Taylor Swift is one of the most defining voices of her generation, so it makes sense that “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which was released in theaters on Oct. 13, was the most anticipated concert film since…well, ever. I was one of the lucky ones who were able to see it opening weekend, and if you’re like me and you couldn’t get tickets to the actual tour, the movie truly is the next best thing.
Unlike most concerts, which have three sections at most, “The Eras Tour” is divided into ten sections, or “eras,” representing most of Swift’s ten studio albums.
The first era is 2019’s “Lover.” “Lover” is one of four of Swift’s albums that are primarily in the synth-pop genre, and it benefits greatly from the live instrumentation, particularly “Cruel Summer” and “You Need to Calm Down.” “Cruel Summer” is already a good song, but the live drums make it that much better. We also get the first audience participation section during “Cruel Summer” and its famed bridge.
Next up is “Fearless.” I like Swift’s earlier material, so this was more my speed. Unlike the “Lover” section, which features some deep cuts, this one is all hits, but they were hits for a reason. The audience loves “You Belong With Me” to this day.
After “Fearless,” Swift strips it down for “Evermore” and “Willow,” but not too much. The caped dancers with their golden orbs and added electric guitars give the song an alluring vibe that the original doesn’t have. An “Eras Tour” live album would make a killing, I’m telling you.
The “Eras Tour” is something that hasn’t been attempted before. Even Bruce Springsteen’s famous 34-song sets pale in comparison to Swift’s sets, which regularly exceed 45 songs or more.
In her intro to the piano ballad “Champagne Problems,” Swift gets candid about the novelty of the tour. Fans are so focused on how new this experience is for them, they forget that it’s new for her too. You can hear in her voice the pure joy of being able to perform all of these songs, many for the first time on tour, for her adoring fans.
After the “Evermore” era is over, the forest imagery comes down, and is replaced by giant black snakes that project over the entire stage. Make no mistake: this is the “Reputation” era. “Reputation” is not my favorite of Swift’s albums, but it was effective. I did find myself missing the guitar solo at the end of “Don’t Blame Me” from the Reputation Tour, though.
Next up is my personal favorite Swift era, “Speak Now.” “Speak Now” is shortchanged on the tour, with only two songs on the Los Angeles dates, where the movie was filmed.
One of them, “Long Live,” was cut, leaving only “Enchanted.” Still, “Enchanted” is one of my favorite songs of hers, so it isn’t that bad. At least my favorite isn’t her self-titled debut album. That album didn’t even get an era, for some reason.
“Speak Now” is followed by “Red.” Much like “Fearless,” the “Red” set consists of mostly hits, along with “22,” which didn’t reach the same level of success as “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “We Are Never Getting Back Together” in the United States, but was big internationally.
After the audience finishes crying to “All Too Well,” the lush forests return and it is time for “Folklore.” Once again, you can hear how glad Swift was to be able to play these songs for the first time in a stadium. She is truly having the time of her life with us.
As with “Evermore,” the dancers acting out the fictional narratives of the songs really enhance the experience, as do the live drums during “Illicit Affairs” and “My Tears Ricochet.”
“1989” is next and is always a crowd-pleaser. “Blank Space” is an old favorite of mine, and “Shake It Off” is somehow even more timely now than it was in 2014.
The acoustic surprise songs are next up, and are taken from various nights of the L.A. shows. Fans of her debut album were happy to get “Our Song” on guitar, and fans of Swift’s edgier and more rock-oriented material, like myself, got to enjoy an acoustic version of “You’re On Your Own, Kid” from “Midnights” on piano.
“Midnights” closes out the show. “Anti-Hero” is depicted with the imagery of the Godzilla-like Swift projects on the screen and is very effective. On “Mastermind” and closing track “Karma,” the dancers once again add to the experience.
If you’re an avid moviegoer and concertgoer like me, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is a match made from your wildest dreams. And even if you’re more of a casual fan of Swift’s music, I urge you to check it out, and see it in theaters if you can. It truly hits differently.
Tyler D’Errico is a senior geomatics engineering major at Fresno State. You can read his movie and television reviews at tylerdreviews.weebly.com.
