At Gillette Stadium, Taylor Swift brought a flawless performance on Friday.
By Shira Laucharoen
Before embarking on a marathon of a concert at Gillette Stadium on Friday, Taylor Swift told the crowd just what awaited them that evening. “We’re gonna go on a grand adventure together, through 17 years of music that I’ve been lucky enough to make,” she said.
Meet the Swifties on the train to Gillette Stadium
As fans cheered from every corner of the venue, the legendary pop star beamed. At “The Eras Tour,” held in what she named “Foxy Foxborough,” she would lead them through a setlist of 45 songs, both famously confessional or inspired by her own invention.
“These songs may have started out being about something that happened to me —something that I felt, in my life, or maybe an imaginary character that I invented felt,” Swift said. “But here’s my goal at the end of the night: when you think of these songs, they’re gonna be about us.”
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In Swift’s spectacular juggernaut of a tour, she takes her audience on a musical journey across the eras of her career, ushering them through the wistful melodies of “Fearless,” the defiance of “Reputation,” and the earnest joys of “Lover.” Always, Swift has been known for her ability to deftly capture the feelings of a relationship through her songwriting, but with each album, she has continued to evolve, and her identity has changed. The concert showcases every moment along this odyssey, with Swift choosing to perform songs from every one of her albums, in unpredictable order. Diving into trap doors, sashaying across the stage in bejeweled ball gowns, and commanding the show with a single glance, Swift carries the “Eras Tour” with virtuosity and stamina. Perhaps what the show does best is that it reinforces her relationship to memory: something she has long been concerned with. Leading us from one period to another, Swift not only guides us down memory lane, but shows how she has reinvented herself across time.
For many fans, getting to this concert has been something of a journey, as well. The Ticketmaster fiasco that began last fall made it difficult for many to secure tickets, with website traffic, delays, and outages happening, as well as a canceled general sale. But the fans who managed to make it to Gillette Stadium showed up in style, ready for a show.
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Guest stars Gayle and Phoebe Bridgers opened the Friday show and will play at the Saturday concert, as well. Bridgers and Gracie Abrams will take to the stage on Sunday. Singer-songwriter Gayle’s music, which blends pop styles together with rock, alternative, and R&B, was full of energy. The 18-year-old from Texas sang “Everybody Hates Me” as an introduction. Known for songs like post-breakup anthem “abcdefu,” she also performed hits such as “ALEX” and a cover of Alanis Morisette’s “You Oughta Know.” Bridgers, an indie folk musician with melancholy lyrics and airy vocals, showcased lilting melodies in “Motion Sickness” and “Garden Song.” Before “Chinese Satellite,” she ironically dedicated the song to someone who picketed a past show. Later in the evening, she would join Swift to sing “Nothing New,” a song about anxieties over the ephemeral nature of fame.
Swift first takes us back in time to the “Lover” era, clad in an iridescent Versace bodysuit with studded boots and strutting across a stage lit by a rosy glow. Before the song “The Man,” a criticism of patriarchal society, she told the crowd that it was her eleventh show at Gillette, flexing an arm and exclaiming, “You’re making me feel so excellent right now!” Singing the title track from the album, she performed in front of a giant dollhouse that fans will recognize from the song’s music video. Her ballad “The Archer” was an intimate recognition of her own vulnerabilities.
For her next destination, Swift brought us to “Fearless,” quipping to the audience, “Are you ready to go back to high school with me?” Some of her most famous tracks, like “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story,” made popular during her teenage years, still had their exuberance and heartfelt sincerity. With the exploration of “Evermore,” the stage turned into a giant forest, at one point featuring a piano covered in moss. Here, Swift turned to more introspective pieces, like “Willow” and “Marjorie,” in remembrance of her late grandmother.
“Why that means so much to me, and why my mom is crying somewhere in the stadium — that song Majorie is a song I wrote about my grandmother Marjorie who passed away when I was 13,” Swift said. She added, “She was a singer.”
Traveling with us to “Reputation,” Swift stepped out in an asymmetrical black and red bodysuit with a snake pattern, invoking the rebellious energy of her sixth album. Performing “Look What You Made Me Do” with a crew of dancers, Swift challenged the images and personas that the public had long associated with her. In stark contrast, she donned a sparkling ball gown, shrouded in purple lighting, to sing one song from “Speak Now,” recalling love at first sight in “Enchanted.” To capture the feeling of being young and happily lost during the “Red” era, Swift resurrected tracks such as “22,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” She explained that the album is one — among several — that she’s gotten to release twice now.
“Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve had this long term goal and dream of one day owning my work, my music,” Swift said. “And so, a few years ago, I decided to completely re-record and re-release all of my six albums [originally with Big Machine Records].”
A powerful moment descended over the audience as Swift performed the track “All Too Well,” a song that originally debuted on her “Red” album. The song, speculated to having been about a relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, was re-released in 2021 as a 10-minute ballad, which Swift made into a short film, starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. As Swift played guitar, clad in a glittering red overcoat, she recounted the story of lost romance with both nostalgia and scathing specificity.
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“Folklore,” an album that came out during the pandemic, took us to the scene of a woodland cabin, as Swift ventured into more complex storytelling, with songs like “Betty,” “Illicit Affairs,” and “Cardigan.” Fans in the audience swayed to the music of her ballads, joined in repeating Swift’s lyrics along with her. Transitioning into “1989,” the first time that the singer fully embraced pop, the show took an upbeat turn, as the singer seized the spotlight with “Blank Space,” “Shake It Off,” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Following the pyrotechnics of “Bad Blood,” Swift brought out the act that everyone had been waiting for: the two surprise songs. The first one was an acoustic version of “Should’ve Said No,” from her debut album “Taylor Swift.” Playing the guitar, she intimately revived a song about betrayal with immediacy and earnestness. The second song, “Better Man,” performed on the piano, was about disappointment in a relationship.
“There was a song that I wrote originally for the Red album. It just narrowly, narrowly didn’t make the cut. And then years later, a band that I love so much, Little Big Town, reached out to us,” Swift said. They were recording their own album and wondered if Swift had something right for them. “Immediately, I knew.”
Fresh in fans’ minds was Swift’s recent breakup with actor Joe Alwyn, whom she was reported as having split from in early April, after six years together. While the singer appeared to be performing at the top of her game on Friday night, the song “Champagne Problems,” about the turning away of a marriage proposal, was especially poignant. A sense of awe and wonder overtook the audience, as they took in the moment with solemnity. Swift is currently rumored to be dating Matty Healy, lead singer and guitarist from British band The 1975.
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Swift’s dynamic performance transported audience members, from the effervescence and joy of first romance to the complexities and sorrows of her more recent years. The spark of electronic light from audience members’ bracelets lit up the stadium like an ocean of stars, as the performer dazzled with her original songs. As she narrated each tale, giving shape to different periods in her life as an artist, she took us on a journey. An era is never completely over, it seems. For a storyteller like Swift, memories live on and can even be revisited, through a lyric or the melody of a song. At this show, she brought moments in time fully into the present, while illuminating her own perspective. These things have meaning, she asserts, and more than that, they’re gloriously alive.
The evening concluded with Swift’s most recent album, “Midnights,” for which she put on an Oscar De La Renta fur coat. As she shifted from “Anti-Hero,” to “Lavender Haze,” to a Cabaret-esque chair dance routine in “Vigilante Sh–t,” Swift once again proved that she can not be defined or boxed into one identity. The night was flawless. No one let it go.
Setlist:
Gayle’s setlist
“Everybody Hates Me,” “Sleeping with My Friends,” “ALEX,” “Don’t Call Me Pretty,” “You Oughta Know” (cover), “Luv Starved,” “Snow Angels,” “abcdefu”
Phoebe Bridgers’ setlist
“Motion Sickness,” “DVD Menu,” “Garden Song,” “Kyoto,” “Scott Street,” “Moon Song,” “Chinese Satellite,” “Graceland Too,” “I Know the End”
Taylor Swift’s setlist:
1. “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince”
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2. “Cruel Summer”
3. “The Man”
4. “You Need to Calm Down”
5. “Lover”
6. “The Archer”
7. “Fearless”
8. “You Belong With Me”
9. “Love Story
10. “‘Tis the Damn Season”
11. “Willow”
12. “Marjorie”
13. “Champagne Problems”
14. “Tolerate It”
15. “…Ready For It?”
