Taylor Swift gave a performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on July 29, 2023. The audience consisted mainly of young girls, college-aged girls, and middle-aged mothers who were just as obsessed with Taylor Swift as their daughters. The demographic was so imbalanced that one of the men’s bathrooms was temporarily converted into a women’s bathroom. It has become a tradition for fans to trade homemade friendship bracelets at Taylor Swift’s shows, inspired by a line from her song “You’re on Your Own, Kid.” Fans eagerly exchanged bracelets, even extending arms stacked with bracelets to trade with women much older than them.
The concert began with performances by Gracie Abrams and Haim. A countdown timer appeared on the screen, and everyone sang along to Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me.” When the timer reached zero, Taylor Swift made her entrance, singing a shortened version of “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” followed by the fan-favorite “Cruel Summer.” This was Taylor Swift’s first tour in five years since the release of her album “Lover” in 2019.
As a fan who had never seen Taylor Swift in concert before, I was ecstatic to be in the same room as her. However, the ticketing process for the Eras tour was chaotic, with Ticketmaster headaches and tickets being resold for exorbitant prices. Despite this, everyone in the stadium felt incredibly lucky to be there.
Throughout the night, Taylor Swift performed songs from different eras of her career, representing the albums she has released over the past 17 years. Each era had its own stage design, coordinated outfit changes, and imagery that transported me through different moments of my life. The songs from albums like “Evermore,” “Folklore,” “1989,” and “Speak Now” evoked memories and emotions from various stages of my life.
Even the albums that I didn’t initially enjoy as much were incredibly fun to experience live. Songs from albums like “Reputation” came alive in the stadium with pounding bass and visually captivating snake imagery. One of the standout moments was Taylor Swift’s performance of the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” during the “Red” era, accompanied by autumnal confetti.
During the show, Taylor Swift surprised the audience with two additional songs after the “1989” portion. She played an acoustic rendition of “Stay Stay Stay,” a song she hadn’t performed since her “Red” tour, and followed it up with the previously unreleased track “All of the Girls You Loved Before” from her album “Lover.”
The concert ended with songs from Taylor Swift’s most recent album, “Midnights.” She emerged in a sparkly dress and performed “Lavender Haze” while climbing a ladder into a fluffy purple cloud. The night concluded with the upbeat song “Karma,” accompanied by fireworks and confetti.
Overall, Taylor Swift’s performance at Levi’s Stadium was a memorable experience, filled with nostalgia, energy, and stunning visuals. The audience, regardless of age, was captivated by her music and undeniable talent.