TAYLOR SWIFT’S ERAS TOUR NIGHT 3 IN PHILADELPHIA
BY LIAM GILLIN (HE/HIM)17 years, 44 songs and all in 3 and a half hours. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour has been a tour like no other in the 21st century. An incredibly in demand series of concerts that not only celebrates Swift’s greatest hits but also her growth to be one of the most successful women in the music industry. On May 14, 2023, Swift kicked off Night 3 of the Philadelphia shows on a cool, breezy night to perform to over 70,000 people. Entering Lincoln Financial Field was nothing but crowds. Crowds putting down lawn chairs to listen from the parking lot while trying to score a last minute ticket on Ticketmaster. Everyone dressed up as their favorite Taylor Swift album and/or iconic Taylor Swift moment resulting in the tour also becoming a fashion event. Friendship bracelets exchanged, fans making new friends as they bonded over their love for Taylor Swift. Lines of people eager to buy merchandise to wear for the next day to let everyone know that they saw the show of our lifetime.
The night kicked off with openers Gracie Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers; two very talented artists with a humble, warming sound that puts the crowd at ease for what is to come. The anticipation as they performed song after song. Empty seats began to fill with those who got tickets at the last possible second. Whether one got their ticket back in the winter or minutes prior, it was safe to say fans were not ready for the euphoric and emotional performance Taylor Swift was about to execute.
This show was going to be different from the rest for two reasons; it was in her home state of Pennsylvania and that it happened to fall on Mother’s Day. What is it like to be immersed and experience the Eras Tour? There’s parts of the show where it feels like being in a time machine while other times it feels like reading a journal entry. This show is not only showcasing Swift’s biggest hits from each album but also a peek inside her mind and her creative process. Throughout the visuals, elaborate dancing and song transitions, the storytelling of each era was exceptionally done and appreciated by the audience.
A clock appeared on the gigantic screen counting down as “You Don’t Own Me” begins to play. Thousands of phones go up simultaneously ready to capture one of the most sentimental concert introductions one could ever witness. The reverbs of former Swift songs and quotes she had said throughout the years begin to echo as her dancers walk on with these pastel winglike flags. As they morph into one and fly up together, Taylor Swift begins to sing “Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince” from the Lover era as she rises on stage. “It’s been a long time coming,” she sings as the crowd goes wild. Starting off the show with the Lover era could not be more appropriate especially since Swift had not done a tour since the Reputation album in 2018. She proceeded to then sing four more songs from the album; hyping up the crowd for what was to come.
Taylor Swift quickly transitioned from Lover to Fearless. As the stage went to glitter she comes out in her signature gold dress, it took audiences back to 2008 when many fans first fell in love with Swift’s music. While This part of the show only contained three songs, it was truly the ultimate nostalgic trip. Songs such as “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story,” united the crowd and were passionately sung as if Fearless had just come out yesterday. Being brought back to the present came along evermore. A beautiful house covered in ivy as Taylor laid down on a rooftop to perform hits such as “tolerate it” and “champagne problems.” This part of the show felt incredibly personal as the audience truly got an experience what Swift's creative process was during the pandemic. It is safe to say evermore was a transformative era for the singer as the pandemic gave Swift the opportunity to have a more mature sound in her work.
COURTESY OF TAS ENTERTAINMENTReputation had to be one of the most exciting moments of the night. As snakes slithered and hissed on the screen, the bass booming throughout the stadium, let the games begin. “…Ready For It?” quickly brought the crowd from calm to hysteria in the best way possible. The complex choreography, the diversity of the dancers as their emotions supported Taylor Swift’s storytelling in her performance at this point. We also cannot forget the inside jokes the audience provided such as “Taylor take us to church” during “Don’t Blame Me” and hyping up Swift with “1…2…3… Let’s Go B*tch!” during “Delicate.” The audience roared with screams and applause that brought the energy of the show to a whole new level. It was now time to party with Taylor Swift but first it was vital to go back to Swift’s humble roots.
“Enchanted” was the only song performed from Speak Now. Swift appeared in a beautiful princess gown as the crowd began to tear up to the heartfelt six minute hit. This part of the show felt ethereal as the stadium felt like a modern day fairytale. The part was a reminder of Swift’s diverse music range and how with every album, she has always found a way to try new sounds in her work. While audiences wanted more from this era, it just amplified the anticipated for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) coming out in July.
