It’s hard to put into words what The Eras Tour has meant to so many of us and how the end of the tour feels. For me, it has felt like a warm hug of music in a span of time of a growing friendship. And now it’s time to bid farewell to that friend, but only till we see them again. There is heartfelt emotion in all of it, collectively felt through Swifties worldwide. Music evokes feelings. Lyrics evoke feelings. We know this. When the songs and performances and the lyrics bring you along like a friend with stories to share, you feel like you’re a part of it. Each and every night.

From initially hearing about the tour and not even having a hope of getting tickets, to TAYgating in Philly on Mother’s Day and hearing The Best Day for one of the surprise songs, to ultimately getting to go to The Eras Tour in Pittsburgh (thanks to a friend and face-value tickets), to potentially going to one of the Europe shows (I didn’t), to ultimately watching lots of grainy livestreams with all the other Swifties around the world, it’s been an incredible time that I didn’t see coming.

From watching those grainy livestreams (IYKYK) together with total strangers but feeling like you know them, sorta (Hi Tess!), to clowning for what may come next, to finally making friendship bracelets, to feeling totally normal when walking up to a stranger and saying “Oh hi!” cuz they’re wearing Eras Tour gear, there is a connectivity to people you don’t really know in a way I haven’t felt in quite the same way before, reminding me of Taylor’s song Invisible String. I mean, the fact that one of the most beloved Eras Tour dancers Kam Saunders is the brother of Khalen Saunders who was Travis Kelce’s teammate on the Kansas City Chiefs LONG before Taylor and Travis would ever meet is quite the invisible string in the two degree of separation world I often experience out there.

Time, curious time
Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs
Were there clues I didn’t see?
And isn’t it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me
(lyrics from Invisible String)

Speaking of clowning, I’m not really clowning, except for one thing, which seems amazing and beautiful and all the things. I can’t take credit for thinking of this myself, but some awesome Swifties somewhere figured out that the stage is shaped the same as the key in the classic book The Secret Garden, PLUS Taylor references The Secret Garden in her song I Hate it Here which I’ve had on repeat like a million times ever since the realization set in.

I hate it here so I will go to
secret gardens in my mind
People need a key to get to
The only one is mine
I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child
No mid-sized city hopes and small town fears
I’m there most of the year
Cause I hate it here
(lyrics from I Hate It Here)

Taylor swirls, twirls, and whirls around that stage, and along with her AMAZING dancers, singers, band, and crew, they create an atmosphere through each era that is like chapters of a book that everyone wants to read on repeat. It’s almost theatrical in the way the choreography, song delivery, and tone are brought to the audience, casting an evocative takeaway that waxes nostalgic for being able to watch the show, even as we are all sad to say goodbye to it. It’s not that I want it to end, but at the same time, I’m happy for Taylor to have a break and do whatever she wants to do next, and YES I’m hoping for some type of announcement tonight! Caveat: If she decided to resurrect the Eras Tour, I would LOVE that too.

I’ve been a fan of Taylor Swift ever since first hearing her song MEAN back in 2010. As a singer/songwriter myself, I was blown away by that song AND the origin story of it. This was one of what would be many examples of her re-writing the story and turning something bad and negative into something amazing. She is a MASTERMIND. The more someone bullies her, the more she counters it with something good and positive, rising above, and leaving the haters in the dust. She has continued to stand back up EVERY TIME someone has tried to knock her down and it’s kind of a superpower when you think about it. She didn’t ask for any of it. She didn’t ask to have to prove herself over and over and over and over again. She didn’t ask to have to defend herself or deal with haters time and time again. But one of the coolest things about the way she has honed her skills in handling it is how she has inadvertently taught the skill to SO. MANY. OTHERS. She is a role model for how to deal with bullies and haters and it spans all ages (says this 62 year old Swiftie). I don’t want to get too carried away about it here, but if you want to read more, I wrote an article-blog about it.

