Taylor Swift brought her stadium tour, The Eras Tour, to Europe this spring and summer. Being Swifties since our teenage years, we had to witness the biggest tour she’s done so far. Vonnie went to Lyon, France, whereas Becky went to Edinburgh, Scotland. We’d like to take you through our experiences with each concert.
If you want to avoid Eras Tour spoilers, come back to this article later!
What Did We Know of the Concert?
Vonnie: Personally, I followed The Eras Tour while it was happening in the US, but decided to disconnect after that part was over. I didn’t mind spoilers much for the international dates, except when it came to Europe. When she started her tour in the continent in May, I avoided spoilers. Since her new album had just been released, I knew there would be inevitable changes in the setlist, costumes and such, but I didn’t want to know specifics. I’ve unfortunately stumbled across some spoilers concerning the TTPD part of the night, but not everything.
Becky: Ever since The Eras Tour kicked off over a year ago, I’ve been following it. My screen time is ninety-percent TikTok and I’d just watch clips from the concerts for hours. But when the Europe leg kicked off I, if possible, got more into it. I was watching live streams to see what new things Taylor was doing and, of course, what the surprise songs were. I feel like as it builds up to your concert you’re either avoiding spoilers completely or engrossed in it. There’s no in between.
Expectations Before The Eras Tour
Vonnie: I was looking forward to The Tortured Poets Department set, as well as seeing Cardigan live. It’s a song that I hold very close to my heart, therefore it meant a lot to see it performed. I didn’t know much about how my view would be, since I haven’t been in a stadium, but I had bought expensive seats so I was hoping that I’ll be able to see Taylor as close as I could from there. As for the crowd, I was a little scared of having to interact with Swifties. I didn’t know if they would be nice, or want to trade bracelets with me.
Becky: I’d been to the 1989 and Reputation tour years ago, but I knew leading up to The Eras Tour that it would be on a whole other level. The war that we all went through to get tickets told me enough about how insanely good the vibe was going to be. I was pretty anxious, though, as I’d built up expectations in my head for almost a year.
Getting to the Venue
Vonnie: My friend and I arrived at the venue at four in the afternoon, two hours before doors opened. We first waited in the long line of merch, where people were already trading bracelets. I was so happy to discover that there was nothing to be scared about. People would see me with my bracelets or even just looking at them, and they would come up and ask to trade. I had the chance to talk to Swifties a little, and almost everyone was wrong about my costume. My friend and I dressed as Reputation, specifically the lyric “I once was poison ivy but now I’m your daisy”. Since I was poison ivy, people mistook me for Ivy, the song from Evermore. I was happy because those were my two favorite albums from her, and unknowingly, I had combined them.
After I got merch, we tried to enter the stadium, which of course meant having to go through controls. Power banks and cameras weren’t allowed, so my friend and I had to leave those in the lockers. A piece of advice I would give is to inform yourself on what your venue allows before going, to not have trouble entering or losing your valuables (I’ll expand more on that later).
Becky: I can’t even begin to describe the chaos of getting to Murrayfield Stadium, in both a good and bad way. The amount of Swifties in Edinburgh was insane, everywhere you looked people were dressed up in the coolest outfits. We decided to get the tram around 2 hours before the show started and it was insanely busy. We waited for half an hour and squeezed into a tram. It was so busy, we got off earlier and walked the rest of the way, with thousands of other Swifties.
Murrayfield was very organised, which made me feel super relaxed. The staff and security were on the ball and made everything as easy as possible. I thought about getting merch but the queue was still so long. Instead, we went to our seats…
Entering the Stadium
Vonnie: I was in awe. There are plenty of words I could use to describe the emotion I felt, knowing I’d see for the first time the person I listened to for thirteen years. However, what struck me in that moment was how comfortable I felt. The Swifties at the concert dressed in gorgeously intricate outfits. There were references to many moments of Taylor’s career, such as a dress inspired by her Grammy look, many outfits inspired by her stage costumes, and clear references to songs. There wasn’t an outfit that resembled another, unless done on purpose. In the midst of it all, all I could think was of the creativity and time that we, as Swifties, put in for the event. The creation of the outfits, the bracelet trading, the different ways we make the experience meaningful… there is such beauty and dedication.
Becky: When we approached Murrayfield, my jaw literally dropped just seeing the stadium. Seeing all the Swifites, the incredible outfits, and the incomparable vibe just outside the stadium was magic. Everyone else, like me, had been waiting almost a year for this moment and the atmosphere was something I could never put into words. Aside from the concert itself, seeing the love that Swifties have for each other was the best part of the night. Overall, I was kind of in shock that everything I’d been waiting a year for was about to happen.
