By the end of 2023—less than halfway through its scheduled 152-show run—the Eras Tour had earned over $1 billion to become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. The Times projected a whopping 2.2 billion in North American ticket sales, and a projected 5 billion increase in consumer spending in the US.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has had multiple legs, including a European leg that is running from May through August 2024 and a second US leg that will take place in October and November 2024. By the end of 2024, Swift plans to play 152 shows across 54 cities worldwide.
The Many Eras of Taylor Swift
The Eras Tour is exactly what it sounds like: a nostalgia fueled trip through the many eras of Taylor Swift. Swift’s hype is not new, she has been building her pop star brand since her debut in 2006.
The Eras Tour is celebrating 17 years of Swift’s most prolific hits. It is a showcase of all the ups, downs, milestones and growth for this multi genre pop star. This fan fervor has been building for almost 2 decades.
The European leg of the Eras Tour arrived in May 2024. After a two-month hiatus, Taylor Swift refreshed her setlist following the release of The Tortured Poets Department. She introduced a refreshed setlist in Paris, marking the kickoff of the European segment of her tour.
Swift showcased several tracks from her new album “The Tortured Poets Department,” including “But Daddy I Love Him,” “So High School,” “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?,” “Down Bad,” “Fortnight,” “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” and “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” as seen in concert footage shared on social media.
This concert marked the first live performance of these songs since the album’s release last month. Swift informed her Paris audience that they were the first to witness live renditions of the “Tortured Poets” songs.
The Swifty Mythos
There is no denying that Taylor Swift is a modern day pop star. From her country roots, to her pop hits, to her folk chapter, Taylor has always been known for vivid imagery and storytelling in her works.
Not only that, but she is a true performer, able to command the stage and stand her own alongside contemporaries such as Adele or Ariana Grande. People have written about her onstage energy and how intimate it feels. It makes sense that The Eras Tour is not just a stadium tour – her first since 2018, due to the pandemic, but rather a showcase of her talent through the years.
In addition, there’s the culmination of what the The Guardian called the Swiftian mythology in her music. Her connection with her fans is not just her ability to woo a crowd. Ever since her debut in 2006, she has always had a close relationship with her fans.
Swift praised her fans’ detective work in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2019, “I’ve trained them to be that way.” The Shake It Off singer not only interacted with fans on social media, but she also communicated with them via her music, literally. She would embed secret messages in the liner notes of her CDs or drop easter eggs using numerology or even color coding in her lyrics. This has led to an ever growing attentive and loyal fanbase ready for the next clue in her music.
More Than Just a Concert
With the hype that’s been building for almost two decades, it’s no surprise that the energy of the concert-going experience exceeds the show itself.
For example, there’s the growing excitement to dress up and create an outfit worthy of the large social event that The Eras Tour is becoming.
But ticket holders aren’t the only ones getting ready for the show. The fan demand for Taylor exceeds Ticketmaster’s supply, so unfortunately, many fans can’t get a ticket to the show.
Despite this, there are instances of celebrating outside the concert itself, known as Taylor-gating. Swifties aren’t letting their lack of tickets stop them from enjoying The Eras Tour.
Fans bring snacks, drinks, and even air mattresses to their tailgates, which cost them much less than the resale tickets retailing for $1,000 or more per ticket.
Taylor Swift’s tour stands out as an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. The Eras Tour transcends the boundaries of a typical concert, leaving a lasting impact on her fans and solidifying her status as one of the most exceptional present-day performers.
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