by TISH MELTON
“This is probably one of my last opportunities as an artist to grasp onto that kind of success,” said Taylor Swift in her hit Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, three years ago. She could not have been more wrong.
Breaking Ticketmaster in the process, Swift embarked on her soon-to-be legendary Eras Tour in March, with opening night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Since then, she has sold out huge stadium after huge stadium, grossing $2.2 billion in ticket sales. An average three and a half-hour show with songs ranging from her earliest era Taylor Swift to her latest-era Midnights, the Eras Tour will go down in history.
It’s not one to miss … as an estimated 14 million people who failed to secure tickets in the first presale found out. Swift balances quick choreography, several outfit changes and entertaining a crowd of 60,000-80,000 fans, or “Swifties,” for each show, even causing a 2.3-magnitude earthquake during her Seattle run.
She has attracted celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Adam Sandler, along with fans from all over the world willing to pay unheard-of amounts for tickets.
The first leg of the Eras Tour ended with a six-night run at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with many Chadwick students feeling lucky to be in the crowd.
Junior Wrigley Zbyszewski, a self-proclamed Taylor Swift super-fan, found herself at the stadium two nights in a row … but not without a difficult ticket-finding process.
“I had to enlist all of my family members to each sign up for the presale, including my brother who is in college,” Zbyszewski said. “It was really stressful for me, but three of us got presale codes. Luckily, I was able to get my tickets in math class.”
By the end of her two shows in early August, Zbyszewski had a newfound respect for Swift’s talent and overall performing abilities. “For each different era she played, she was able to bring on a series of dancers in different outfits and these massive constructed sets. I thought how fast they were able to turn around and change aesthetics was so cool.”
Senior Sydney Spangler, after attending Swift’s 1989 and Reputation tours, sat in the lower bowl at SoFi on one of those August nights.
“It was fun to see how many people dressed up, and it was surprising to see that everyone put their full effort into the outfits and the bracelets,” Spangler said. “I really enjoyed the acoustic set and surprise songs. Specifically, You Are in Love and Our Song.”
Although some die-hard Swifties attended the Eras Tour, new fans were also in attendance. Among these “Baby Swifties” is junior Brendan Collins.
“I got put onto [Swift] by Wrigley and [junior] Elsa [Dermenijian] because I lost a bet. I had to listen to her whole discography and I was like, wow, I actually really like this music,” Collins said.
Although he’s not a huge concert person, Collins felt transformed by Swift’s performance.
“The concert was insane. It was very long, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go to a concert that tops this one,” he said. “It was genuinely a spectacle.”
After a six-month U.S. tour, Swift is currently on hiatus until the international concerts resume Nov. 9 in Buenos Aires. She will be joined by opener Sabrina Carpenter.
Swift will continue touring until November 2024, finishing up in Toronto. For those convinced of Swift’s excellence and the magic of the Eras Tour, but missed her L.A. run, you’re in luck.
Last month, Swift announced that the Eras Tour would turn into a concert film and premiere on Oct. 13 in AMC theaters worldwide. So secure your tickets now before all the Swifties beats you to them!
Whether you’re a fan of Taylor Swift’s music or not, she is a force in the music industry and an undeniable success, changing the face of the concert, recording and film worlds.
“The night was so eye-opening for me,” Zbyszewski said. “Everyone there was so excited, complimenting each others’ outfits and bracelets. Being part of a community with people I didn’t even know was so special.”
Adds Collins: “The whole stadium and the crowd felt so connected. I don’t think there’s another artist like her.”
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