Reviews

Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour in Denver Night 2

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour

Denver, CO

July 15, 2023

All photos care of TAS Rights Management

Before

I’m not a Swifty. Going into the Eras Tour was homework. Before going I knew the Eras Tour was divided up into 10 acts based upon Swift’s 10 studio albums. I knew that Swift’s set was 44 songs and was going to run over 3 hours, not including the openers. I knew maybe 4-5 of Swift’s songs before the show.

During

Arriving at Empower Field at Mile High was a sea of people in t-shirts, costumes, and glitter. Everyone was friendly and happy despite the baking heat. Friendship bracelets could be seen with album names, song names, and “Taylor.”

Gracie Abrams started the night. Abrams is the daughter of JJ Abrams and she released her debut album Good Riddance this year. Abrams mainly stayed on the elevated part of the stage for her 20-minute set that included songs “Block Me Out”, and “I Miss You, I’m Sorry.”

Next up was MUNA. MUNA has come through Colorado many times including recently headlining Mission Ballroom. They are a high-energy trio consisting of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin & Naomi McPherson. They are signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records and released their 3rd album, MUNA last year. Their set included “What I Want” and “I Know A Place.” Gavin came down the stage with a grin and brought the audience to their feet many times. For the final song “Silk Chiffon” MUNA was joined by Gracie Abrams as it was the final night for both bands on the tour.

In-between sets the huge video screens broadcast Taylor Swift and the making of’s. The countdown to the set was a clock on the screen with a countdown with people going crazy once it hit under a minute. Dancers with huge pastel wings fluttering in the wind began the show before Swift emerged on an elevated platform with “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” to begin the LOVER set. When Swift took her first break to speak the audience screamed for a minute straight. Swift thanked the audience many times during the show and spoke about how important it was to her to bring the songs back on the road.

The FEARLESS set included favorites including “Fearless” and “You Belong to Me.”

Taylor Swift

REPUTATION brought Swift out with snakes on screen and a darker motif with songs including “Don’t Blame Me” and “Look What You Made Me Do.”

Taylor Swift

RED included the old favorites of “22” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” During “22” Swift came out with a t-shirt “Who’s Taylor Swift Anyway EW.” She paraded down the stage with the dancers.

Taylor Swift

FOLKLORE was one of the longest and most intriguing sets of the night. Swift introduced her song “Betty” by telling how lockdown made her change her style from writing purely autobiographical songs to inventing fictional characters, including the boy trying to apologize to “Betty.” The FOLKLORE house was on stage as a 3 platform house with a thatched roof that Swift would sing from the roof to the middle section with a vocal mic on a stand. “The Last Great American Dynasty” included dancers moving in and out of the house as the band stayed based around it.

1989 included “Shake It Off” which had the entire audience singing every lyric.

Swift included an acoustic set at the end of the stage both with guitar and on piano. It included 2 songs making their tour debut: “Starlight” and “Back to December.”

The final set was MIDNIGHTS which opened with “Lavender Haze” and dancers bringing clouds on ladders. “Anti-Hero” included the video of a massive Swift decimating the city Godzilla style. The night ended with fireworks and “Karma” and Swift and dancers in a rainbow of sequined jackets.

Enough can’t be said for the production itself. The band was sometimes flanking the stage and invisible. At other times would be part of a dancing or production number or on the elevated platforms. The dance troupe was colorful and varied from being a chorus line to specific characters. The video screen itself was a character in the show. Not only did it give close-ups of Swift it also generated themes and moments to fit within the setting.

Swift reigns supreme in bringing a tour that encapsulates her career and her motivations. It is a huge thank you to dedicated fans. It also asks the question, “What is next?”

After

The day after the show two announcements came out. The first was that Taylor Swift had become the first woman to have four albums in the US Charts at the same time. The second was the huge donation that Taylor Swift gave to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

Swift’s show was 45 songs not 44. As I still recover from the tour, I can say I know more than 5-6 songs and have met a force in the industry that will always make a mark.

#taylorswift #MUNA #gracieabrams

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