Before the Concert
Vonnie: When we found our seats, we were shocked at how great they were. We could see the whole stage, especially the end of the runway where she would perform the acoustic set, also known as the surprise songs. In that time, we traded more bracelets and basked in the luck that we had to get tickets and be there in the first place. We also took a lot of photos to immortalise the moment.
Becky: When we got to our seats, even though we were sitting in the nosebleeds, I couldn’t believe how insane the view was. We could see the whole stage, as well as the entire crowd. Everyone sitting near us was so nice. We chatted to people and traded more bracelets. Even though we were nowhere near the front, the vibes were still just as incredible at the back.
“Paramore” as the Opening Act of The Eras Tour
Vonnie: I planned to listen to Paramore’s discography before the concert, but since life was too hectic, I only listened to the setlist. They were spectacular. Hayley Williams, the lead singer of Paramore, explained that their role was to get us prepared for Taylor, and they did. Hayley is a force to be reckoned with. She performed on the huge stage with ease and brought the energy we needed. I don’t understand the disappointment of them being the opener, because Paramore is iconic.
Becky: I remember hearing Paramore’s music a lot when I was younger. And, of course, as a big Twilight fan, I was super excited to hear Decode live. Paramore brought so much energy and genuinely gave an incredible performance. Hayley Williams has one of the most insane voices you’ll ever hear. They were so much fun and really got the crowd hyped up before Taylor came on.
Beginning of The Eras Tour
Vonnie: When the countdown appeared on the screen, I might’ve stopped breathing. I filmed my reaction with my friend to remember what it was like feeling those first moments of the concert, when you realise who you’ve been waiting for was right in front of you. When Taylor appeared on stage, I couldn’t believe what was happening. I was singing but my head was in the clouds, and it took a few songs to come back down. What did it for me was Lover, where I held my friend as we sang to each other and I cried for the second time that night.
Becky: I mean, the moment everyone’s seen online everywhere is that iconic intro to the show. After the roaring hype when Lady Gaga’s Applause plays and the countdown begins. There’s no feeling comparable to that moment when the dancers come on stage and you hear ‘It’s been a long time coming’. I knew I was going to cry a lot, but the tears began right there and then.
The Reputation Set
Vonnie: During the Eras Tour movie screening, I remember seeing the introduction to the reputation set and gripping my friend’s arm as an instinct. I could barely breathe then. While I warned my friend that I would have a visceral reaction, it wasn’t enough to prepare for the overwhelming wave of emotions that took over me. If I hadn’t lost my voice before, I for sure lost it when I saw the snake visuals. When Ready for It…? began playing, I was completely grounded to the space I was in, but my jaw was on the floor. The reaction continued throughout the set, until we moved onto Speak Now.
Becky: You guys know that me and Vonnie are reputation girlies through and through. Both of our outfits took inspiration from this era. It was one of the sets I was most looking forward to. The whole set was jaw-dropping, but nothing beats hearing that transition from Don’t Blame Me to Look What You Made Me Do.
Stage Design & Visuals at The Eras Tour
Vonnie: There’s nothing to describe them. The complexity of the stage that elevated, separated in parts, created patterns that left me with so much admiration for the amount of work that went into making the Eras Tour what it was. The visuals were stunning, the lights shining from the bracelets of the 60 000 people in the stadium adding an element of wonder that wouldn’t leave my body and mind. I felt the glow of the moment, and that’s what concerts are about. There is no doubt Taylor’s performance is extraordinary, but the work that went into the visuals and the set design are to be admired just as highly.
Becky: We’ve spoken before about how important visuals can be in a concert, but Taylor’s team really went above and beyond. The Eras Tour, despite of course being about Taylor herself, is heavily focused on the visuals. It becomes way more than just a concert, it’s a whole performance. From the insanely talented dancers to the stunning visuals for each era, there was so much to look at. I remember the light up bracelets existing way back when I went to the 1989 tour, and they were just as magical this time around.
Taylor Swift Is The Man
Vonnie: When I first heard the three hours and fifteen minutes of concert, I thought “great”! I knew it would be a unique experience, as most concerts last half that amount of time. I did not begin to think about the amount of work that would go into performing for such a long period of time. By the last hour, we were tired, but Taylor was just as energetic as the minute she stepped on stage. She performed 44 songs, not including the surprise songs, and it seemed effortless. To say she was impressive is an understatement. She moves around the stage in heels, changes costumes in less than a minute, and sings without a noticeable moment of catching her breath. She is the epitome of hard work and determination.
Becky: The amount of stamina that Taylor has is so admirable. I mean, like Vonnie said, when everyone found out the length of the concert, there was shock. So much work goes into keeping the energy alive for that long. We took quick breaks in between eras and we were shattered by the end (I’m still recovering). Yet, Taylor has so much energy from start to finish and has a new show every week.
