To a casual observer, when you hear the name Taylor Swift you will likely have an impression of her, good or bad. Even if this is not the case, you will no doubt have an opinion on her music, whether you've heard one song, or twenty of them.
I have been a Taylor fan for years, and knew this was going to be a special show, particularly as this was the first time I was seeing her live, but this concert was to redefine the concert experience for me, in all the best ways.
Whether you're a casual fan of something, or know every inch of the folklore behind the art / artist itself, I think there's a beauty in people being united by a love of the same thing. The Eras Tour was a stark reminder of how wonderful humanity can be, and how united we can be, if we only realised our similarities as humans far outweigh our differences.
I went to night one of the Eras Tour in Wembley Stadium, London, and the whole area was in full Taylor Swift festival mode, with a venue dedicated to playing all of Taylor's hits being the perfect spot to get the party vibes going in preparation for the concert itself. There were songs of hers blaring out all the way to the stadium from speakers, so that even the journey up to the venue felt magical, and everyone was adorned in the most creative of outfits, some of which mirrored the aesthetic of some of her albums, or may have been a copy of an outfit or dress Taylor wore at one of her shows, another clear sign that creativity breeds creativity, and this is always something to be celebrated.
Taylor had some incredible guest performers, from a fabulous singer called Mette, to the already well established and well loved band Paramore. I enjoyed both performances immensely, and it made me feel so much more appreciative for any opening act, whether it's in comedy or music; it is never an easy feat to open for any name that is not only well known for the art they produce and craft, but for having easily the most passionate, and slightly insane (in the best way), group of fans. Paramore, of course, are no strangers to the limelight themselves, and many of their well known hits such as "Misery Business", "The Only Exception" and "Still Into You" were still well loved, which just goes to show how music never really goes out of style, no matter the genre or the creator.
Then, we come on to the fabulous Taylor Swift herself. There is a reason this woman, despite the critics, the naysayers, and the haters, draws in the crowds and keeps a loyal fanbase: she knows how to command a stage, as well as write songs that can make you feel every emotion under the sun, sometimes all just one album.
Forevermore, this night will be engrained in my memory, not just because the sheer scale of the night, and the venue, blew my mind, but because it was so surreal to see her in person, adorned in different outfits of varying degrees of colour and style. She was effortlessly fearless in commanding her audience's attention at every given moment, and it was absolutely lovely to see her genuinely enjoy her job. Being an artist in this day and age, having to tread carefully on the line to be true to yourself but also true to your fans, is no easy feat, but Taylor still walks that line beautifully.
Her set is over three hours in length, an almost unthinkable amount of time to spend at a concert for just one artist, but you quickly lose track of the time, as this show celebrates all the different eras she has cultivated in her time, and the songs that have enthralled and hooked audiences across the world over the years. She proves time and time again her songs have made their stamp on culture, and she dances through genres like it's as natural as breathing. You can be dancing one minute to the "sick beats" advertised in her classic hit "Shake It Off", and then the next you are bawling out the painful words echoing a past heartbreak in "All Too Well".
I think it's impossible to have a discography like Taylor's and not have one song that you sort of like, or find yourself dancing to, even if it's against your better judgement, but I think it's still equally to state that not everyone will or does like her, and that's okay. Music is not a one size fits all type of medium. Music is an art form designed to move you, inspire you, and be a companion to you in hard times. It is there to be joyful with, or cry alongside, or to escape from reality.
When the final notes of "Karma" blared out over the stadium, signalling the end of the show, there was an odd feeling of being bereft of something, and it was strange how a concert, even one of this magniture, could cultivate this feeling of loss after such a fantastic evening, but it did. In some ways, this was the great compliment I could give the show; that it gave so much of itself, and fed you so much, that when the last crumbs were gone, you were left satisfied, but longing for more.
It was a fantastic show from start to finish, and the whole technical crew, the dancers, and the venue staff must also be praised for how visually spectacular everything was. So many things could've gone wrong but didn't, and whilst Taylor may have been the reason we were all there, her crew and dancers and the venue staff were all the reason we got to see her elevated in the way that she was, and hear her music blast through the stands and beyond so that even the people positioned on the highest seats could not feel left out.
I will just say one last thing to sum up how I feel about Taylor, and why I feel my appreciation for her will never cease to exist: she's a star, but a star that knows and appreciates the magnitude of the sky that she's in, and all that help magnify her shine so that she can be seen and heard around the world.
