For many the Era’s Tour is so much more than a concert. It is a place of happiness, love and pure joy. It is an escape from the harsh realities of life. As ‘swifties’ (aka Taylor Swift fans) came together in sparkly outfits and glittery faces, they traded friendship bracelets and made new friends and memories. So much joy came from the eras tour. This concert allowed so many to relive their childhood memories and make new ones.
The Eras Tour kicked off in Glendale, AZ on March 17, 2023. It took about 75,000 people on an adventure spanning 18 years of music era by era at each show. The concert averaged about 3 hours and 15 minutes and about 45 songs were sung every night. On October 13, 2023 Taylor Swift released a concert film in theaters so those who weren’t as fortunate to go could still feel the magic of the Eras tour. She then later released the film on disney plus, so it was always available to watch. The U.S. leg of the tour was supposed to end on August 9, but Swift extended it and added shows in Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto, and Vancouver. Now after almost 2 years, 149 shows, and five continents later on December 8, 2024 Swift performed her last Eras Tour show. That night she said ““Vancouver I want to thank every single one of you for being a part of the most thrilling chapter of my entire life to date, my beloved Eras Tour,” Swift said before her final tune “Karma.”” Many people were very emotional and reminiscent of these last 2 years, including her.
“I went to the concert and there’s no words to describe the experience and joy that Taylor brings to her fans. She truly has brought the community together in unimaginable ways. Not only at her concerts, but in our everyday lives,” said Brinnley Wootton (12).
For those who weren’t at the concerts they joined in online on the livestreams and sang along from their homes thanks to many kind and generous streamers. One of the most known streamers is Tess Bohne or “tessdear”. Also known as “the livestream queen”. She would live stream almost every show on tiktok, instagram, and youtube and created a space for swifties all over the world to come together and watch the show when they couldn’t physically be there.
“To me the Eras Tour was one of the greatest tours an artist has ever performed. From the costume designs to different sets for each era, she thought of everything,” said Marianna Roe (9)
In honor of the Eras tour ending, on October 15, 2024, Swift announced she would be releasing The Official Eras Tour Book. In a post she says it is “filled with my own personal reflections, never-before-seen behind the scene photos, and all the magical memories you guys brought every single night”. It was then available on target starting on November 29th. Swifts fans were very excited to buy this book and relive the memories. It sold nearly 1 million copies in the first week. The book contained information and pictures about each era on the tour and showed behind the scenes moments. The very first page contains a letter written to the fans, one paragraph says,“ We do it because people need an escape from how brutal life can be, and it is the honor of a lifetime to be that for them, if only for a night.” That is exactly what she did, she created a safe space for people and their dreams. This book shows Swift’s honest commitment to this tour and her fans. It allows fans to remember the joy they felt and the joy they can continue feeling even though the tour has ended.
Essentially, to sum it all up, the Eras Tour is not just a concert. It is a place to escape, come together with your community and just be yourself. While many are sad and grieving that it is over, we know that it will always live in our memories. In a recent post Taylor Swift said “While the tour has come to an end, your smiles, tears, and friendships will last a lifetime. Remember to hold on to the memories – they will hold on to you.” Thanks to Taylor many people have felt seen and loved and will never ever forget that.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/12/08/taylor-swift-eras-tour-final-night-vancouver-live-updates/76853034007/