Taylor is the consummate professional. She’s endearing, she’s compelling, she’s a mastermind. Case in point: the way she flipped the narrative of rain shows being a lot to deal with for 3.5 hours, to those shows being something so special and unique that the audiences welcomed them is true genius, and well, it’s Taylor at her finest mastermindery. She and all her dancers and singers and band performing in torrential rain was something to behold. I’m not saying others haven’t done it, but the way it was embraced was something I didn’t see coming. And I’m still trying to figure out how all the equipment and instruments were ok, not to mention how the team was able to make sure everyone stayed safe. I’ve been at countless festivals in the pouring rain and I’ve performed in the rain as well, but the stages were typically covered. Not here. The ghost in the piano  was truly something to see, happening the night after what Taylor described as “the rainiest rain show that ever rain showed ever ever ever”.

It was rare. I was there.
(lyrics from All Too Well)

Swifties across the world have been invested in all things The Eras Tour and we’ve had almost two years to be there, whether in person, at a TAYgate, or watching from afar. The impact The Eras Tour has had on the economy of every city on the tour, (149 shows over five continents) plus the donations made to so many food banks, plus the generosity of the infamous $100,000 bonuses to each of her 50 truckers, and so much more is astounding. Many Swifites (including me) also volunteered with Swifties for Kamala and Swifties for Harris, plus voter registration and more. It’s no wonder we feel the feels so strongly. I am confident that Swifties near and far will continue to connect and that the friendships forged through the tour will sustain and continue to spread throughout the eras to come.

So make the friendship bracelets
Take the moment and taste it
(lyrics from You’re On Your Own Kid)

Taylor and her entire Eras Tour family have brought us EVERYTHING for 21 months, giving us all the feels and beyond, with everything they’ve got. If the cheers after Champagne Problems at Vancouver night 2 cheers are any indication, tonight is sure to be beyond our wildest dreams. So there needed to be a final show at some point, and that time is now. As Taylor so brilliantly does time and time again, I’m choosing to flip the narrative. YES I know this is literally the end of The Eras Tour, BUT instead of looking at it like a sad ending, I’m looking at it like the beginning of the next chapter.

Hold on to the memories
They will hold on to you
(lyrics from New Year’s Day)

I’ve had the time of my life sailing on the friendSHIP of Taylor Swift and The Eras Tour. It’s been quite a journey for Swifties everywhere and may it continue on into the sunset of this day to the sunrise of all the tomorrows…

Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine
Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
(lyrics from Long Live)

LONG LIVE!

THANK YOU Taylor. Thank you all of Taylor’s dancers, singers, band, and the entire crew.

p.s. While I have pen in hand (or well, keyboard), I’ll slide this in here too. I hope that laws will change as a result of the tour and all the mess from ticket buying or attempts at it. I have perspective and I’m not comparing this to bigger problems in the world, but in context here, the initial ticket sales were a debacle as we know, and there is no reason that third party ticket sellers should be allowed to price gouge, and that’s what it is; it’s not the same as free enterprise in my book. I feel bad for any Swifties that didn’t get to go but would have been able to if they could have gotten tickets at face value as I was lucky enough to, thanks to a friend.

p.p.s. Why do I seem to write about Taylor more than other artists? I think it’s because it just upsets me that such an amazing songwriter still has to deal with so many people that are so quick to make judgments without listening to her songs. To be clear and I shouldn’t need to say this but I will anyway, I love SO MANY different artists and speaking so highly of Taylor does not for one second negate any other artists. Seeing Taylor with 73,000 other people still had an indescribable intimacy, yet she started out in her career no differently than so many of us who came up writing songs and performing at our local venues for a handful of people. I rarely go to the BIG shows, most often due to cost and complexity, but getting to see artists like Taylor and P!nk and Dolly and Brandi and The Chicks and Lady Gaga have awakened something in me. I still and always love the smaller shows where the artists are accessible to say hi to and all of that, but I’m so glad to have seen these amazing women in all their amazingness. Now if only I could get to see Beyonce and Adele…