On Nov. 1, 2022, Taylor Swift announced the Eras Tour, with the hopes of bringing fans together to celebrate all of her albums and greatest hits. Nobody could have predicted that two years later, the tour is still going and finally wrapping up. The tour concluded with its final performance on Dec. 8, 2024, in Vancouver, Canada.
Considering the sweeping success Swift has continually achieved within the music and entertainment industry, it is no surprise that the Eras Tour has surpassed our expectations. According to GRAMMY.com, the Eras Tour grossed over one billion dollars in just the first eight months of touring. In addition, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” Swift’s concert film, released on Oct. 13, 2023, became the highest-grossing concert film of all time.
Swift loves to keep us all on our toes. With the announcements for “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” special guests including boygenius, Sabrina Carpenter, and Jack Antonoff and different surprise songs for each show, it is evident that no two Eras Tour experiences were the same.
Stacking our arms full of friendship bracelets to trade with others, perfecting our outfits to reflect our most beloved album and staying up late to watch grainy live streams on TikTok and YouTube are all rituals that have arisen from the ever-coveted Eras Tour. To a non-Swiftie, this may seem frivolous and unnecessary, but to countless others like myself, the Eras Tour has been more than just a concert.
The Eras Tour has built a community of fans that will last long after the final show date. These concerts have given us a sense of hope that everything will be okay, especially in today’s reality. Even if we couldn’t get tickets for the show, many of us tailgated together in stadium parking lots, with the hope of simply hearing Swift and getting a small taste of the experience. Similarly, when Swift told us to “make the friendship bracelets” in her song “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” fans understood the assignment. We came to shows prepared with handmade bracelets, creating a bonding experience between fans that took us all back to simpler days.
Taylor Swift’s discography has been the soundtrack to my girlhood. Her songs have preserved moments in my life that I can always return to as soon as I press play. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” takes me back to being seven years old, screaming the lyrics with my cousin, having no other care in the world. “The Man” reminds me of the early mornings before an AP Statistics test, listening to the song on repeat in hopes of boosting my confidence and motivation. “Fearless” marks the moment I left my childhood behind and walked into my college dorm for the first time, ready for my life to completely change. Seeing these songs performed live allowed me to relive these experiences and emotions, and celebrate all the versions of the girl I have been and have yet to become.
What I love most about Taylor Swift is that she is vulnerable enough to share a piece of her heart through music, and I will never take that for granted. She is a storyteller by nature, and in turn, we have the chance to see ourselves in her lyrics. When I listen to Swift, I can be Betty or Dorothea or Emma, even if it’s just for a few minutes. She lets us know that it’s okay to feel whatever emotion you may be feeling, and she has a song for any possible situation you could be going through.
I am so lucky to have grown up in a world where there is Taylor Swift. Getting to go to the Eras Tour was an unforgettable experience that I never believed I would get to have. Being in that stadium, surrounded by fans who all were there for the same reason as me, was a full circle moment, especially for all the past versions of me who grew up loving Taylor Swift. As Swift sings in “New Year’s Day:” “Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you.” I know I will hold onto my memories of the Eras Tour forever.
