Denver has been occupied with chatter and excitement. Is it a superhero? The Pope? The President of the United States? No, it’s Taylor Swift.
“The Eras Tour” arrived in Colorado to not one but two sold-out shows at Empower Field at Mile High Friday and Saturday night. Spanning 17 years in a single concert, one era at a time, the singer-songwriter showcased the possibilities of discipline, dedication and a dream. Shimmering from head to toe in front of around 73,000 fans, Taylor Swift danced, sang, chatted and cried in front of a giant LED screen for three and a half hours.
To start off the night, Gracie Abrams crooned smooth, angsty ballads as the crowd began to trickle in. After a short set, the 23-year-old singer-songwriter waved goodbye with a smile. MUNA quickly jumped on stage after that, bringing a behemoth of energy.
The queer band paraded around the stage, asking fans to participate by clapping, dancing and singing along. The guitarist of the group sported a Chivas jersey representing the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, adding ingredients to the melting pot of a night. While the stadium began to fill, fans embraced the spectacle by trading bracelets, taking pictures, sharing compliments and settling into their seats as they anxiously awaited the main event.
In no time, the Swiftie storm began as the stadium erupted and thundered while backup dancers strutted on stage before Taylor Swift rose from a platform to sing “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.” The popstar blinded the crowd with her glittery leotard and boots for the “Lovers”-era portion of the show directing the crowd for “Cruel Summer,” “The Man” and LGBTQ anthem, “You Need to Calm Down.” Her bright vocals soared through the sky when you could hear them over the deafening screams from the crowd.
Each studio release was gifted two to seven songs highlighted by dedicated visuals, costumes, choreography and speech. From old Hollywood glamour, tumblr core, flowy fairy and after-hours cabaret, the fans relished in the nostalgia. While each era was represented, the newest records, “Folklore,” “Evermore,” and “Midnights” were most represented as they had not been toured previously.
Swift’s charisma won the crowd repeatedly as she took to the mic to catch fans up since their previous meeting on the “Reputation Tour” five years ago. Strolling down memory lane, the singer recalled her writing style from pop to extremely autobiographical to fairy-like and highly imaginative. Before continuing on, she addressed the crowd mentioning Denver as the most “buoyant and bouncy crowd imaginable.”
READ: Review — Like Her or Not, Taylor Swift Put On a Damn Good Show in Denver (2018)
Denver’s high energy powered through the entirety of the three-and-a-half-hour set, screaming, dancing and crying along to every era. However, it was the non-stop, relentless pursuit of the 12-time Grammy Award winner that kept fans moving. From begging to end Swift belted, chatted, tossed her hair, moved her hips and gave eye-piercing looks along with visually stimulating light shows from both the LED screen and stage without many breaths in between.
During the “secret songs” portion of the show, an acoustic interlude featured “Picture to Burn” and the live debut of “Timeless.” Sporting a flowy green dress, she stripped down to become emotionally close with the crowd but also physically as she played guitar and the piano at the top of the long stage. With just an instrument and a song, she enchanted the crowd reminding fans of how it all began. The singer waved at fans, smiled and then shed a tear as the stadium erupted into cheers, showering love to their beloved idol. Swift gazed upon the bleachers of the stadium, embracing the love.
Packing 17 albums and 45 songs into a single show is no easy feat, but Taylor Swift proved that anything is possible. To bring The Eras Tour back around, “Karma” closed the show by illustrating American maximalism with fireworks, glitter and confetti galore. Birthed from the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of performance, Swift’s Eras Tour was held together by an invisible string of talent, discipline and dedication that dazzled 73,000 fans.