Taylor Swift sells out at Wembley
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour welcomed 85,000 fans to Wembley Stadium for a three and a half hour jaw dropping show, and a nostalgic setlist.
To perform at Wembley Stadium is a something many artists dream of. To sell out the stadium for consecutive shows is an achievement only done by legends. Such a title is well deserved for world-famous country-turned-pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift. Through its genius strategy, Swift’s Eras Tour invites fans who remembered rocking out to “Love Song” and “Fearless” in the 2000s, as well as younger fans who first listened to Taylor Swift when she released “Shake it Off”. Safe to say, fans of different decades enjoyed the show. Despite the diverse age demographic, most attendees were female.
The show was a momentous occasion for many fans, who came dressed up in the theme of their favourite era, wearing cowboy hats and carrying rows of homemade friendship bracelets on their arms – a trend that grew exponentially due a lyric in one of Swift’s songs.
At 8pm, the show started with “Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince,” as the album Lover kicked off the nine eras. Each era, defined by one or two sister albums was accompanied by a fitting outfit alluding to her music videos.
Each fan was given a free wristband with an attached light box, and as such the crowd became one with Swift, transforming into a sea of red during the Red era or purple during “Fearless”. A white snake became visible in the crowd during the Reputation era.
As in every show, Swift performed her acoustic section with her guitar and piano, by mashing two songs that had fans only guessing hours before the show started. In this instant it became clear, that it is not only Swift’s well tuned voice that built her success, but also her dedication to the two instruments, and the creative brilliance of her lyrics and melodies.
As if in a movie trailer, each era gave a snapshot of Swift’s life, jumping between contrasting themes of fame, love, fun, escapism, independence, and struggle. Swift’s newest album The Tortured Poets Department brought out a new theme; mental health struggles as a consequence of fame and social media. While she previously explored fame during her Reputation album, seeing how she set the songs in an the eerie insane asylum – built with a metal white bed and creepy nurses – brought out Swift’s openness to embrace change in her style.
Similar to Adele, Swift gave her audience a show of her best songs, in an evening of experiences giving decades of memories and emotions.
