A new era has begun. Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Tour has officially started. After the notorious Ticketmaster debacle, it was finally time for the long-awaited tour to begin. On March 17, the global pop sensation kicked off her record-breaking tour in Glendale, Ariz.
As shown on TikTok, tens of thousands of “Swifties” swarmed the stadium decked out in their best Swift-inspired costumes. Fans took inspiration from music videos, past performances, public appearances and even her childhood for their outfits. Fans weren’t the only ones going all out for the occasion with Glendale’s mayor even temporarily renamed the inaugural location to “Swift City,” according to the Glendale, Ariz. website.
What makes this tour so special for fans, which has been expressed on social media, is that Swift has released four original albums and two “Taylor’s Version” albums since her last tour in 2018. This one serves as a culmination of those as well as a celebration for her other “eras.” To commemorate each one, Swift performed a setlist that lasted more than three hours, showcasing 44 songs. She played some songs she has never played live before or hasn’t played in over ten years.
It was also revealed that each night Swift chooses two different surprise songs to play acoustically. The first night featured “Mirrorball” off of her “Folklore” album and “Tim McGraw” from her self-titled debut album.
To accompany the exhaustive setlist, Swift included 16 outfit changes, multiple large sets, and elaborate special effects. Each “era” featured a new set piece, stage design or costume.
“Each costume is so distinct to the specific era, and it is so cool to see how different each is from the previous,” said sophomore Paris Tampol.
One special effect that stood out to fans was Swift “diving” into the stage with the illusion of her swimming across it. This served as a distraction while she changed into her “Midnights Era.” It made quite the splash on social media, with videos of this transition gaining over nine million views on TikTok.
One “Eras Tour Admirer” tweeted, “The Eras Tour feels like a musical reset. The burning of the ‘Lover house,’ the old ‘eras’ trapped in cages, her swimming from her acoustic set with old songs to being ‘reborn’ into the ‘Midnights era.’ It makes me excited for what comes next.”
“She truly put her heart and soul into this tour, for herself and for her fans, it is just such an amazing spectacle,” said junior Danielle Savino.
Taylor performing at her opening night in Glendale, Ariz.
Source: Instagram, @Johnshearer
The official section on TikTok showcasing videos from each night on tour.
Source: Instagram, @Taylornation
Taylor performing at her opening night in Glendale, Ariz.
Source: Instagram, @Taylorswift
The “Swifties” have remained by Swift’s side for decades, and many say are ready for this new “era.”
“If I had a soundtrack to my life, it would definitely be all Taylor Swift songs. I love that whatever I am feeling, there is a Taylor Swift song to help get me through it,” said Tampol.
Her empowering demeanor and impressive lyricism have captured fans for years.
According to chartmasters.org, throughout her entire discography, Swift has sold over 160.4 million units sold in downloads, making her one of the most successful digital artists of all-time. On Spotify alone, Swift has 81.4 billion monthly listeners.
“She is a role model to women everywhere showing that hard work pays off,” said junior Lauren Storm.
According to the New York Times, Swift fell victim to the sale of Big Machine Label Group- the owner of her first six albums. With this sale, her work was now in the hands of music manager Scooter Braun, who she does not get along with. Due to this, Swift needed to find a way to gain control of her life’s work- ultimately leading to her infamous re-recorded, “Taylor’s Version” albums.
“She is someone who knows her worth and has fought with producers and big companies for the right to own her own music and her life’s work. What a girlboss,” said Savino.
While many fans like Savino and Tampol were unable to get tickets, they are still able to enjoy the show with social media’s extensive coverage of the tour.
“Seeing the hard work she put into the tour, it was definitely worth the five-year wait, I can’t wait to keep up with the rest of it on TikTok,” said Savino.
