Words: Rachel Moorhead
On the 8th of June, Taylor Swift took to the stage at the Murrayfield Stadium for her second show on the UK leg of the Eras Tour, and I was lucky enough to be there.
I feel like I have to do some kind of disclaimer before I really get into things but anyway here we go. Yes, I am a Taylor fan and I have been since I was a little girl – my childhood was Taylor Swift songs and the Hannah Montana movie. However, I listen to a lot of different music and as I’ve grown up I’ve moved on from being a pop princess to more of an alternative rock queen but I don’t think liking one genre of music should limit you and people shouldn’t have to feel guilty about liking pop music. Afterall it’s called pop for a reason! On a little bit of a serious note I would encourage everyone to have an open mind exploring music, it is completely fine if you don’t like Taylor’s music but to disregard her genius lyricism or sheer stamina in performing – well I’m sorry but you would be a fool to do that!
We stayed in Glasgow for the gig because I will not lie to you the hotel prices in Edinburgh were a complete joke. Based on them alone I’m not surprised the UK is set for a £1 billion boost to the economy from her tour. However, I was worried that by staying in Glasgow we’d miss some of the atmosphere this tour is so well known for. Thankfully this was not the case. Swiftie fever seemed to have swept over the entirety of Scotland. From Eras Tour cocktails to cowboy hats Scotland was ready for it!
If you are familiar with the Eras Tour you will know that fans dress up as a particular era of Taylor’s music. Now I am a ‘Reputation’ girly at heart but the black of that album is more my everyday wannabe rockstar girlfriend look and for the Eras Tour I wanted cowboy boots and all the sparkles! On the walk to the train station a little girl kept looking back and smiling at me and my outfit and I’ll never forget how lovely it made me feel. Her eyes were bright and full of admiration and as I offered her a friendship bracelet her excitement excelled as she told me she was going the following night. My entire experience in Glasgow Queen Station was a whirlwind, trading bracelets with swifties of all ages and tourists telling me how beautiful I looked. As I sat on the train I said to my friend “how can people hate Taylor? Look at the effect she has”. As cringy as this sounds, I felt like a Disney princess or even Taylor herself with the compliments and looks of admiration from others. The Eras Tour really is the definition of girlhood.
Opening for Taylor were no other than the legends that are Paramore. I feel like I could
write an entirely separate review for them. Incredible! Hayley Williams is a real rockstar and I must note for the size of the stadium the sound quality was phenomenal.
It’s been a long time coming though so let’s talk about Taylor. Over her time at Murrayfield she broke the all-time attendance for a stadium show in Scotland 3 times in a row. The Eras Tour really is the hottest show off the summer with fans all over the world still trying to scramble for tickets and with a 46-song set it’s understandable why.
I have been to some phenomenal gigs with incredible production like Gerry Cinnamon at Hampden Park, Sam Fender at St James Park and SZA’s SOS tour but nothing will ever compare to the stage, animation, costumes and choreography of the Eras Tour. Taylor changes her outfit 16 times throughout the show and I honestly don’t know how she manages to run backstage after nailing high notes with the energy to change in a matter of seconds before the next era.
Speaking of Taylor’s stand-out stamina she performs the full 10-minute version of hit ‘All Too Well’, a song I’ve always felt an emotional connection to. It’s a song I feel was
written about my first breakup so you can just imagine how I felt hearing it in real life, but what made me even more emotional was knowing Taylor was fully singing live. She was switching up notes and calling on security to help fans in the pit silencing the rumours that she lip syncs. If you haven’t listened to the song, I want you to go right now play it and imagine singing that live in a 3 hour and 20-minute set. I nearly lost my voice in the first bridge of the evening from ‘Cruel Summer’ so I am in awe of Taylor’s vocal strength.
One of the most exciting moments of Taylor’s shows are the surprise songs where she
chooses four tracks to mash up from her 18 years of music, two on guitar and two on piano. In my opinion Edinburgh Night two won. We got ‘The Bolter’ x ‘Getaway Car’ on guitar and as a ‘Reputation’ lover I couldn’t contain my excitement hearing the bridge of the song and singing it with over 70,000 other fans. Now the piano mash up was what really blew me away ‘All Of The Girls You Loved Before’ x ‘Crazier’. Yes, ‘Crazier’ from the Hannah Montana movie! Never in a million years did I think I’d get to hear this song live; I feel like my entire childhood dreams came true in those few minutes.
Honestly, I think the Eras Tour was the best experience of my life and if I could relive the day over and over I would. It makes me quite emotional to think about the impact Taylor Swifts’ music has on so many people. Watching fans of all ages scream, cry and dance the night away is so beautiful. Taylor’s gigs have such a strong sense of community and belonging.
Her lyrics in ‘You’re on Your Own, Kid’ perfectly encapsulate the essence of the Eras Tour for me:
‘So make the friendship bracelets
Take the moment and taste it’
If you’re still waiting on your show to happen get excited! Make those friendship bracelets, buy the glitter and hair gems. The Eras Tour is so much more than a gig, it’s a community, it’s a time to come together, it’s the ultimate symbol of girlhood.
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