Now it was time to come back and party with Red. This hit era was introduced with a dancer curious to open up a bright red music box. This time the red lights encapsulated a more party-like intention compared to the deep, dark red Reputation had provided prior. Every time the dancer opened up the box, a quick snippet of the Red song would begin to play before the 2012 party anthem “22” began. Taylor walks the entire catwalk with her dancers wearing her iconic “Not A Lot Going On At The Moment” T-Shirt and red shorts as her dancers follow along and they all end with handing a fan the 22 hat and perform a kick line. Other hits performed included “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and the 10 minute version of “All Too Well.”
Folklore took audiences into another fantasy land. This time into the dream world Taylor Swift had created for herself to experience in the pandemic. She described to the audience that during quarantine instead of living the life as a millennial woman, she would take on the role as a woman living in the woods during the Victorian era. This part of the show had to have been the most aesthetically pleasing and breathtaking aspect of the Eras Tour. From the funeral procession of “my tears ricochet” and the playful, animated sways Swift does during “august,” Folklore gained a brand new love from the audience.
1989 was the next era to be performed. Similar to Red and Reputation, this part of the show was incredibly intriguing and energetic to witness. “Style,” “Blank Space,” and Shake It Off,” were some of the biggest hits of the 2010s and made Swift a household name. One of the best parts of the night was when she performed “Bad Blood,” the crowd felt the intense heat as she strutted down the catwalk as flames shot up into the sky. This era reminded the audience of not only how incredible 1989 was when it came out but also how it was crucial to her success in the music industry. Now for the moment everyone had been waiting for, what was going to be tonight’s surprise songs?
Many fans speculated online that one of the surprise songs was going to be “The Best Day” for Night 3 and they were correct. The song is from the Fearless album in which Taylor sings of her close bond with her mother. When she introduced the song, she explained that she had recorded the song when she was a teenager as a surprise for her mother. She gave her thanks to the moms out there who go all out to give their children the best life possible before performing the hit.
To really put in perspective how long she has been performing, Swift mentioned that when she first began her career, moms would often bring their kids to her shows. Nearly two decades later, those kids are now bringing their kids to her shows. As Taylor Swift said, "My mom is my best friend.” The other surprise song of the night was “Hey Stephen,” another Fearless song no one expected.
COURTESY OF TAS ENTERTAINMENTHaving her current album Midnights be the final era performed had its clear objective. Not only to have fans anticipate hearing the album live for the first time but also the idea of midnight was a perfect metaphor of closing one chapter and opening another. The navy blue complimented with rainbow strings on her jacket as they sparkled like stars, it was time to show the visual creative mindset of how Swift wanted this era to be performed. Midnights took us all over in the way one would feel as they would pull an all nighter. “Bejeweled” felt like a bedtime story. “Vigilante Shit” performed in a cell block tango style as Swift and her dancers performed an intense and electric dance. The chants of “Hi It’s Me, I’m the problem it’s me!” as she sang the lead single from the album “Anti-Hero.” As “Karma” faded out, fireworks scattered the sky, Taylor Swift taking a massive bow as her dancers and band excitedly cheered her on as another successful performance concluded.
As someone who grew up listening to Taylor Swift, this show really demonstrated how for people my age her music has been a part of pinnacle points in our lifetime. For example, 1989 representing our high school summers at the beach playing “Shake It Off” on our iPhone 5s and posting all about it on Tumblr. Going to college parties as Reputation blasted throughout as the album was relatable to the newfound independence we felt as young adults. No matter where we were in our lives as we figured out who we would become one day, Taylor Swift’s music was always there as a foundation and support in our lives. That’s what makes Taylor Swift so special, she has used her artistry and musical talents to grow with her audience. She understands the balance of recognizing fan engagement while also staying true to her authenticity and style. Putting out music not only because she enjoys what she produces but also knowing her audience will love it in the same way.
COURTESY OF TAS ENTERTAINMENTThe Eras Tour was a show for everyone. New Swifties got a crash course on the evolution of Taylor Swift’s discography and former Swifties got a trip down memory lane. It was intriguing to hear fans around me discuss their previous Taylor Swift concerts. This show gave them the opportunity to relive shows like the Red and the Speak Now tours. There was a reason why tickets were so in demand for this. There was a reason why thousands were packing in parking lots all over the country just to hear Taylor Swift sing their favorite song.
Taylor Swift will always make sure to put on the best show possible and after not performing live on tour for five years, she came back and gave it her all and more. She yet again has set an even higher bar on what it means to not only have a successful tour but also how to execute storytelling and diversity in one’s stage presence and performance. This night was unforgettable and an absolute dream come true to witness live.