We are in Taylor Town, formerly known as Liverpool, to watch the biggest tour in the world. Like, ever.

DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE?

It’s been an eventful 18 months for the world’s biggest pop star. Since announcing her sixth concert tour in November 2022, Taylor Swift has: been named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023, got into a new relationship (becoming an unlikely NFL star herself in the process), released a critically acclaimed new album, The Tortured Poets Department (which unexpectedly became a double album within an hour of release), won a record fourth Grammy for Album of the Year; and, perhaps most importantly, smashed all live performing records with the highest grossing tour of all time – which also smashed all comparable cinema records in its time on the big screen. A lot going on at the moment, indeed.

With these recent credentials, it’s no wonder that tickets for this concert – like all on the tour – sold out immediately. They are like gold dust, with many changing hands for north of £600.

The question is: does the show live up to the hype?

YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

As you approach Anfield you soon realise that for many, this isn’t a gig or concert, but a life-affirming event.

Swifties are far from subtle, with outfits on show from all of Swifts eras and music videos – thankfully my Swiftie wife (who is also taking our daughter to one of the nine Wembley dates) is on-hand to identify each and every dazzling outfit.

It’s also perhaps worth recognising the extraordinary camaraderie the audience has, which is by no means exclusive to Liverpool. Although you will find a strong community spirit at most concerts – from rock to rap – Swifties take it to another level with their reciprocal love and efforts made to make bracelets for swapping with others.

PARAMORE

European support is provided by Paramore who provide a short and punchy performance to warm the crowd.

The American group are the perfect foil for Taylor Swift. Like Swift, the band have reinvented themselves more than once from emo upstarts to power pop pros. Their recent work with Talking Heads’ David Byrne is acknowledged with their cover of the brilliant Burning Down The House. The choreography Paramore employ is inspired by Byrne’s American Utopia show; they move around Swift’s mid stage untethered, in the round.

Hayley Williams is a brilliant front person. She sings with vigour, control and style whilst retaining a beautiful charm that endears her to everyone. The fun that the band are having on stage is evident. Themselves a top tier band, it is a treat to have such a strong musical line-up for such a huge show.

THE MAN

After a short turnaround it’s time for the main show. A giant clock appears on the screen to signify Taylor’s imminent arrival. The show opens with the Lover era. The 2019 release is an album that should have been toured in its own right. A certain pandemic stalled that.

Miss Americana starts the show, which sees Swift emerge from beneath, onto to the heart of the stage. The applause and scream is deafening. The first era has a generous five songs with early highlights being the album title track and the song that perhaps best summarises Swift and the message she sends to her fans, The Man.

Over four years since its original release, one has to question if this song is still valid for Swift herself, as it’s increasingly difficult to argue with her being ‘the man’. 

FEARLESS

The second era sees Swift revisit her second album, 2008’s Fearless. She opens with the title track. At one point the entire stadium raises their ‘hand hearts’ in unison. This synchronised audience participation is repeated in the next song, You Belong with Me. The sold out stadium double clap their hands at the exact same moment. Swift really does have 53,000 people in the palm of her hand already, just 7 songs in.

After closing the Fearless Era with Love Story (a fan favourite for marriage proposals during the show), we jump forward to 2012’s Red. Crowd pleasers like 22 and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, delight.

The climax of this set, and arguably peak of the entire night, is seeing Taylor Swift alone, centre-stage with the staggeringly good – and ten minute long – All Too Well. Anyone who dismisses Taylor Swift as throwaway pop, and from what I have seen, this isn’t an untypical view from typically gauche male internet trolls on social media, might well want to give this a listen. Fuck the patriarchy, indeed. It oozes emotion and it is incredible.

…READY FOR IT?

2010s Speak Now is the shortest era of the show, with a token appearance of power ballad Enchanted. Taylor adorns a grand lilac ball gown. After the 5th costume change of the evening, it’s time for what is arguably the most iconic outfit of all the eras: Reputation.

In one legged and one armed black and red suit, we begin with …Ready For It? – which the crowd most certainly are! The Swifties once again join in with the show during Delicate, and scream probably the most well known ‘chant’ of the evening – “1, 2, 3, let’s go bitch!” Don’t Blame Me comes next which seamlessly transitions into the astonishing Look What You Made Me Do, which could well – again – be the shows highlight. Specifically, the Taylor-led, and audience participation of ‘She’s Dead!’.

CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS

Moving on from pure bangers, it is on to a newer part of the show, with 2020s “sister albums” Folklore and Evermore The two lockdown albums are condensed in one era slot.

