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10 months ago, after unsuccessfully attempting to get an Eras Tour Ticketmaster verified fan pre-sale code, I received a phone call from one of my best friends on which he said these words that changed my life: “I already know the answer, but I’m about to buy tickets to Taylor Swift. Do you want to come with me?” Reader, you know the answer, too.
Cut to this past Thursday night. Residents of Los Angeles have patiently waited as Taylor has trotted this tour all across the US. We are the last stop on (now we know, the first leg of) the US tour. The anticipation has been immense. Every weekend since March checking into the tour via random swifties’ TikTok lives at Surprise Song O’Clock or 10:30pm Eras Tour Standard Time (for those unfamiliar, during each performance of the Eras tour, Taylor sings two “surprise” songs from her discography that are not part of the regular set list, and once performed, she won’t be performing them again**)
**previously she said she will perform them again if she messes up the lyrics OR if they are from Midnights, her most recent non-rerecorded album, but the LA shows so far have been full of repeats so all bets are off now
Arriving to Sofi Stadium Thursday afternoon, seeing thousands of women and girls of all ages dressed to the nines, so many in sparkly outfits, decked out in carefully crafted friendship bracelets they brought with the intention of trading with fellow concert goers immediately made me emotional.
It was not a feeling dissimilar to my viewing experience of Barbie — something I cannot elaborate on much further as a member of SAG currently on strike — but the communal joy this summer shared by women choosing to embrace the things they were once told they should grow out of liking has been nothing short of healing.
I started listening to Taylor Swift in 2007 after stumbling upon her debut album on an airplane of all places. Her songs, Tim McGraw, Tear Drops on My Guitar, and Our Song were the gateway to a fandom that has now spanned over half my life.
And so I, like so many other women my age, grew up on Taylor’s music. Taylor sang about high school and crushes and heart break and all those big complicated making sense of the world and wanting big things feelings on Fearless and Speak Now just as I was experiencing them myself.
Red and 1989 — with songs processing more complicated firsts, adult relationships, and life experiences — became the soundtracks to my college years.
So to see young teen girls at the show Thursday, so many of whom asked me if I wanted to trade friendship bracelets with them (because of course, I made my own to trade away pictured above), who I know are using Taylor’s songs to process their own growing pains was such a validating experience.
The show itself is phenomenal. Simply non-stop for three and a half hours. Taylor’s stamina and showmanship are incredible. Her voice has never sounded better. How she’s doing 6 nights in LA over the course of this week I do not know, because I was tired after just watching the show and singing and dancing along with everything I had. On that note…
Songs That Made Me Cry:
The Countdown Clock — not a song but at two minutes to showtime, the screens at the stadium display a countdown clock and I did in fact start tearing up in anticipation
The Intro — as the show begins, we hear a pre-recorded Taylor singing the names from all her albums and so…more tears
The Archer — the lyrics “who could ever leave me darling, but who could stay” !? sobbing
Marjorie — the whole thing…SOBBING
Long Live — hearing this song standing next to one of my best friends of the last 11 years made the lyrics “If you have children someday when they point to the pictures please tell them my name” hit harder than they ever have and TEARS
Some of my favorite Taylor Swift songs are ones where she exhibits righteous fury, like Illicit Affairs, Tolerate It, and My Tears Ricochet (can you tell I’m a Folklore/Evermore girlie?) And hearing 70k fans (so many of them young women) shout “fuck the patriarchy” as Taylor sings All Too Well (10 Minute Version)? Cathartic. Kendall Roy, you would’ve loved the Eras Tour!
And after months of watching potential surprise songs get crossed off a list, I was gifted with I Can See You (a vault track from Speak Now TV) and Maroon (off of Midnights) — both of which I love and knew every word to with out having to study up. I may or may not have spent the last week listening to any potential surprise songs I was lyrically foggy on just in case Taylor sang them at my show.
There was a lot of speculation ahead of Thursday night’s show about whether Taylor would bring out any special guests, announce any new albums, release any new music videos, or perform any extra special surprise songs. Taylor has been known to leave little easter eggs for fans in social media posts to tease big announcements, but fans often run with this, pulling theories seemingly out of thin air. Last night’s show, while perfect, ultimately contained no such additional surprises. And so the below tweet especially tickled me.
All of my friends who saw Eras in other cities expressed feeling as though the show was the best night of their lives. And I left last night feeling similarly. I'm blown away by the consistency of this tour. I’m so grateful I had the chance to hear these songs that have helped me process so much joy and heartbreak in my life performed live.
She is obviously a celebrity and I do not know her nor do I pretend to — and I am firmly anti-stan culture — but damn did I leave Eras happy to be alive at the same time as Taylor Alison Swift.
So beautifully, well written. Proud momma 🥰
Samantha , I went to the show in Arlington, TX with my two daughters and it was amazing. Reading about your experience helped me relive that amazing night. And the way you ended it saying her full name had tears streaming down my face. Thank you for sharing this. It ended my day perfectly. LONG LIVE!