Are you ready for it? That was the question on every Swiftie’s lips as Taylor Swift brought The Eras Tour to Arlington, Texas for the first show in a three-night run. Fans have been waiting years to see Taylor light up the stage once again. The Eras Tour brought thousands of Swifties into AT&T Stadium for the sixth time, with the last visit to the metroplex during her Reputation tour back in 2017. This time, Nerds and Beyond had the opportunity to review and photograph the show.
Similarly to the Reputation tour, this show was made for stadiums. Upon entrance, all attendees were provided with bracelets that lit up in coordination with song cues that seemed to make each fan an important part of the show in such a large venue. Embarking on a tour of this size could be daunting, but not for Taylor Swift. From the first song until the very end, Taylor gave her all, flawlessly blending her musical eras into mini sets that fit together like puzzle pieces. Each era was highlighted by tailored visuals, distinct costume changes, beautiful vocals, and lots and lots of sparkle. During the show, fans were treated to 40 songs that spanned Taylor’s entire discography.
It seems the time away from the stage has only served to push Taylor to perfect every element of her production. The pyrotechnics, fireworks, special effects, and lighting cues that synchronized the light-up bracelets all worked flawlessly to create not just a concert, but an event. The size of the stage could easily swallow up a solo performer but Taylor owned every inch of it and proved just why she’s one of the best to do it. Even when Taylor performed two surprise acoustic songs alone on stage she seemed larger than life. She performed “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and “Ours” acoustically, accompanied only by her guitar and then piano which made the performance seem much more intimate for an at-capacity stadium with 80,000 in attendance. The softer, slower eras of her pandemic albums Folklore and Evermore gave the fans a chance to catch their breath and shed tears with music they haven’t been able to see performed live until this tour. But there was no chance Taylor was going to end her triumphant return to touring with quieter albums. As the show wrapped, she tapped into her Midnights era and her mega-hits like “Lavender Haze”, and “Anti-Hero”, while ultimately ending with “Karma” and a dance party that everyone was invited to. That’s one thing Taylor Swift is making sure of, everyone’s getting an invite to her party.
