On the evening of April 29, I was fortunate enough to attend Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” in Atlanta. I made the nearly nine-hour trip to receive nothing short of an unforgettable, sensational experience.
I got to go with my childhood friend. The night before, we made friendship bracelets to trade and dreamed of what surprise songs she might sing for us. Of course, we had our ideas, given the date. You never know with Miss Swift, though.
The next morning, we woke up so excited to get the day started. We spent a good amount of time getting ready. I wore a costume from the “I Bet You Think About Me” music video and Kate wore a dress that captured all of the colors from each era. As if a rite of passage, we filmed plenty of outfit transformation videos for SwiftTok.
When we arrived, the edges of the stadium were lined with Swifties in anticipation. Everyone looked so good, dressed in creative attire from each era. Waiting in line was like a fashion show and I loved every second of it. We got inside of the stadium about an hour and a half before the first opening act, Gracie Abrams.
I purposely picked this show because it was one Abrams played closest to me. She follows Swift in my list of favorite artists, so I was thrilled to be able to see them both. Abrams sounded beautiful and put on a great show. After her set, we went to the concession stand to prepare for the extensive set list ahead of us. I heard honking and looked behind me to see a golf cart.
To my genuine shock, Abrams was a passenger. She was five feet away from me and my instincts took over. “I love you, Gracie!” I shouted. “I love you! You look amazing, by the way,” she said. Thank goodness the cart took her further before she saw me cry. It was such a special moment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t documented on picture or video, but I will remember it for the rest of my life!
Inside the stadium, the clock hit the screen and the countdown was on. Everyone was so excited for Taylor to start. “It’s been a long time coming,” the track began. It had been five years since I last saw her perform, so it was bittersweet to hear. When she came on stage, it was electrifying. Everyone was in awe and sing-screaming along to “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.”
There were many unforgettable moments from the night. As she sang “marjorie,” the stadium illuminated with cell phone flashlights. It seemed to mean a lot to her. Hearing “ATW10” was unexplainable. There were a handful of times that she stopped the show to talk to us. Although she was speaking to thousands of people, she has a way of making her conversation seem intimate.
Our surprise songs were “High Infidelity” and “Gorgeous,” which were lovely acoustic versions. She was so excited to play us the first song because of the date. It was so fun to memorialize the show that way. We also were the first show that she played a surprise song from “Reputation!”
She went on to perform over a three-hour set. It was unbelievably special and nostalgic to experience all of the eras. As I was watching, I felt that every version of myself got to share those songs with her again.
My eight-year-old self held my hands up in the shape of a heart during “Fearless.” My fourteen-year-old self danced like no one was watching during “1989.” My seventeen-year-old self celebrated the vengeance and liberation of “reputation.” My twenty-year-old self relished in the fantasy of “folklore” and “evermore.”
This concert was an experience of communal love and adoration for such an innovative artist. All of the Swifties in that room admire her for the vulnerability and relatability that shines through her talent. Her music accompanied and guided many of us since we were little. All in all, this experience will be a very special memory for the rest of my life.