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This article goes out to all the Swifties out there who may or may not have attended the Eras Tour. Mainly those of us who haven't though. Please accept this article as consolation.
Seven years ago, as I sat in my elementary school’s computer lab, my life was changed forever. It was a blissful day as it was Free Time Friday which meant an hour of online games and Youtube instead of lessons on online safety and cyberbullying. As I sat in my chair trying to decide how I would use my hour of online freedom, my best friend reached over and typed two words into my Youtube search bar: Taylor Swift. “We should watch her music videos!” she exclaimed. “She’s really good. Here, watch this one.” She yanked my mouse to one side and pressed down on the first video that popped up titled “You Belong with Me.” With a single click, my life was irreversibly changed.
“You Belong with Me” was only the beginning. When I went home that night, I surreptitiously stole my mother’s iPhone and watched every single music video, lyric video, and interview of Taylor Swift. I sang her songs in the shower, in the car, at school on the playground, despite the fact that I was far too young to understand what half of the lyrics meant. I knew every song by heart─every breath, every beat was engraved into my mind better than long multiplication or vocabulary words could ever be. I was obsessed.
Five years later, along with thousands of other despairing Swifties, I was absolutely crushed. Taylor Swift announced The Eras Tour in November 2022. She would be coming to Toronto in November 2024 but I wouldn’t be there. I almost cried.
Today is Saturday, November 30, 2024 and Toronto is no longer Tayronto. While the rest of the city is gearing up for Christmas, thousands of Swifties stay right there, at the Rogers Center, as dust collects in our pinned-up hair. We may have lost the great war against Ticketmaster, but we have not lost our love for Taylor Swift.
In the words of more fortunate Swifties, such as Jerry Chen, the Eras Tour was “intimate, yet colossal. It’s hard to describe─it still feels like a dream.” Lauryn Woo simply states “It was actually the best night of my life.” To any Swiftie, the Eras Tour is more than a concert: it literally is a dream come true. Over three and a half hours surrounded by nothing but Swift’s incredible voice and lyrics along with the almost tangible excitement and energy that fills the venue would heal any Swiftie entirely. The atmosphere is one of pure happiness as friendship bracelets are exchanged, outfits are complimented, and memories are made.
Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams onstage together at the Eras Tour.
For many Swifties, the highlight of the concert is the surprise song set. Jerry Chen accurately describes the appeal of those two to three songs as “the most customized part of the setlist to whatever city she’s in. Whatever song she wants to play, she plays and she has time to actually talk to the audience, and actually make a speech to the audience before introducing her surprise songs.” Lauryn Woo names the surprise song set as the highlight of the three hour concert because “if you heard the way me and my friend screamed when we heard the first note, you’d understand. It was such like an anticipated moment and the songs did NOT disappoint.”
After all, the reason why so many people from all around the world love Swift is her ability to connect with her audience. So many of us find comfort in her music and by sharing her own experiences she allows us to make peace with some of our own. Two years ago, when my boyfriend broke up with me, I had the entirety of Speak Now on repeat. When pandemic lockdown depression hit me, I turned to her folklore album and the familiar comfort of Fearless, the first Taylor Swift album I fell in love with. For the past seven years, no matter what is happening in my life, a Taylor Swift song never fails to make me feel better─and so many Swifties feel the exact same way. Our lives are all strangely, inextricably intertwined with Swift’s music and she addresses it in such a beautiful way through her surprise songs.
Taylor Swift fans show off their friendship bracelets on Night 1 of the Eras Tour in Toronto
In the end, the heart and soul of The Eras Tour is Swift herself and her devotion to her fanbase of Swifties. Her music and the Swiftie community has been a constant for so many of us throughout our lives to the point where songs seem like old friends. The instant spark of connection between two Swifties is truly magical and has inspired a cherished Eras Tour tradition: the trading of friendship bracelets. According to one Swiftie, “Trading friendship bracelets was a very special part of the concert for me. I was surprised at how friendly and willing everyone was to trade bracelets. I traded bracelets as I lined up to get into the stadium, the people around my seats, and when I was lining up to get food. I also traded with the staff and security there.”
As for those of us who did not get to experience Tayronto 2024, we can only hope and pray that Swift announces another concert. Or is that really all we can do? Lauryn Woo encourages fans to “get as many people as you know to sign up for presale codes to increase your chances as much as possible, but for securing the tickets themselves, I know for myself and for some friends, it worked best going off a phone rather than a computer.” Another extremely lucky Swiftie advises us to stay active on social media to get updated information about ticket drops on platforms such as Discord (but always beware of scammers). Most importantly, don’t give up. Manifest it with me right now. Everyone, close your eyes, and repeat after me: I will go to the next Taylor Swift concert. I will get tickets. Remember to never, ever give up hope. I’ve heard from others that our annoyingly persistent positive outlook on life is what makes us Swifties anyways. In the words of the one and only Taylor Swift “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, you’ve got no reason to be afraid.” See you all at the next Taylor Swift concert!