16. “Delicate”
17. “Don’t Blame Me”
18. “Look What You Made Me Do”
19. “Enchanted”
20. “22″
21. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
22. “I Knew You Were Trouble”
23. “Nothing New” (with Phoebe Bridgers)
24. “All Too Well” (10-minute version)
25. “The 1″
26. “Betty”
27. “The Last Great American Dynasty”
28. “August”
29. “Illicit Affairs”
30. “My Tears Ricochet”
31. “Cardigan”
32. “Style”
33. “Blank Space”
34. “Shake it Off”
35. “Wildest Dreams”
36. “Bad Blood”
37. “Should’ve Said No” (surprise)
38. “Better Man” (surprise)
39. “Lavender Haze”
40. “Anti-Hero”
41. “Midnight Rain”
42. “Vigilante S—”
43.. “Bejeweled”
44. “Mastermind”
45. “Karma”
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FAQs
What songs is Taylor Swift going to sing on Era Tour? ›
- "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince"
- "Cruel Summer"
- "The Man"
- "You Need to Calm Down"
- "Lover"
- "The Archer"
- "Fearless"
- "You Belong With Me"
It's said Swift performs 44 songs for three hours. Again, it starts at 6:30 p.m., but there are two other performers. In fact, some fans have recommended the best times to take bathroom breaks or visit the merchandise line.
Is Taylor Swift a billionaire? ›Swift's net worth was $570 million in 2022, according to Forbes.
How much does Taylor Swift make per concert? ›How much does Taylor Swift make per show? Swift reportedly makes an estimated $9 million per concert, but that sum is likely spread amongst Swift, her team, promoters, venues and touring production expenses.
Does Taylor Swift sing live on eras tour? ›Swift and four backing vocalists all sang live.
Who is opening for Taylor Swift eras tour? ›Singer-Songwriter Phoebe Bridgers is opening for all three shows.
What time should I get to the eras tour? ›Arrival time
If you plan on just arriving and going straight to your seat, I'd try to get there around 4-5 p.m. These venues are large so you want to give yourself time to get in and find your seat.
Swift performed the first show of her 52-show tour through North America at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. With more than 69,000 people in attendance, Taylor Swift has officially broken the record for the highest attended concert for a female artist in the U.S..
What time does Taylor Swift eras concert end? ›Going off of timelines of her previous shows during this tour, it can be expected that Taylor will take the stage at around 8 p.m., and wrap the concert up around 11 p.m.
Who is the wealthiest singer in the world? ›- 1 / 20. Katy Perry (Estimated net worth: $330 million) ...
- 2 / 20. Mariah Carey (Estimated net worth: $340 million) ...
- 3 / 20. Cher (Estimated net worth: $360 million) ...
- 4 / 20. ...
- 5 / 20. ...
- 6 / 20. ...
- 7 / 20. ...
- 8 / 20.
How much does Taylor Swift get in royalties? ›
This new deal gave Swift the royalty rate of 50% or more on her new music as opposed to the 10%-15% she likely had with Big Machine, as reported by Forbes.
Who is richer Beyonce or Taylor Swift? ›Who is richer, Beyoncé or Taylor Swift? As of January 2023, Taylor Swift is estimated to be wealthier than Beyoncé. Beyoncé's estimated net worth is $450 million, though that number will likely go way up thanks to her Renaissance tour—whenever that happens!
Which Taylor Swift tour made the most money? ›What is Taylor Swift's highest-earning tour? Taylor Swift's 'Reputation Stadium Tour', which took place from May 8, 2018, until November 21, 2018, is her highest-grossing and largest tour to date. The tour grossed $345,700,000 and had 2,939,000 people in attendance.
Why are Taylor Swift tickets so expensive? ›When tickets are first made available, this causes a surge in demand and high costs. In addition, many of Taylor Swift's shows sell out on the first day they go on sale, prompting fans to purchase tickets through websites like StubHub, where they are frequently more expensive.
How many songs does Taylor Swift play on tour? ›Swift is expected to play 44 songs, which includes two different ones each night. The songs on the tour setlist: Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince. Cruel Summer.
Will the eras tour have light up bracelets? ›Everybody in the stadium will get a light-up bracelet to wear during the show that will be synced up to the music. Taylor said during the show that she likes to hand out the bracelets so that she can see every person in the stadium through the lights!
What time does Taylor Swift concert start? ›What times does Taylor Swift's concert start? Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. each day, with the show starting at 6:30 p.m. Nissan Stadium officials say parking lots near the stadium will open at noon each day.
Who went on tour with Taylor Swift reputation? ›| No. of shows | 53 |
| Supporting acts | Broods Camila Cabello Charli XCX |
| Attendance | 2,888,922 |
| Box office | $345.7 million |
| Taylor Swift concert chronology | |
|---|---|
Subsequently, Swift invited Sheeran to be her opening act during the North American leg of her 2013 'Red Tour'.
Do you need earplugs for Taylor Swift concert? ›Bring Earplugs.
