Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Given how expensive concerts have become, seeing one of this magnitude for a comparatively inexpensive movie ticket is a treat. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a concert film that her in-house production company made independently in collaboration with Silent House Productions. Directed by Sam Wrench (Billie Eilish Live at the O2, Lizzo: Live in Concert), it was filmed in August 2023 during the first three of six sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Incidentally, Taylor has finished the U.S. leg and will move to South America in November. She’ll have many dates throughout the rest of the world and spend most of 2024 in Japan, Australia, Singapore, and Europe.

Even though I am a pop music fan and Taylor is a massive star, I wouldn’t call myself a “Swiftie.” However, she is unquestionably a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, a veritable force of nature. I’ll admit I am Swift-curious. This was my mindset when I entered the theater. I walked out singing her praises. Taylor, “Look what you made me do.”

The Eras Tour is impressive for its breadth and scope. This edit features a sampling of 40 songs from 10 albums. As you might deduce from that extensive playlist, the runtime is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The production is consistently entertaining. However, if I had a quibble, it is overlong for anyone who isn’t a devout follower. Call it too much of a good thing. Nevertheless, true devotees will argue that the document should have been longer. Four tunes were cut, as the real show lasted 3 hours 15 minutes. She puts on a spectacular exhibition with various sets, dancers, and costumes meticulously crafted to match the aesthetic of each recording.

Songs are performed as clusters grouped from the same album but not presented in their release order. For example, Taylor kicks off things with a bang by singing “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” from her 7th album, Lover. Dancers emerge wielding towering tapestries like something out of Cirque du Soleil that billow in the wind. The set design for “The Man” uses scaffolding and office props to simulate a multi-level corporate environment.

The transitions between each phase are remarkable. An aerial view of a giant CGI cobra seems to grip the entire stage as we launch into Reputation and the track “Ready for It,” complete with digital snakes undulating on the runway. Later, after the surprise number “You’re on Your Own Kid,” she appears to dive into the floor. A video of her swimming under the catwalk toward the front is nothing less than jaw-dropping. This morphs into an ocean wave where she reemerges, climbing up a ladder into a cloud that precedes “Lavender Haze,” one of the many highlights on Midnights.

Taylor Swift dabbles in an extraordinary array of genres. The outstanding world-building complements the individual style. Even quieter, more introspective recordings like Folklore and Evermore get magnificent physical environments and props: a moss-covered piano in the woods for the latter and a full-fledged cabin in some remote forest for the former. I tend to prefer the percolating synth-pop of her latest release, Midnights, oozing with analog synthesizers, drum machines, and subtle R&B grooves. She wisely closes with this recording. It’s a robust finale.

The Eras Tour is a colorful extravaganza, perfectly captured on film. Every word, glance, and step is carefully choreographed. There are lots of close-up shots, so it feels like you’re on the stage, but occasionally, the director will use wide angles so you can get a feel for the scope of the crowd. It’s an excellent case for her place in music history. At the very least, it shows the distinct level of appreciation she enjoys from dedicated fans. She entertained over 70,000 spectators each night. Taylor Swift, fully confident in her abilities, completely holds the audience in the palm of her hand. She is a self-assured performer. I now have a greater appreciation for Taylor Swift’s talent. This is an artist who is at the peak of popularity, and she’s operating at the top of her game.

10-12-23