If there is any part of Taylor’s career which highlights her strength as a songwriter, and cements her place amongst the all-time greats, it is, for this writer, this. The theatrics here, for example on Willow, lend themselves to the songs, but the most memorable moment – for many the pinnacle of the whole show – is the intimacy of the solo performance of Champagne Problems. There is little merit in trying to convey how much this resonates with the 50,000 strong crowd, but the 2 minutes and 8 seconds of applause following this song should tell you all you need to know. Swift beams; her smile lights up the crowd even further. It is common fair on the tour, but there is a real warmth in the adulation.

SHAKE IT OFF

Onto the 1989 era. Arguably the era with the most well known hits – including ear worms Blank Space, Shake It Off and Bad Blood (another crowd chant sees the stadium singing Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics from his remix of the song; “You forgive, you forget, but you never let it GO!”).

Although clearly a much bigger star now, whose musical output has evolved and matured, it’s clear that Taylor Swift has never got bored of these songs and still loves to perform them; and judging by the audience reaction it isn’t just Taylor who is enjoying singing. 

THE TORTURED POET

As the sun begins to set we move into the Tortured Poets era; a recent addition to the Eras Tour following the albums release in April. The darkening sky is in keeping with the darker lyrics as Taylor works through subjects including the downsides of fame (on But Daddy I Love Him and Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?) and depression (on I can Do It With A Broken Heart). It’s not all doom and gloom as we get some insights into Taylor’s latest, and seemingly what the fans hope “End Game” – relationship with NFL royalty, Travis Kelce in So High School.

One of the most dramatic and impressive performances of the night comes with the bridge of Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. Taylor dons a military jacket and is accompanied by a marching band as she makes her way down the length of stage. A white flag waves in the background, whilst Swift is “shot” with red lights which eventually take her down to the floor where she ends the song.

The mood lifts again with the introduction of a slapstick comedy skit. Swift is carried over to a red sofa by her dancers before being forced to change outfit again and perform for the waiting crowd; not before stomping her feet and refusing to cooperate.

This leads into the final song of this set, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart; a surprisingly fun and upbeat song considering its lyrics about the expectation to keep performing and entertaining the crowds whilst battling heartbreak and depression. Considering this album has only been out for 2 months, the crowd are well versed in the lyrics, showing just how dedicated they are. 

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

As someone who has been watching live music for 25 years I have seen more than my fair share of bands changing their setlist and/or playing impromptu songs. As a relatively new Swiftie, it took me as surprise as to just how big of a deal the ‘surprise songs’ set is. It is massive.

There are swathes of forums, posts and threads dedicated solely to this subject. Audiences in Edinburgh and Liverpool have been treated to an eclectic mix of songs from Swift’s back catalogue. This includes a very surprising performance of This is What You Came For; a song made famous by Rhianna and Calvin Harris but written by Swift herself during her relationship with the latter.

Tonight we get an acoustic ‘murder mash-up.’ It arrives in the form of Carolina  – another unexpected choice of song as not from any of Swift’s albums, but from the soundtrack to the movie Where The Crawdads Sing – and No Body, No Crime,  from Evermore.

Following this, the audience are caught off guard with the first airing of The Manuscript. Many had this reserved to close the whole Eras Tour, it being the final track of the Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology. This is mixed with fan favourite Red. The crowd go wild when they realise just what Swift has started singing.

As with other parts of the show, the stripping away of the theatrics and production is by no means a bad thing. Once again, Swift’s ability to capture an audience of this size with nothing but her her voice, an instrument and, most importantly, her words, is unparalleled.

MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT?

After the usual dive into the water and swim back to the main stage, we reach the climax of the show. Midnights. Swift appears on stage to sing Lavender Haze in a sequin dress and fur coat , which she soon loses in the following song, Anti Hero. She loses the sequin dress during Midnight Rain, and by then Taylor and her dancers are dressed for revenge as they bring the sex appeal for Vigilante Shit. Then, it is the shimmering glamour of Bejewelled.

Mastermind follows before epic show closer Karma. The backing singers, dancers and Taylor herself are dressed in a variety of colourful shiny jackets, in the centre stage to take deserved applause. It is an ovation which is arguably louder than the huge firework display which brings the night to a close as the confetti falls to the ground.

BELIEVE THE HYPE?

So, does the show live up to the hype? No. It far exceeds it.

If you are lucky to be attending a later date on this record-breaking tour then you’re in for a treat.

An overriding feeling of joy pervades the crowd. A collective and reciprocal love fills the confetti laden air.

The Eras Tour is already legendary, just how big it gets is anyone’s guess. The Eras Tour is a seismic event that feels like a genuine cultural moment.

As Taylor says, “This happens once every few lifetimes”. 

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