Five years after her last tour, Taylor Swift returned to the stage on Saturday night with a spectacular, 44-song performance.
The three hour and fifteen minute show at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium opened Taylor Swift’s 2023 ‘Eras’ tour. Swift promised fans that the tour would be “a journey through all of my musical eras”, with songs spanning her entire career.
Fans were so eager to attend the highly anticipated tour that the demand for tickets caused Ticketmaster’s systems to fail. But despite the chaos, over 2.4 million tickets were purchased, breaking the record for the number of sales made in one day.
Around 80000 fans attended the opening show. Taylor Swift fanatics were excited to see the music icon live after years of pandemic chaos. The feeling was definitely mutual, with Swift expressing how much she had missed singing live. “I can’t even go into how much I’ve missed you.” she told the excited crowd.
The concert was described by the Guardian a “Broadway extravaganza than singular concert”, with multiple set changes, talented backup dancers and incredible visuals. It was separated into ten parts, one for each of Swift’s studio albums. Opening with songs from her 2019 album Lover, it then travelling back in time to her 2008 country-pop album Fearless.
Eras tour setlist:
Lover:
- Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince
- Cruel Summer
- The Man
- You Need To Calm Down
- Lover
- The Archer
Fearless:
- Fearless
- You Belong With Me
- Love Story
Evermore:
- ‘Tis The Damn Season
- Willow
- Marjorie
- Champagne Problems
- Tolerate It
Reputation:
- … Ready For It?
- Delicate
- Don’t Blame Me
- Look What You Made Me Do
Speak Now:
- Enchanted
Red:
- 22
- We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
- I Knew You Were Trouble
- All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
Folklore:
- Invisible String
- Betty
- The Last Great American Dynasty
- August
- Illicit Affairs
- My Tears Ricochet
- Cardigan
1989:
- Style
- Blank Space
- Shake It Off
- Wildest Dreams
- Bad Blood
Wild card section (a different acoustic song each show)
Taylor Swift:
- Tim McGraw
- Lavender Haze
- Anti-Hero
- Midnight Rain
- Vigilante S***
- Bejeweled
- Mastermind
- Karma
Taylor Swift diving and swimming below the stage at tonight’s opening of her ‘Eras Tour.’ pic.twitter.com/mi0sT8Tkf8
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 18, 2023
Concert-goers were left shocked when Swift performed a stunning yet nerve-wracking stunt. After her performance of ‘Tim McGraw’, gobsmacked fans watched as she dove off the main stage and onto the catwalk below.
Stunning visual effects turned the stage into a pool and Taylor appeared to ‘swim’ to the edge. Moments later, she climbed a ladder and into the clouds above, while dancers emerged carrying cloud props. Finally emerging wearing a purple coat, Swift launched into a performance of her latest single, ‘Lavender Haze’.
One fan described the stunt as “the sickest thing I have ever seen”, with another tweeting “her mind is something else. What on earth did I just witness? Wow”.
Swift also performed her song ‘All of the Girls You Loved Before’ for the first time. The track, which was leaked in February, was almost included in her 2019 album Lovers. It subsequently became viral on TikTok, with fans calling for its official release.
The only criticism fans expressed regarding Swift’s opening show was the lack of songs from her 2010 album Speak Now. However, it is rumoured that the Speak Now segment will expand as the tour progresses.
