Last Friday, Oct. 13, Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated “Eras Tour” movie. The filming of her highly successful and record-breaking concerts from the Eras Tour allowed the Swifties who did not see it live to still enjoy the show. As one of these Swifties who was not able to attend a live concert, I was so grateful for this opportunity to see the film with my friends.
To prepare, my friends and I met up a few times before the premiere to make friendship bracelets for each other, other Swifties at the theater and ourselves. For those who don’t know, Swifties love friendship bracelets because of the lyric, “so make the friendship bracelets / take the moment and taste it / you got no reason to be afraid,” from the song “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” Since each of us was dressing up as a certain Taylor Swift album (or in this case, era), we made bracelets matching the aesthetic of that era. We also made each other bracelets referencing each of our favorite songs, as well as the songs that best represent us. As a history major, I received bracelets relating to the songs “Timeless” and “The Great War,” since both songs contain historical imagery in the lyrics.
Finally, after weeks of anticipation, Friday, Oct. 13 came. With our outfits on and Kwik Trip food in hand, the five of us set out on the hour long car ride to the closest AMC theater. Once we got to the theater and stocked up on concessions, we began trading bracelets with the Swifties around us. It was such a fun experience to be around a bunch of strangers who, for a night, came together to express their love of Taylor Swift and have fun with fellow fans. The experience also gave me a better appreciation for many songs that I was not obsessed with at first.
The show, true to its “Eras Tour” name, goes through each album of Taylor’s discography. Because her last four albums “Lover,” “folklore,” “evermore” and “Midnights” did not have their own tours, they had much longer sets. What I really appreciated was that she did not go in order, keeping everyone who did not know the set list beforehand on their toes, and kept each set unique to that particular album. The “evermore” set was my personal favorite. I love that album and Taylor’s choice of using a mystical and woodsy aesthetic perfectly captured how that album makes me feel. The dress she wears for the set is absolutely gorgeous and the mossy misty set was the perfect choice. I personally loved her performance for “willow,” which featured her wearing a dark green cloak and her background dancers performing with glowing orange orbs. The whole experience was absolutely incredible to see and I cannot even imagine what it must have been like seeing it live. I also really liked how she sang “Our Song” from her debut album right before the set to her most recent album “Midnights.” I felt like that choice tied together her entire career so far.
One of my friends who accompanied me was sophomore Kayla Jarppi. Jarppi, who got the chance to see the tour live in Nashville, compared the two mediums in which she experienced the show. She told me that she really wished the film had more shots of the audience during songs like “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” where snow-like confetti fell into the audience. The shots focused solely on Taylor and the confetti was hard to see. Jarppi also said that the documentary, while unable to capture the full awe of the live performance, brought her back to that night in Nashville, including one rather emotional memory. “When I saw Taylor live, it had been two weeks since my grandmother had passed away, so when Taylor performed ‘marjorie,’ a song she wrote about her own grandmother, I couldn’t help but cry… seeing the documentary elicited the same reaction.” When asked what her favorite set was, Jarppi responded, “the ‘folklore’ set. From the moss- and ivy-covered horse where she opens with ‘the 1,’ to the mystical, flowing white dress that somehow fits the vibes of every song on the album, the set is gorgeous, contemplative and emotional in every aspect.”
Overall, seeing the “Era’s Tour” film was an incredible experience that all of us hope to never forget. From the time my friends and I spent making bracelets and planning our outfits leading up to the date, to the short road trip to the theater and the filmed concert itself — I will be forever grateful for those memories.