Regardless, people going to The Eras Tour should seriously consider wearing earplugs to the concert. It's not necessarily to protect the wearer's ears from the sound of Swift's music — that sound level is about the same as other stadium concerts.
How do I prepare for Eras Tour? ›
- Pack earplugs. Even the crowd noise is painfully loud. You'll still be able to hear her well and can take them out during more quiet moments.
- Bring a large clear bag to store merch and everything else during the show. Check your stadium website for bag requirements.
Each performance is a journey through the pop star's, well, eras, with a 44-song set list pulling from all ten of her studio albums. A 52-stop U.S. Swift road trip also means so many Easter eggs.
What Taylor Swift song has the most plays? ›| Song Title | Streams | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| * I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) | 1,393,116,455 | 476,072 |
| Blank Space | 1,230,517,772 | 1,787,147 |
| Shake It Off | 1,042,268,928 | 1,064,757 |
| Look What You Made Me Do | 859,742,752 | 552,463 |
AT&T Stadium released the attendance numbers for the three days worth of shows. The final total: 210,607 Swifties attended over the course of the three-day stint.
Can you meet Taylor Swift after a concert? ›Stand out at her concerts to get invited to a T-Party.
Taylor has been known to handpick devoted fans from the audience to hang out with her backstage after her concert. These are referred to as T-Parties.
In my mission to fully immerse myself in the world and wonder of Taylor Swift, I dived into the Spotify playlist 'Taylor Swift Complete Collection', where 20 hours and 46 minutes of listening time lay in wait.
What is the bag policy for Taylor Swift at NRG? ›NRG is enforcing a clear bag policy for the tour, which means the size and types of bags you can bring are limited. According to NRG, backpacks, purses, and diaper bags are not allowed and the venue strongly encourages fans not to bring any bags.
Who is the richest female singer of all time? ›Rihanna – $1.4 Billion
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, or Rihanna, as we all know her, is the richest female singer in the world. Though no exact figures are known, between her tours, albums, digital stream, royalties, and more, Rihanna has likely amassed around $350 million from her music career alone.
1. Shreya Ghoshal (Rs 185 crores): The queen of the Indian music scene, Shreya Ghoshal has left us awed with her voices. The singer has a huge fanbase in India but also all over the globe. Shreya who charges 30 lakhs for her songs, has a net worth is estimated to be more than Rs 185 crores.
Who is the richest woman in the world? ›There are 337 women on the 2023 World's Billionaires list, including a familiar face as the world's wealthiest. T he reign of Françoise Bettencourt Meyers continues.
Who owns Taylor Swift music? ›
By re-recording, Swift is technically covering her own songs as new recordings, resulting in new masters she fully owns, enabling her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use, known as synchronization, by evading the owners of the older masters and subsequently devaluing them.
What company does Taylor Swift own? ›The firm is best known for buying the master rights to Taylor Swift's first six studio albums from Big Machine in November 2020 for north of $300 million.
What is the biggest stadium Taylor Swift is playing at? ›Houston, TX — NRG Stadium
Taylor's stop down south is at one of the largest stadiums on her tour and we expect Swifties all the way from Dallas to El Paso to Houston to be in attendance.
Swift chose two designs for the trucks' vinyl wrap, with 13 trucks per design. Concertgoers were given light-up bracelets that were programmed to change color throughout the show, a practice that was later implemented in Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour (2018) and the Eras Tour (2023).
How much are average eras tour tickets? ›Everyone else got theirs through resale — the average price paid was almost $700.
Is Kanye West richer than Taylor Swift? ›According to Forbes, Swift has a networth of around $570 million. Compare that to the $400 million that West is worth, according to the same outlet, and Swift has already passed the controversial artist and designer.
Who is richer rihanna or Taylor Swift? ›Spoiler alert: it's three times as much as Taylor Swift.
Who sold more records Taylor Swift or Rihanna? ›Thanks to megahits like 'Shake It Off,' 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,' 'Mean,' 'Bad Blood,' and more, Taylor Swift – with over 100 million records sold since her 2006 debut – sits as the second best-selling female artist of the digital era (bested only by Rihanna).
What is the highest selling tour in US history? ›Adjusted for inflation, U2's tour remains the highest-grossing tour worldwide. Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime... Tour is the highest-grossing tour by an American act. The Rolling Stones, had claimed the highest-grossing tour multiple times, with the latest being A Bigger Bang Tour (currently the fifth).
