In November, 2022, Taylor Swift announced that she would tour over twenty cities across the United States. Tickets were sold over Ticketmaster, and fans had the chance to sign up for a presale code through Verified Fan or Amex presale. Presale tickets went on sale on November 15th, 2022, but fans were not prepared for what resulted. Almost two million people were in the queue – many for hours.
The waiting prompted outrage among fans who felt as if they weren’t given a fair chance. Many ended up not being able to get tickets, let alone tickets under $200.
“I had no idea that I would be waiting for that long in the queue, just to pay over 100 dollars for tickets,” said junior Aubrey Deleon.
In March of 2023, Swift started “The Eras Tour,” during which she visited twenty cities across the United States and played 52 shows. She came to Detroit’s Ford Field on June 9th and 10th. I attended on opening night, along with over 59,000 other fans.
The last time Swift toured was in 2018 for her “Reputation” stadium tour, which grossed about $345.7 million in revenue. She had not been on tour in five years, and there was an almost three month wait, which made the lead up to the Detroit dates for “The Eras Tour” electric.
“It was very exciting,” said junior Katie Macey. “It consumed a lot of my thoughts.”
As the concert dates in Detroit approached, it was all that anyone could talk about, so when the date finally arrived, there was eagerness and excitement in fans at ROHS. On June 9th, a number of Swifties did not come to school so they could get to the stadium early and get parking and merch more easily. As I approached Ford Field around 3:00, I saw the magnitude of the almost 60,000 people who attended that night. Everyone was dressed in beautiful and elaborate outfits, their arms loaded with friendship bracelets, waiting to be traded.
Taylor Swift came on stage at 8:00 that night. Sophomore Evie Baas described Swift’s on stage presence in one word: “glamorous.”
Swift took a dive into all of her albums and played two surprise songs each night. The performance ultimately included 44 songs, and the show ran for over three hours. “The Eras Tour” was an ethereal experience that will be hard to beat by any other concert.
After the end of the U.S. leg of her tour, Swift announced that plans were in the works for “Taylor Swift:The Eras Tour” a concert film to be released in theaters on October 13th. Fans were delighted by this news. Those who had been able to see the tour live would be able to relive it, and fans who unable to see the tour live would be able to experience it in some way.
The film premiered at The Grove in Los Angeles on October 11th, where Swift’s team invited fans to see the movie a day earlier than eve
ryone else. Swift herself showed up and greeted fans on the red carpet. Fans didn’t know what to expect from the movie, but in an Instagram post, Swift said, “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged.”
Macey saw “The Eras Tour” movie.
“Everyone brought their outfits and had their friendship bracelets just like the live tour,” she said.
There was some discourse between fans on whether the tour movie would serve as a good substitute for the actual concert.
“It’s definitely not the same, but it was a very good, very fun experience where you can connect with other people who have similar interests,” said Deleon.
The movie was filmed at Sofi Stadium on a few different dates, and reflects a combination of performances. While the movie might not have been the same as going to the tour, Deleon said the film provided the time to take in some additional elements, likely making it more fun for those who didn’t attend the concert to have a more unique viewing experience.
“I feel like at the tour, it was so much all at once, so when we watched the movie, it was like more narrowed in and they added different things like animations, which enhanced the experience a bit,” Deleon said.
According to TIME Magazine, the movie has made about $123.5 million dollars globally, and still has room for more growth before it leaves theaters on November 5th.
“The Eras Tour” has made a huge economic impact on the cities that hosted it. TIME reports that the tour has generated over $4 billion in consumer spending in the United States, which is a big lift after COVID-19 devastated the economy in 2020.
Other than its economic impact, “The Eras Tour” has had a big cultural impact on its host cities. Some cities were renamed for the weekend. Swift was sometimes given the key to the city, and was even made the temporary mayor. Overall, the tour has been a huge success and only has more room to grow. As of October, Taylor Swift still has 83 shows left in her international tour, which will conclude in Toronto, Canada on November 23rd, 2024.
