Taylor Swift promised “a journey through all of my musical eras” when she began her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Friday. 10 hit albums are a lot of territory to cover, especially since four of them have been released since the Reputation Tour ended in late 2018.
While revisiting her catalog one era at a time in a marathon set that lasted longer than three hours, she managed to make it appear effortless, taking in the experience as much as the Swifties in attendance did.
A clear contender for the title of the most successful artist of her generation, Swift was forced to pull the plug on Lover Fest, the tour she had planned in support of 2019’s “Lover,” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that took everybody off the road in 2020.
That helped make this perhaps the most anticipated tour of 2023, and the excitement in the stadium before she even took the stage after opening sets by Gayle and Paramore was undeniable.
There were tracks from her early albums that served as a reminder that her journey had a slightly more rural feel to it when the world first learned of her prodigious abilities.
There were tracks from “Red,” the interim album on which she masterfully re-branded herself with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and the brilliant “1989,” which launched the synth-pop resurgence that followed.
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF FANS, FASHIONS AND ELECTRIFYING SCENES:
Taylor Swift fans stand in line for the Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans in the parking lot of State Farm Stadium adorned their car windows with chalk including the message “We can’t calm down for Taylor!!!” to commemorate Swift opening her Eras Tour In Glendale, Arizona, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans cross the street from the Westgate Entertainment District to get in line to enter State Farm Stadium for the Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Daulton Jefferies from Cave Creek, Arizona, left, and Natalie Kienhofer from California toast while tailgating before making their way into State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Fans arrive at State Farm Stadium for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, in Glendale. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Fans arrive at State Farm Stadium for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, in Glendale. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Fans arrive at State Farm Stadium for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, in Glendale. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans take a selfie together while for Swift to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Eras Tour is Swift’s first tour since her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)
One Taylor Swift fan has her arms and hands adorned with Taylor Swift merchandise and references including the number 13, Swift’s lucky number, while waiting for her to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Eras Tour is Swift’s first tour since her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)
Taylor Swift fans wait for her to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Eras Tour is Swift’s first tour since her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)
Taylor Swift fans dance to the music played over the PA system while waiting for Swift to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Eras Tour is Swift’s first tour since her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)
A Taylor Swift fan holds an image of Swift’s face while waiting for her to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans wait for her to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
The number 13, Taylor Swift’s lucky number, atop a Swift fan’s top hat while waiting for Swift to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans dance to the music played over the PA system while waiting for Swift to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift fans wait for her to take the stage on the opening night of her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Tori Machen dressed as Kermit the Frog in reference to the parody meme of Taylor Swift’s lyrics “Karma is my boyfriend” from “Karma” for the Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, aka Swift City, on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
Fans arrive at State Farm Stadium for the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, in Glendale. (Photo: John Medina/Getty Images)
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