the Eras tour is undeniable whether you know the chants or not, but it’s super fun to join in with them. Here are some of the key moments by era:
Fearless:
- Make a heart with your hands when Taylor says “It’s Fearless,” it’s impossible to miss this one as Taylor will do it with the whole stadium!
- During the bridge of “You Belong With Me,” there is a double clap just after Taylor sings “I’m the one who makes you laugh when you know you’re ‘bout to cry”
Reputation:
- Shout “1, 2, 3 Let’s Go B*tch!” after the intro of “Delicate”. This is arguably the most famous chant and it’s super fun to do with the whole stadium.
1989:
- After Taylor sings “If you live like that, you live with ghosts,” chant Kendrick Lamar’s line from their duet: “You forgive, you forget, but you never let it go”.
- You can chant the name of your city during the bridge of “Blank Space.” This one worked really well in London, but I didn’t hear it in Edinburgh, so if you fancy it you can give it a go!
Evermore:
- There is a long-standing ovation after “Champagne Problems,” and this was actually one of the most magical moments ever. I can’t prepare you for how loud this was; it was such a cool moment.
- During “Marjorie” turn your phone flashlight on as the whole stadium lights up.
Midnights:
- Sing “Taylor you’ll be fine” during the last verse of “Anti-Hero”!
“Make the Friendship Bracelets:” Outfit Inspo and Trading Bracelets!
The Eras Tour has become intertwined with the tradition of making, wearing, and trading Friendship bracelets at each show! I love this tradition because it is so much fun! I actually found making them really difficult (I had very little patience with the small beads, oops!) but arranging an evening of bracelet-making is such a fun idea to do with your friends and really adds to the pre-tour build-up. Don’t panic about making hundreds of bracelets—it’s fun to have a few to trade and so many people are willing to give them away if you don’t have any! Trading bracelets is a great way to chat to other Swifties at the show and they are also great mementos!
Lots of Swifties also draw a 13 on their hands. This is a tradition Taylor started on both her Fearless and Speak Now Tours. I used a Sharpie for my Edinburgh concerts and stick-on-gems in London; both were great! It’s super fun to see everyone with them on their hands! When you need to get the sharpie off the next day, nail polish remover works great!
If you haven’t already planned your outfit don’t panic! People wear everything from a sequined bodysuit reminiscent of Taylor in her Lover or Midnights Eras to a cute top and jeans. Cider is a great place to look for affordable outfits with a bit of Taylor sparkle, or if you are able to support small businesses my best friend and I bought matching tops on Etsy! Thrift stores and second-hand sites like Depop and Vinted have great affordable and sustainable options too. Whatever you wear you’ll have an amazing time- and enjoy looking at all the crazily creative costumes when you’re at the stadium!
This City Screams Your Name!
There hasn’t been much info released regarding Toronto and Vancouver shows yet but closer to the concerts you’ll have to Google Taylor Swift-themed events in the city while the shows are on!
Edinburgh really embraced The Eras Tour: there were Taylor-themed decorations everywhere, and bars and restaurants had so many cool Eras-themed drinks. In fact, there was a Taylor trail through different shops and bars in Edinburgh. It was a unique way to see the city and another way to get excited for the show! It’s definitely worth having a look prior to your show in either Vancouver or Toronto to see what’s happening near you.
Long Live the Memories We Made… After the Show
The Eras Tour was one of the most magical experiences of my life, and it’s so much fun to do something afterwards to commemorate it and keep the magic going. My friends and I went to ‘Paint-a-Pot’ and made some Eras tour-related crockery! Although my attempt to paint some friendship bracelets with my surprise songs on them on a plate was definitely ambitious for my artistic skills, but it’s still a great keepsake to have! I’ve also seen TikToks of people making memory boxes or keychains from the light-up bracelets you get; these look so cool and it’s definitely worth looking up and having a go! Lots of people have also said that you can save your light-up bracelet’s battery if you keep the plastic tab, so it flashes for longer. I’m no help here- I wore mine for 48 hours after the show and watched it flash giddily until it stopped working!
Other than that, just watch your videos back, wear your merch, and bring up The Eras Tour at any given opportunity! I hope you have the time of your life fellow Swifties!