At the start of the spring season, Taylor Swift officially launched her sixth and biggest tour yet: The Eras Tour. From song performances from each of her albums, planned spontaneous outfit changes and the announcement of a re-recording of her album “1989,” Swift’s concerts promised an exhilarating time for all of her fans.

As Swift wraps up the first segment of her tour in the United States, many West Ranch students have had the pleasure of attending the exhilarating, show-stopping music concert.

Aishwarya Sudan, a junior who attended one of Swift’s Los Angeles dates, commented, “The Eras Tour was one of the best nights of my life. The hype around Taylor Swift was so big during that time and to be there watching her live was unreal for me.”

Wildcats’ “Wildest Dreams” granted

Attending Switf’s tour continues to be a treat for all attendees because of how unique the concert experience is for each and every person. For Swift, the tour embodies her entire career, as she sings a select number of songs from all of her albums. Whether or not her fans enjoy certain eras over others, she makes sure to play from each one and provide spectators a chance to sing along to their favorites.

“I think the whole ‘Lover’ set was my favorite just because I was really excited and super hyped up, and the energy was amazing,” raved sophomore Lisa Haydarov, who had the opportunity to watch the show from floor seats.

While Swift is unable to include every song she has ever recorded into the track list, she plays two different surprise songs each night as a gift to her fans. In fact, it has become a continuous challenge within the Swiftie fandom to anticipate which songs she will play each time.

Mahati Dharanipathi, a junior who also had floor seats, emphasized how much she enjoyed this specific aspect of the concert: “The best part was the surprise songs. She played ‘Dress’ and ‘Exile,’ which are two of my favorite songs from my two favorite albums.”

Furthermore, concertgoers especially love Swift for her attention to the small details during shows. Whether it is the stunning outfits tailored to specific eras or the spotlighting of die-hard fans, the exciting night promises unforgettable memories of a lifetime. Fans are also given the option to buy merchandise at the event to bring home something to remember from the concert.

Feeling “Gorgeous” and in “Style”

Dressing in the styles of Swift’s albums and music award events has surfaced as a popular trend amongst many Swift fans. From head to toe, fans rocked an array of colorful and versatile shoes, outfits, nails and accessories to honor the iconic looks and themes from Swift’s famous albums.

Colorful, beaded friendship bracelets, which became a widespread trend across social media, were one of the most popular accessories. This was a fun bonding activity for fans, as they made references to various Swift songs, albums and inside jokes while trading with one another.

Haydarov shared how she prepared to dress in style for the event. “I re-created a dress from Taylor’s ‘Midnights Era’ from the VMA afterparty that she wore and it was this beautiful, blue dress with stars on it.” She elaborated, “I also prepared lots of friendship bracelets and I traded them at the venue.”

Besides the friendship bracelets, some shows featured Swift gifting back to her fans. When attending her show, Sudan mentioned her own experience with Swift’s handouts, “During the concert, everyone was wearing a glow-up electronic friendship bracelet, with one left sitting on every seat in the stadium, and the colors changed with different beats and songs to light up the stadium in such cool patterns.”

Post-Eras Tour: A “Blank Space”

After the long-awaited stand by, the iconic and exhilarating experience came to an end. The friendship bracelet trading, surprise songs, fan recognitions and chic, album-themed outfits all made Swift’s tour a unique experience for her fans like no other.

“The long lines at the merch table, excited chattering before the concert started, and the long-awaited countdown to the first song all made the night unforgettable,” reflected Sudan. “It was an amazing experience that I’ll always remember, especially because I got to see the passion that she performed with [being] so close up. I would definitely go back and relive the concert, and the feeling I woke up with the next morning the night before was a fever dream.”

For all concert goers, being able to watch their favorite artist perform for an exhilarating three hours truly made all the stress of buying tickets, preparing outfits and bracelets and getting to the venue entirely worth it. And, although the concert was a remarkably memorable experience, fans could not help the bittersweet emotions when realizing the show had come to an end. A day full of unforgettable moments had been successfully lived through.

Dharanipathi further expressed her post-tour feelings about the unforgettable show: “I had never been so excited for something before. I would absolutely go back and relive it every day if I could. I have post-concert depression whenever I see old tour videos.”

Unfortunately, Swift’s tour is set to end on Nov. 23, 2024. However, according to “People” magazine, a worldwide release of an Eras Tour documentary is set to debut on Oct. 13 of this year.

The Eras Tour brought together many die-hard Swift fans, including many students from West Ranch, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to witness the one and only Taylor Swift live in concert.