If you’d told me a year ago that a Taylor Swift concert was on my 2023 bingo card, I would not have believed it! But I was one of the lucky hundreds of thousands (millions???) of Americans who scored tickets to see her Eras tour, in spite of the huge problems with Ticketmaster.
Honestly, Taylor Swift had never even really been on my radar – I knew most of her popular tunes, but I just thought of her as a bubblegum pop star. My teenage daughter, however, is a serious Swiftie, so giving her tickets as a Christmas gift fulfilled her Wildest Dreams – ha! Going to this concert was actually a VERY unique experience, so I thought I’d share my tips, thoughts and takes on the whole adventure.
Preparation for the concert: my daughter directed me to a “Taylor Swift Eras Setlist” on Spotify to prepare (see link below). No, this is not just a playlist of her hit songs. And forget the old school handwritten setlists on a bootleg concert tape! This is a list of every song that she sings (all 40!) in the exact order at the concert, readily available to hear (there are also always 1-2 “surprise” songs at each show) I listened to that setlist constantly in the weeks prior to the show – there is nothing worse than sitting through a concert (much less 3+ hours) when you don’t know the music!
What to wear to the show: I don’t just mean wearing something fancy or trying to look cool – Swiftie dressing for a concert is A THING (see link to Scary Mommy article below) My daughter informed me that we each had to choose an “era” to represent 😳 She was dressing as a cheerleader from the 1989 era and my older daughter was wearing a sundress and cowboy boots for Fearless. I was assigned to Red, most likely due to my daughter’s lack of confidence in my creativity. (She even sent me pics of Taylor Swift from the Red era, to make sure I got it right – Lol!) And let me just say that the three of us were very SUBDUED in comparison to most concert goers (see next paragraph).
Arriving at the hotel: when we pulled into our hotel in downtown Atlanta, I felt like we had arrived at a surreal version of Mardi Gras for teenage girls! Every female ages 10 – 60 was bedazzled, bejeweled, sparkled, or sequined, many also in white cowboy boots (where do you even buy those???) EVERYWHERE we looked! Pedicabs were all over downtown blasting Taylor Swift music and flashing neon lights, while carrying passengers (including some overserved moms, who were most likely pregaming in preparation for the concert😬). In the hotel lobby, all staff were wearing Swiftie t-shirts, while multiple big screens showed nonstop Taylor Swift videos. Sensory overload!
On to the concert: We had been advised that we didn’t need to arrive early to buy the best merch. Unfortunately for my daughter, that was not the case😕 The hoodie she’d been eyeing all weekend was only available in 2XL, so she ended up with one of the last available size M t-shirts. Oh, and when we read “no bags larger than 4.5” x 6.5” allowed”, we should’ve believed it! They actually measured and rejected my crossbody wallet and my daughter’s phone case! We were stuck paying $10 for the privilege of carrying our things around in a clear plastic bag🙄 Note to self: for our next concert, purchase one of those cute clear plastic purses that every other concert goer had!
The show itself: Three hours and fifteen minutes of nonstop Taylor! No breaks, no intermission, only quick costume changes – basically, a Broadway show on steroids! High tech special effects, pyrotechnics, and even an electronic bracelet for each attendee, which flashed different colored lights depending on the song. Fortunately, my setlist preparation paid off, and I was able to schedule some of my bathroom and refreshment breaks during the songs I didn’t know😆 But great energy and positive vibes everywhere.
My takes: during my adrenaline rush after the show, I couldn’t get the songs out of my head – for days! So I just gave in, and listened to the music again, focusing on new songs that I realized I liked at the show. I also started reading up on some of Taylor Swift’s lyrics, her background, and her public opinions, and I realized that I was actually quite impressed!
My new favorite Taylor Swift song is The Man, which is like a feminist mantra: “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man” (don’t we all feel that way sometimes?) I also learned that she re-recorded her first two albums after her former manager would not sell her the rights to her own music, which meant she wasn’t even getting royalties from any of the songs she recorded as a young teenager. You have to admire that!
I don’t think anyone could watch Taylor Swift sing, dance, and play music non-stop for 3+ hours and not admit that she is an incredible performer, who puts on an impressive show, no matter what you think of her music! And to see her continually dance, skip and run half the length of a stadium, you realize that she has the endurance of a serious athlete.
Finally, the sheer joy you feel while dancing and screaming lyrics together with 50,000 other people is pretty cool. And most importantly, spending the evening with my two favorite girls and sharing their happiness in the moment – that’s what it’s really all about ❤️!
