In the past year, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has been a musical and cultural phenomena reaching stadiums in 23 U.S. cities, 17 countries, and starting in mid-October, theaters globally. I was one of the lucky ones who won the great war and snagged tickets for a concert back in April, but like many, I still jumped at the opportunity to see the tour on the silver screen.
Over opening weekend, the vigor that Swifties expressed while watching the film spread over social media, with videos displaying ear-blasting singing and fans holding hands in vaguely cultish circles. My showing featured a particularly enthusiastic group of middle schoolers doing back handsprings during the credits and screaming “illicit affairs” with the conviction of a middle-aged woman going through marital troubles. This does seem to be in line with Swiftie tradition, as my friend has videos of a preteen her shrieking to “Bad Blood” at the Reputation tour. Joking aside, I found myself unable to keep from smiling at their happiness and hoping they never grow up and out of that excitement. Concerts are shaped by the energy of the crowd just as much as the performance itself, and the translation of that aspect to theaters is a credit to Taylor’s team having their thumb on the pulse of her fanbase.
With an over three-and-a-half-hour setlist, there were bound to be songs or moments that ended up on the cutting room floor. Some songs, like “no body, no crime (feat. HAIM)” and “Long Live,” were not overly surprising cuts, given that they weren’t sung at all of the tour dates. To the chagrin of many fans, “Wildest Dreams,” “cardigan,” and “The Archer” were cut despite being permanent setlist fixtures. I have a personal emotional attachment to the latter two songs, so that loss stung a little.
In possibly the most anticipated part of every live show, Taylor took to the B-Stage with an acoustic guitar and flower-adorned piano to perform two surprise songs. With an expansive discography and a regular setlist of about 44 songs, the surprise songs were a way to celebrate lesser-known songs from her career. The caveat to this was that, once a song was sung, it was off the table (unless there was a mistake). When it came to the film, it was the ultimate surprise song roulette to see what two songs would be a permanent part of the Eras Tour experience. “Our Song” and “You’re On Your Own, Kid” ended up making the cut as the guitar and piano songs respectively. This was an appropriate choice, given that the former was from her very first album and the latter from her most recent. While “Our Song” isn’t a personal favorite, its role as one of her earliest hits is undeniable. Since her debut album doesn’t have a section on the setlist, “Our Song” being in the film acts as a sweet reminder of Taylor’s days of country twang and tight curls. To some fans, the setlist cuts and loss of potential surprise songs may have felt like death by a thousand cuts, but I’m decently at peace with them.
While the content of the concert was nothing new, seeing it in theaters felt like seeing it in a whole new light. The all-encompassing nature of the film was a highlight for me and a reason why even fans who went to the tour in-person decided to buy tickets. In concert, your experience is relatively limited to your seats and view, which can lead to unique moments and a very personal attachment to the performance. However, I felt like I could see and soak in so much more of the performance in theaters than in concert. You’re in the nosebleeds, in the lower-bowl, and on-stage with Taylor all at once. Being on the floor for the concert, I wasn’t able to see any of the stunning visuals on the stage’s surface and was often limited to a view of one or two of the dancers at a time. One of my favorite parts of the movie was watching the dancers, with their electric energy and breathtaking movements. The waltz during “Lover” between the paired off dancers was beautifully timeless, the golf-club-swinging and sports-car-smashing of “Blank Space” was downright fun, and the summoning circle routine of “willow” was a little baffling but captivating. To be able to take in all the incredible performers and elements of the show was like seeing an orchestra in perfect cohesion.
The film’s editing and production team certainly did the Eras Tour experience justice. The concert itself was already a gorgeous visual experience. The set pieces, such as the “folklore” cabin and metropolitan office of “The Man,” were masterfully constructed and meshed into their respective album’s aesthetics perfectly. From the sequins of “1989” to the flowing fabrics of “folklore,” the plethora of outfits for each era displayed Taylor’s endless style and the costuming team’s endless skill. The film had some fantastic cinematography moments as well, the most memorable being a sweeping continuous shot around Taylor as “Don’t Blame Me” transitioned to “Look What You Made Me Do.” The added title graphics before each album’s section were a nice touch and truly felt like a celebration of all the eras of Taylor’s career.
Of course, there were certain parts of the concert experience that just weren’t replicable in the film. Standing for seven hours in heels and a tiara (an ode to Miss Americana) was maybe not the smartest move, but I could tolerate it because the anticipation and exhilaration of the day kept me going. With every bracelet traded and every minute closer to seeing Taylor on stage, the energy in the stadium only grew. Watching the daylight fade to sunset during the “Lover” set was magical, and I think my blood pressure still has not recovered from finding out “Speak Now” and “Treacherous” were my surprise songs.
But the Eras Tour movie certainly holds up in its own right: It serves as a way to both bring the tour to so many more people and immortalize the experience, capture it, and remember it.
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