Since its announcement on November 1, 2022, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour has made an enormous impact on the entertainment industry and the US economy. In August 2019, Taylor Swift released Lover, her seventh studio album. Its tour, Lover Fest, was scheduled to take place from April to August 2020 but was canceled due to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, Swift released two more albums, Folklore and Evermore, and in October 2022, released Midnights. Just 11 days later, she announced The Eras Tour, which would cover the various “eras” of her lengthy musical career. The tour would go on to be responsible for undeniable influence, including but not limited to creating unforgettable nights and strengthening the economy.
During the November presale of the tour tickets, millions of fans joined the Ticketmaster queue, causing the site to crash due to heavy traffic. Swift made over two billion dollars in North American ticket sales, and the Federal Reserve credited her with boosting the United States economy, especially after the COVID-19 recession. Moreover, the show drastically benefited the tourism industry because fans were willing to fly and book hotels just to see the concerts. In the cities where Swift performed, public transportation systems saw a substantial increase in passengers on the days of the shows.
The Eras Tour arrived in Santa Clara on July 28 and 29. On those two days, Swift was announced the honorary mayor of the city, temporarily renamed “Swiftie Clara” on her behalf. Although the concert officially began at 6:30 P.M. each night, it became a multi-day event for myself and many other fans. During the week leading up to the concert, Swifties were trying on outfits, making friendship bracelets, and standing in line for merchandise.
In the stadium, while waiting for the concert to begin, people traded bracelets in response to the lyric “So make the friendship bracelets / Take the moment and taste it” from Swift’s song “You’re on Your Own, Kid.” Fans also watched the celebrity tent, eagerly waiting to see which other celebrities would be at the event. Eventually, the openers arrived on stage; for the Santa Clara shows, the two opening acts were HAIM and Gracie Abrams. As a fan of Gracie Abrams, I thoroughly enjoyed singing along to her act. Although I have not listened to much of HAIM’s music, their rock performance was a great segue into the concert.
At 8 P.M., the screen lit up with a video of a clock counting down to Swift’s arrival on stage. When the countdown hit zero, Swift’s dancers arrived on stage, crafting synchronized formations with ethereal pieces of fabric before lifting the fabric to reveal the singer. Her act, which involved countless outfit changes and 45 songs spanning ten acts, lasted over three and a half hours.
At every show, Swift sings two surprise songs from her extensive discography that change from night to night. On the first night of her Santa Clara shows, her two surprise songs were “Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version)” and “right where you left me,” both of which marked her first live performances of these songs. For the second night, which I attended, the two songs were “Stay Stay Stay (Taylor’s Version),” which she had not performed live since her Red Tour in 2014, and “All Of The Girls You Loved Before,” which she had never performed live before. Aside from the surprise songs, the two performances that I found most memorable were “Don’t Blame Me” and “Long Live (Taylor’s Version)”. By the end of the night, my voice was gone and my feet were tired, but I was left with a long-lasting smile and an exhilarating feeling.
Overall, not only did The Eras Tour prove to be an economic phenomenon, it also provided fans with an indelible night and timeless memories. While nowhere near the end of her career, Swift has already made a lasting impact on the world and is sure to be one of the most unforgettable voices of the music industry.