The Tortured Poets Department… also known as The Asylum
Vonnie: The reason I avoided spoilers so much was this part of the concert. I didn’t want to know anything, and while I did stumble upon some videos, nothing could’ve prepared me for the addition to the tour. The outfit, the theatrics, the choice of the songs… Although Reputation was an event in itself, this set made me ascend. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? is permanently etched in my mind. The performance left me speechless (literally, I lost my voice). How can I begin to explain the insane amount of emotions she conveys throughout the set? I felt lucky that the acoustic set was after this, because I needed a moment to breathe.
Becky: This is the moment everyone had been waiting for since the album dropped a few months ago. Unlike Vonnie, I had no self control to avoid any spoilers of this set. I remember watching the Paris show from a glitchy livestream just to see what songs from TTPD she’d be performing. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived was a highlight for me. There’s something about screaming that bridge with everyone that was so healing. But Daddy I Love Him was so incredibly fun and you could see how happy Taylor was performing it.
Surprise Songs at The Eras Tour
Vonnie: I had some hopes for the surprise song, but when they showed up, I realised there was nothing she could’ve sang that would’ve disappointed me. I went to Lyon Night 2, and although I was a little bit sad about losing The Prophecy the night before, it was nothing compared the bliss of being there.
The first surprise song was Glitch mixed with Everything Has Changed. Even though these two songs are not my favorites, I was over the moon to hear them live, especially because she never performed Glitch before this. The second song was also a premiere — coming straight from The Tortued Poets Department, Taylor played on piano Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus. The emotions the song brought forth in both Taylor and myself make me teary just thinking back on it. She gave the performance her all.
Becky: The surprise songs are one of the best parts of The Eras Tour. I went to Edinburgh Night 3 and anyone who keeps up with surprise songs knows she sang some incredible songs the two nights before. I mean, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve and then Getaway Car? Two of my favourites, I couldn’t believe it. But, girl, did she have a surprise in store for us.
The first surprise song was It’s Nice to Have a Friend mixed with Dorothea which was so wholesome. Then, she sat down at the piano and we were all gripping each other’s arms to see what came next. The minute she started playing the keys my eyes filled with tears. Haunted was my favourite Taylor song as a kid and I couldn’t believe I was finally hearing it live. I truly went into shock, and then she mashed it up with Exile. There are no words other than the insane pictures and videos of me crying.
Notable Moments from the Vault of Our Memories
Vonnie: The snow fall during All Too Well. The peak moment of Don’t Blame Me with the high note. The transition from Don’t Blame Me to Look What You Made Me Do with the whole stadium lights flickering. Hearing Anti-Hero in person after the success of the song everywhere. Witnessing the Vigilante Shit choreography and becoming gayer by the second. The Tortured Poets Department psych ward bed with the table and the chairs during the performance of Fortnight.
Becky: Screaming the bridge of Cruel Summer. Those first few notes on the guitar at the start of the Fearless set. The most adorable girl getting the 22 hat. Everyone belting out ‘Fuck the patriarchy’ during All Too Well. Everything about the reputation set. Hearing champagne problems live. Healing 2020 me with the bridge of The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. And, of course, getting Haunted as the surprise song.
Karma Is That Girl
Vonnie: The Eras Tour ended with the Midnights set, which was perfect because it has some of the most danceable songs in her discography. The set allows you to take with you everything you’ve witnessed. The performance of Karma brings unmatched happiness. The colourful outfits, the choreography, the fireworks… it is showstopping. We left a little before the end, since we didn’t want to get to our place too late; and that’s when I realised I fucked up by wearing high heels. I could barely walk. Even though we left earlier, getting our power banks and camera from the lockers set us back. On the way there, I lost the battery to my camera, because the people handling the lockers most likely dropped it. Moral of the story, make sure you comply with the venue rules. Still, nothing could’ve ruined my night. Seeing Taylor for the first time is unforgettable.
Becky: Midnights just felt like the perfect album to end The Eras Tour with. Even though it’s still quite a new album, it’s full of so many bops and so much joy. During that last set, everyone just really is having the best time of their lives. It’s like a party with thousands of people. And, obviously, Vigilante Shit was insane live. We did leave before Karma, though. It was a tough one to miss, but we knew we had to beat the queue back to the one tram line. We could still hear everything as we were leaving, with the fireworks going off above us as we queued for the tram. I can’t wait to go again in London because I’ll be able to stay until the very end. My show was three days ago and it’s all finally sinking in.
If you went to The Eras Tour or are going soon, let us know which parts you liked the most or the ones you are most excited for! Want to read more about our favorites from The Tortured Poets Department?
Authors
