Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ has a generational feel about it. Such has been the hype around the production all around the world, it would be entirely fathomable if people look back in 30 years and reminisce about the time that they were in the audience for the concert of a lifetime. Indeed, there has been a level of excitement surrounding this tour that feels relatively unprecedented, as similarly well-publicised phenomena of the past such as ‘Beatlemania’ have been almost solely focussed on hype around the artist, rather than around the tour itself as well. The ‘Eras Tour’ seems to have a hype train of its own, with fans queueing on Ticketek for hours for a chance of being one of 320,000 people through the gates in Sydney over four nights.

The joy in the air was palpable all around the city and beyond. Fans were chanting and singing from well before the concert, even as they boarded the ‘Tay-Tay Express’ (which sounds fancy but really is an express train from Central Station out to Olympic Park for the concert). For other artists, the heavy rain and possible thunderstorms around the precinct would have caused chaos and frustration but even in less than optimal weather conditions, all the fans still seemed to be having a great time. Even as the arena floor was cleared before the show due to the impending thunderstorms and opening act Sabrina Carpenter’s set was canned, fans sat in the concourse exchanging friendship bracelets. It was an unashamedly positive atmosphere throughout the stadium and this was well appreciated, especially given the doom and gloom of the weather. 

Given the amount of goodwill that Swift has built up, it would have been easy for her to rely on the hype and still be well-received by fans and critics like. But this is not in Swift’s DNA and instead, the audience was treated to a 3.5 hour set spanning 8 eras with seldom any breaks, showcasing the superstar’s incredible stamina. This show almost felt like a ‘thank you’ to her loyal legions of fans and was treated as such by the scores of people in the stands. 

As the weather cleared, the show started off with a rousing rendition of ‘Cruel Summer’ which immediately brought the audience to their feet. The up-tempo hits of ‘The Man’ and ‘You Need To Calm Down’ kept up the pace and the energy as the audience continued to build momentum. 

Everything in the performance was perfectly arranged, it almost felt as though it were a stage show. ‘Lover’ was superbly choreographed with ballroom dancing and later songs like ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ also featured incredibly slick arrangements. It was the show of a consummate professional and every little detail was covered. 

As thrilling as the up-tempo songs were, Swift was at her best on the ballads. The crowd cheer was deafening as she announced that she would be playing the 10 minute version of ‘All Too Well.’ Some critics have labelled the song as the best of the 21^st century and when experiencing the 10 minute version live, it is easy to see why. Arguably, the song is Swift’s answer to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ possessing the type of understated lyrical brilliance seen only in icons like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell as well as the gut-wrenching emotion that only the best artists can conjure. It is an extraordinary piece of work and experiencing it live felt nothing short of ethereal.  

It was not just ‘All Too Well’ that showed off the strength of Swift’s remarkable songwriting. Her performances of more recent ballads like ‘champagne problems’ and ‘betty’ felt like a homage to her older works and were also sublime, showcasing the fragility within her voice whilst allowing for due consideration of the narratives constructed within her lyrics. If anything, it was perhaps a shame that more time was not afforded for some of Swift’s actual earlier ballads, which did feel a little lacking in the set. 

With that said, during every show, Swift performs two ‘surprise’ songs that do not feature in her setlist and these were some of the best songs of the whole night. She first sung ‘How You Get the Girl’ before bringing out Sabrina Carpenter (whose opening act was canned due to the weather) to perform a special duet of ‘White Horse’, one of her earliest ballads. Given her level of stardom, it was perhaps surprising to see how generous Swift was as a duet performer, graciously offering Carpenter a seat on her piano stool as she played and holding back to give Carpenter the limelight. It was a stunning performance, filled with gorgeous harmonies and a wonderful connection between Carpenter and Swift that both used to lift each other up. It was, without doubt, one of the highlights of the night. Swift shared that the song had a special meaning for Carpenter and after the show, a video of a very young Carpenter singing ‘White Horse’ started doing the rounds on social media. Certainly a wonderful moment. 

Interspersed between the eras were some of Swift’s biggest hits and there were too many to count. From ‘Shake It Off’ to ‘Love Story’ (which I am reliably informed sparked a marriage proposal at the show), the length of the set only highlighted the breadth and versatility of Swift’s discography. 

As it came time to close the show, Swift sent out one last Easter Egg for her fans in her final song, singing “Karma is a guy on the Chiefs” in a reference to her boyfriend Travis Kelce, who had flown from the US to be in the audience for the night. It resulted in a deafening scream, not for the first time in the night. 

This was the show of not only a consummate professional but a legend. To perform 3.5 hours, playing multiple instruments, dancing and engaging with fans is almost unheard of and Swift managed it to perfection. Of course, an incredible amount of credit must go to Swift’s band, backing vocals, dancers and production team who did an incredible job in supporting her and putting the show together but at the end of the day, her stamp on the show is very clear. This is a star perhaps the likes of which we will not see again for a very long time and for that reason, both Swifties and non-Swifties alike left the show with a smile on their faces that will not disappear any time in the foreseeable future.

Rating: ★★★★★

Taylor Swift – Eras Tour – Accor Stadium – 23^rd February, 2024. 

Photo credit: TAS Rights Management