How much did Taylor spend on Eras tour? ›
Rocket sleds, stunts and a $100M budget: Inside Taylor Swift's 'unbelievable' Eras Tour.
How much does it cost to meet Taylor Swift? ›How Much Are Taylor Swift Meet And Greet Tickets? Taylor Swift meet and greet tickets are available online at a price range of $1205-$3943.
What are the odds of getting Taylor Swift tickets? ›That means, according to Bookies.com's calculations, that after presales and tickets purchased by ticket brokers, only 102,389 tickets will be available for the entire tour to the general public. That leaves fans with just a 2% chance to obtain Taylor Swift tickets at face value via the general sale.
How much is a VIP ticket to a Taylor Swift concert? ›How Much Are Taylor Swift VIP Tickets For The Eras Tour? Before you can even consider whether or not Taylor Swift VIP tickets are worth it for you, it helps to determine if they're even in your budget. According to Variety, the VIP packages for The Eras Tour range from $199 to $899.
What time does Taylor go on eras tour? ›Parking Lots Open: 12 p.m. Gates Open: 4:30 p.m. Show Starts: 6:30 p.m.
What are the surprise songs Taylor Swift sang in Nashville? ›The surprise songs
"Would've, Could've, Should've," a cut from the bonus "3 a.m." edition of Swift's new album "Midnights." For the performance, Swift enlisted co-writer and producer Aaron Dessner of indie rock band The National to join her on stage.
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada (March 25, 2023)
He joined Swift to perform "Cowboy Like Me." After fans mercilessly teased Swift for not showing Evermore as much love as Folklore, they were delighted to see Evermore get some extra air time.
Everybody in the stadium will get a light-up bracelet to wear during the show that will be synced up to the music. Taylor said during the show that she likes to hand out the bracelets so that she can see every person in the stadium through the lights!
What time does Taylor Swift go on stage Gillette Stadium? ›Parking opens at 2:30 p.m. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The opening act starts at 6:30 p.m. Taylor Swift takes the stage around 8 p.m.
Is there an opening act for Taylor Swift? ›OWENN will serve as the opening act for Swift throughout her shows in June, and again on August 4, 2023.
What is Taylor Swift's big surprise? ›
Taylor Swift took home the top prize at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday before she closed out the show with a surprisingly big announcement: her new album. “I thought it would be a fun moment to tell you that my new album comes out Oct.
Did Taylor Swift ever sing at Grand Ole Opry? ›Swift left country music entirely with the release of her first pop album, 1989, in 2014, and today the Grand Ole Opry's website bears no trace of Swift ever having performed at the country music institution. Taylor Swift paid $3.97 million for this 2,826-square-foot, Cape Cod-style estate in Beverly Hills in 2011.
Is there a Taylor Swift mural in Nashville? ›Its right by Nike in @Fifth and Broadway 😍 #taylorswiftnashville #taylorswiftmural.
What was the surprise song on the night two eras tour? ›"Gorgeous"
For her second surprise song of night two in Atlanta, Swift made “Gorgeous” the first Reputation track to get the acoustic treatment this tour.
Night one in Tampa saw 'Speak Now' from the album of the same name and 'Treacherous' from Swift's 2012 album 'Red'. Night two saw 'You're On Your Own, Kid' and 'The Great War' from the 2022 album 'Midnights'.
How many surprise songs does Taylor do? ›As of May 21st, Taylor has performed 9 from Fearless (Taylor's Version), 9 from Red (Taylor's Version), 7 from Taylor Swift, 6 from Midnights, 5 from Speak Now, 5 from 1989, 3 from folklore, 3 from evermore, 2 from Lover and 1 from Reputation.
How do the wristbands work at Taylor Swift concert? ›So how do these effects work? Ten of PixMob's moving heads trigger dynamic lighting effects and shapes via patented infrared light beams, lighting up fans' wristbands in sync with the show: "The beams are digital paint brushes.
What can I bring to the Taylor Swift concert? ›What is the bag policy? Nissan Stadium has a clear bag policy in place. Bags brought inside Nissan Stadium can be no larger than 12″ by 12″ by 6″ if they are clear. This includes clear cinch sack, clear diaper bags and gallon Ziploc bags.
What are the bracelets for Eras Tour? ›Trading colorful, beaded friendship bracelets has officially become a fun activity for attendees of Swift's sweeping Eras stadium tour, with fans taking to social media to show off their arms full of fun bracelets that make references to various Swift songs, album eras, inside jokes among fans and lyrics.