‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)’ REVIEW: A concert film for the ages
‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)’ REVIEW: A concert film for the ages
Taylor performs “Cruel Summer” in her opening act.
In an unprecedented artistic endeavor, Taylor Swift harks back to her albums, past and present, in a three-hour-long spectacle as a gift to her fans and new listeners alike. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a time capsule for Swift about the songs she has written about her life. She performs an astounding 40+ songs every night, a testament to her dedication and passion as an artist.
Filmed during the three shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the show kicked off per usual with songs from the Lover era, her seventh studio album, the first she fully owns. Swift was supposed to embark on the Lover Fest in support of the 2019 album back in mid-2020 if it weren’t for the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the touring landscape.
“Cruel Summer,” which found its way to the top of the charts in Billboard Hot 100 four years after its release in 2023, is nothing short of a certified bop being performed live.
Taylor is in awe of the crowd before she performs “Lover.”
All is gold and glamor as the first taste of nostalgia begins when the drum beats and she performs “Fearless.” I fondly remember this era as the album that introduced me to her. Suddenly it’s 2008 again and you hear “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story” and you sing your heart out.
Moreover, Evermore fans are fed as the stage transforms and takes us deeper into the woods. A successor to its sister album, Folklore, 2020 gave us indie-folk Swift and we’re so thankful for that. During this era, she got to dig deep into her songwriting prowess and wrote some, if not her best pieces of writing yet. We feel the “Midas touch on the Chevy door” during the god-tier bridge in “Champagne Problems.”
The Reputation Stadium Tour vibes are strong when the snake iconography makes its way on the stage’s graphics, signaling a change in tone and vibe in the night. A misunderstood album in her catalog, Reputation has certified bops. It was delicate, to say the least, and an era meant for the big stage.
Meanwhile, the Speak Now era is surprisingly underrepresented, only featuring “Enchanted” and “Long Live.” But even with just these two songs performed, they are enough to make us remember this moment and feel wonderstruck by how this album means to her and her fans. With this album, she traverses the pop genre and is a proving ground for her ability to cross various genres in music. Speak Now is Swift’s coming of age, a marker that she was here to stay.
Taylor dazzles her way in a sparkly red-and-black bodysuit during her Red era.
This leads us to the Red era, which features songs such as “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “22,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” which were played endlessly on the radio back in the day. But it’s the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” in front of a roaring crowd that feels both catchy and heartbreaking at the same time. The track, released in all of its glory, has been one of 2021’s finest moments in music, accompanied by a short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien.
Fans were treated with a shift in production design as the folklore era translated itself from an intimate pandemic album to a stadium musical affair. The album featured the Teenage Love Triangle of Betty, James, and an unnamed woman in the tracks “Cardigan,” “Betty,” and “August,” which showcases Swift’s sensational storytelling in full display. Alongside Evermore, this album was best performed in an intimate setting, but Swift still manages to captivate the crowd with showmanship.
Now, we shall make way for the pop bible. The 1989 era is nothing short of certified bangers left and right, cementing Swift as a chameleon-like artist with the pop genre welcoming her with open arms. From “Style” to “Blank Space” to “Bad Blood,” we’re transported back to 2014 and the crowd erupted as they should.
Taylor in her folklore dress as she performs “Illicit Affairs.”
Lastly, Swift’s most recent baby, the Midnights era, may be divisive, based on Swift’s caliber as an artist. Honestly, she played it too safe in terms of songwriting and production . Although, we can’t deny that “Anti-Hero” and “Mastermind” are catchy as hell. “Karma,” on the other hand, found its way on TikTok as a trend. In a full circle moment, Swift opens her show with the first body of work she fully owns (Lover) and ends it with her recent album up until this point.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) may just be the bonus DLC pack as it featured an extra 30-minute acoustic session. It may feel like an afterthought, sprinkling acoustic versions of “I Can See You,” “Death by A Thousand Cuts,” “Our Song,” “You Are in Love,” “Maroon,” and “You're on Your Own, Kid” after the credits rolled. But we’re still treated to amazing performances that highlight Swift, her guitar, and her piano.
Three and a half hours can be a chore to sit through, let alone for a concert film, and it’s impossible to love every song from an artist we listen to. There is no breathing room, unlike other concert films, which usually follow the artist or band rehearsing, going about their daily lives when they’re not performing onstage. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is full-on fury road.
For fans, diehard or casual, who enjoy her music, this extended version is nothing but a certified treat. Say what you will about how Swift has been working harder than ever before when it comes to money-making antiques, but The Eras Tour proved how she inspires singing and dancing with people close to you or strangers you only met in the theaters is a memory to behold. Experiencing this version in the comfort of your home is also a nice alternative for those introverted like me.
Taylor rocking the Oscar De La Renta custom bodysuit as she performs songs in the Midnights era.
With The Tortured Poets Department upon us, a tour spanning various albums like The Eras Tour may not happen again anytime soon. Perhaps, a greatest hits tour somewhere down the road in Swift’s career may come close. Truly it was a time of our lives to have witnessed, living vicariously through those in attendance, an artist claiming the songs that reflect her life through the years and are rightfully hers.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) is now exclusively streaming on Disney+.
