When Taylor Swift released her second album, Fearless, back in 2008, she was a bright-eyed singer-songwriter who wanted to make it big in Nashville.15 years later, it’s clear she’s found success everywhere. “I don’t know how it could get any better than this,” the 33-year-old sings to his 70,000-capacity stadium. The last of them all share feelings.
The five years since Swift’s last tour were among her most prolific. She added her four albums to the “Family” of albums. mistress2020s folklore and eternally, and in 2022 midnightAt the same time, she has been busy re-recording her first six albums as part of a plan to regain the master recordings after a very public battle with her previous record label.
Her “Eras Tour” was designed to take her on a journey through her staggering back catalog of 10 albums, from country twang to synth-pop transitions on her self-titled debut. 1989and into subdued folk and alternative rock folklore and EvermoreThroughout the first day of the tour, audiences often feel preoccupied with Swift’s past, present and future. In her 44-song setlist, which spans three hours and fifteen minutes, she shows why the concept of “age” is essential to her. Each chapter marks a specific shift in her artistry.
There’s a palpable euphoria at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The costume is adorned with hand-drawn lyrics. The face is sparkling and bright. The hands are covered with Swift’s lucky number 13. Fans I talk to say concerts feel like “coming home.” Swift herself admits she was a little underwhelmed.
Of course, many of Swift’s biggest hits are on the setlist, but there are also surprises. mistress, Inspired by Swift’s political disillusionment. On top of that, she cast herself as a high school student dealing with a bully and treated it as an allegory of the heartbreak and despair that comes with the rise of the right wing to power in the United States. It comes in the form of the haunting track ‘Illicit Affair’, which battles her inner feelings, and a striking acoustic version of ‘Mirrorball’, which she dedicates to her fans. They then get the chance to shout along to some of her most daring lyrics on “Vigilante S***” (“I’m not dressed for women/I’m not dressed for men I’m not dressed/I’m dressed these days.For revenge”).
Each era transition is marked by changes in both costumes and sets. There are various versions of Swift in the box. This is a nod to her time when she worked to reconcile her sense of self with her public image.Autumn, for an island song folklore and eternally, The stage is overtaken by a cozy cabin covered in trees and moss. At one point the stage is bare except for a long wooden table she has arranged for her two. It’s sparse and cold, reflecting the harsh “tolerate it” sound she begs for the attention of others.
Swift concludes with “Karma,” an ironic nod to her finally breaking free from the tabloid headlines, feuds and rivalries that once surrounded her like a vulture. Joining a troupe of dancers in a shimmering fringed jacket, she looks liberated like never before. “Ask why so many are gone/But I’m still here,” she sings.
