I'm in my Eras Era.

   I am one of the lucky swifties who was able to secure tickets to her show in Foxborough at Gillette Stadium, though truthfully tears were shed in that process. Thank you to my amazing friend Abi who gave me her presale code - Abi, I owe you my first born. 

   I’ve been waiting for the Eras Tour since the COVID-induced cancellation of Lover Fest, but subconsciously I've been waiting for this my whole life. My first concert ever was the Speak Now Tour at Gillette in June 2011- her first stadium performance ever and the ICONIC rain show. I was 9 years old, and I remember getting all dressed up in my full Justice fit and thinking this was the biggest serve of my life. Now at 20, I did the same exact thing. This time, I can confirm that I have indeed never slayed harder. Given that Speak Now is my stan album I saw it fitting to wear all purple attire and add enough glitter in hopes that Taylor could see me from section 205 (she did not). 

   Getting to experience all of Taylor's Eras in one night was truly magical and life changing. I’ve grown up with her music and have been able to relate to each one of her albums in completely different ways. The original Fearless came out when I was only 6 years old, but when Fearless Taylor’s Version debuted in 2021, it was like hearing the lyrics for the first time. Taylor 's ability to transcend genres and decades solidifies her as an artist who is truly Timeless (From the Vault). 

   From a production point of view, Blondie's shows are unparalleled. Since her very first tour, Taylor and her team have proven they know damn well how to put on a show. When the flames burst out from the stage during the Reputation section of the concert, I could feel the heat warm me up from halfway up the stadium. Whoever Taylor's fire guy is needs a raise for that one, because I was freezing. Which also explains why I waited in a 2 HOUR LONG merch line to get my paws on that blue crewneck... totally worth it though. 

   The highlight of my night was the acoustic surprise song section. My show was her first night at Gillette, and by the grace of god herself, Mother chose to sing Better Man from Red (Taylors Version) and Should've Said No from her debut album. Either I was the only one in my section who knew all the words to Better Man, or I was just singing so unbelievably loud to the point where I could not hear anyone farther than 5 inches from me. But nevertheless, she persisted, and I nearly made it through the whole show before I lost my voice completely. 

   Do I wish she played more from Speak Now than half of Enchanted? Sure. Still, attending the Eras Tour will go down as a moment in my personal history. And yes, I will be returning to campus this fall sporting my new blue crewneck with absolutely no shame in how much I paid for that.