Saturday, April 22, 2023

Music: Taylor Swift "The Eras Tour" concert review


I've been to several Taylor Swift concerts in the past, and she always puts on a great show. But even I was unprepared for the spectacle generated by "The Eras Tour" on a sold-out night in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, the only Florida stop. "Swifties" from far and wide flooded the city, shutting down streets, "Taylor-gating," and showing off a dizzying variety of costumes and outfits based on Swift's songs.



My sister somehow got us floor-level tickets just 50 feet from the stage, an incredible feat given demand so heavy it crashed Ticketmaster and prompted Congressional antitrust hearings. The tickets could have been sold for many thousands of dollars on the street, but incredibly, I think they were worth it. This is probably the best show on Earth right now.



Perhaps sensing that they were going to have to give fans their money's worth, the "Eras" show is both exhaustive and exhausting, with elaborate set pieces, pyro, fireworks, props, and dancers - part Broadway and part Las Vegas.  This is by far the longest setlist Swift has ever toured with, too: 42 set songs and 2 surprise songs from across her career, which are all presented uncut or nearly uncut. Not counting the opening acts, it takes over three and a half hours to get through.




I'm a Taylor Swift fan, but it was almost too much of a good thing. While it was awesome grooving to dozens of hits, I did find myself checking my watch around the 120-minute mark. Dozens of tracks from the same artist eventually start to run together, no matter how talented the performer. So, when the confetti started pouring, I put this unforgettable experience in the memory banks and shuffled to the exit, along with thousands of other tired, satisfied fans.




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