After its announcement on November 1, 2022, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour caused a storm of anticipation and excitement. From the infamous Ticketmaster scandal to the rumored three-hour setlist, no one knew what to expect. But one thing has proven true. For her fans, Taylor Swift is unstoppable.  

Billboard recently reported that Swift is the highest grossing female artist of all time, projected to sell around $590M in tickets. The demand couldn’t be higher. But one question looms: Is the Eras Tour worth it?  

The short answer: 100 percent. 

After my unremitting efforts to wait in the Ticketmaster presale waiting room, that which Swift herself described as “surviving a bear attack,” I was lucky enough to get tickets to one of three sold-out nights at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, as well as one of three sold-out nights at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Both of these warranted countdowns in my phone—a form of appreciation that even graduation didn’t get. 

What sets the Eras tour apart from her other tours is the fact that it is all-encompassing. Rather than touring for one album, she is touring for her current grand total of 10. She meticulously divides the three-hour show, highlighting every album era in sets that had the audience not only on their toes, but also singing, dancing, laughing and crying. The setlist, which has been known to change from show to show, highlights her biggest hits, memorable bridges, and two acoustic surprise songs unique to each night.  

While I tried my best to stay off the internet and avoid spoilers surrounding the tour, Swift-Tok is inescapable, and I’m ashamed to say I knew some things going in. While there is no doubt she is an incredible performer, she definitely indulges a gimmicky—dare I say millennial—element in her shows. The best example is her highly anticipated “dive” into a hole onstage, along with a graphic that appears to be Swift swimming under the stage. It’s cute, and it gets the internet talking.  

The closer I got to the Raymond James stadium in Tampa, the crazier the Swiftie pride became. What seemed like every car was painted with references to her song “Getaway Car,” a fan favorite from her album “Reputation,” or phrases like “honk if you love Taylor.” (People were honking.)  Walking to the stadium, everyone was dressed in sequin dresses, boots, old concert tees, cardigans, and cat ears; basically, the attire was anything that could fall into the category of one of her albums. The energy and anticipation was palpable. Walking into the stadium felt like a sugar high.  

“It’s been a long time coming” was the opening, reverbed soundbite. A perfectly chosen line which you could interpret as a nod to Covid, Ticketmaster scandals, or the sheer effort fans have gone through for her tickets, handmade costumes, and hours-long merch lines. The speakers then transitioned into audio clips from past tours, introducing her “eras.” Her voice chanted “big reputation,” “and you said speak now,” and my personal favorite, “my name is Taylor, and I was born in 1989,” from her “1989” tour, which was the first tour of hers I attended. It gave me chills. 

While still maintaining professionality and grace, her show in Tampa had many slip ups. Starting off, she introduced the incorrect opening act, thanking Gracie Abrams rather than Gayle. She later apologized and corrected herself, joking that she must only have “thirteen brain cells”—a reference to both her famously lucky number as well as the date of the show. She diffused what could have been an incredibly awkward and uncomfortable moment, turning it into one that made everyone smile. Similarly, her in-ears fell out, she missed her diving cue, and even had to stop her acoustic rendition of “Speak Now” because she had forgotten the lyrics.  

While the mistakes were noticeable, they were heartwarming. Even someone as polished and precise as Taylor Swift still messes up, and it made everyone love her more. As a major fan since forever, for the first time ever, she felt human to me.  

Nashville was a completely different story. Rather than the show starting off with openers at the scheduled 6:30 start time, 70,000 people were put under a severe weather warning lockdown. While she may seem invincible, Swift had fallen victim to thunderstorms in an open air arena. Everyone’s sparkling costumes were either drenched in rain or wrinkled under plastic ponchos. The crowds sat for hours wherever they could find shelter; people were packed under ramps, near vendors or in bathrooms. As the night got later and later, everyone was losing hope.  

By 10pm, however, a miracle occurred. The warning was lifted, and the venue announced that she would take the stage by 10:30. The crowd’s echoing, triumphant yells were just as loud as they were when she really took stage.  

Even while performing in a rainstorm, Swift maintained high spirits. The entire crowd was jumping and yelling, in the rain, until 2am. She even brought out Aaron Dessner, her friend and co-writer from the band The National, to perform the song “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” which was the biggest highlight of the night. Looking back at videos, it’s almost impossible to hear Swift over the crowd’s yelling.  

What would have been most performers’ worst nightmare made Swift and her team “feel like little kids joyfully jumping in puddles,” as she posted on her Instagram the next day.  

The whole night was filled with gratitude: from her to her fans for sticking it out in the storm, and from her fans to her for continuing the show. She closed the show with a sincere “I love you all SO much.” She has a way of speaking that makes her sound like she means it.  

If I have learned anything from the Eras Tour, it’s that there is never a dull moment for Swift. Accidents happen, but she always makes it happen for her fans. She opened the show with the song “Ms. Americana & The Heartbreak Prince,” starting with the line, “it’s you and me, that’s my whole world.” This was a perfect thesis statement for her tour, and for Swift in general. Her fans mean everything to her, forever and always.