How far would you travel to see your favourite artist?
Tuesday, Grammy-winning singer songwriter Taylor Swift released international tour dates through till August 2024, and not a single Canadian concert date was included in her stops.
But local Swifties weren’t sweating. Instead they took to Minneapolis, Minn., to see Swift during her two-night performance of the Eras Tour at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Taylor Swift performs May 5 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. (George Walker IV / The Associated Press files)
Over the course of the tour — which kicked off in Glendale, Ariz., in March — fans have created costumes playing on themes from Swift’s 10 original studio albums and two re-recorded studio albums, with the latest re-recorded album, Speak Now, being released July 7.
The distinctiveness of each album — from the self-titled debut with its country roots, to pop album Lover to indie-folk album Folklore — speaks to the different “eras” of Swift’s musical career. Her use of storytelling through lyrics allows different themes to be portrayed in videos and album covers.
At the shows, homemade friendship bracelets are exchanged, as a nod to the lyrics “make the friendship bracelets” from Swift’s latest studio album, Midnights, which was released in October.
Tiffany Sjoblom piles on the friendship bracelets in advance of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show in Minneapolis. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
Between the outfits, the accessories and the eight-hour drive to Minneapolis, the experience of simply preparing for the concert could seem overwhelming. But that didn’t discourage Tiffany Sjoblom when she received a message from Ticketmaster last week offering a ticket to the concert.
Tiffany Sjoblom chose the Reputation Era as the inspiration for her concert outfit. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
“I was wait-listed on the battle (to get tickets in November), and I just kept dreaming,” said Sjoblom, who scored a single ticket to Swift’s Saturday show.
The 39-year-old began listening to Swift’s music when her go-to genre was country, but Sjoblom says her music tastes evolved with Swift.
“As her music changed and as she grew up — I’m slightly older than her, but I’ve kind of grown up with her as well — it’s like every era kind of fit where I was changing too.”
Although Sjoblom describes herself as an “OG Swiftie,” the Minneapolis show was her first time seeing Swift perform live.
“I used to have really bad social anxiety, so there was a period of time when she was touring here, I didn’t even like to go to movie theatres. So for me, it’s huge, just the idea I’m going to the concert by myself.”
“I have become the type of woman who can do things independently and that’s really exciting. So I’m excited to share space with Taylor and people who love her too.”
The sold-out shows at U.S. Bank Stadium brought out around 120,000 fans, and Sjoblom says she sees that fan base growing.
“It’s been exciting to see more and more people during the pandemic discover her music and find whatever they find in it — whatever that’s joy or hope or healing, just relatability. I think that’s really awesome so I’m on board for everyone becoming a Swiftie. ”
Scarlett Lloyd chose to wear an outfit from Taylor Swift’s Lover Era to the concert in Minneapolis. On her luggage is a T-shirt she made for her mom Erin, which is similar to a shirt Swift wore in her You Belong with Me music video. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
Scarlett Lloyd, 13, recently became a fan, but unknowingly began listening to Swift’s music when she was younger.
“I remember being in Grade 2 maybe, and listening to her songs on the radio, but I never knew it was her,” said Lloyd, who became a fan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At that time, I didn’t have a phone, so on the weekends, because we couldn’t go out anywhere, I would sit in my room and I would listen to the radio, like, all day.”
After memorizing the lyrics to Swift’s radio hits Willow and Cardigan, Lloyd said she began listening to her music more intentionally.
“It’s kind of neat how listening to her music on shuffle is like an emotional roller-coaster, because you never know what’s coming next. Her discography is so many different genres and so many different types of songs.”
Scarlett Lloyd shows off her friendship bracelets; Swifties are making, trading and gifting the homemade jewelry at shows. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
Lloyd was heading to the Friday-night Minneapolis concert with her mom, Erin Waterman, and family friends. To prepare for the show, Lloyd said she created a slide presentation showing different outfits to help decide what era to represent; she landed on Lover.
The Lover album also holds a special place for concert-goers Brayden Gray, 26, and his fiancée, Libby Giesbrecht, 25. Its title track will be their first dance song at their August wedding in Winnipeg.
Brayden Gray (right), and fiancée Libby Giesbrecht outside of the U.S. Bank Stadium before Swift’s Saturday show. (Supplied)
When the pair first met in 2018, Giesbrecht would play the Reputation album when they were together, says Gray, who wasn’t originally a fan.
“Over the course of six years, it’s been in the car constantly — I hear all about the different updates on Taylor Swift’s life — and so ultimately I started to enjoy the music. And when albums are getting released, I get excited too and am curious to see what she’s doing next.”
Although Giesbrecht has been to Swift concerts in the past, the Eras Tour was the couple’s first Swift concert as a couple.
“It’s been a discussion ever since we met really that if we ever get the chance to go see a Taylor Swift concert we were going to do it together,” said Gray.
“So we are very blessed that we finally get that opportunity to do it.”
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Thousands lined up to purchase Taylor Swift’s official concert merchandise Saturday afternoon. (Nadya Pankiw / Winnipeg Free Press)
In a sea of sequins, Fearless fringe and bejeweled bodysuits, thousands of fans lined up before the show to purchase merchandise from a trailer outside of the stadium.
Lines wrapped around a courtyard on Chicago Avenue, which had been closed for the concert, across from the stadium. As the sun beat down on the crowd, vendors pushed through the lines offering bottles of water: “Two for five,” yelled one salesperson.
While the trailer opened for sales at noon, most sizes of T-shirts and sweaters had been sold out by mid-afternoon, said a sales associate at the merchandise table.
Once fans secured their mementos, many chose to wait in line, hours before doors opened at 4:30 p.m.
Stories about attending previous concerts and Zip-loc bags filled with friendship bracelets were exchanged to help pass the time.
A car drives in downtown Minneapolis with paint on the back that reads “Bound for The Eras Tour.” (Nadya Pankiw / Winnipeg Free Press)
Inside the stadium, ticket holders were given light-up bracelets that had been programmed to turn different colours to complement the set list. Massive screens could be seen behind the stage, on the sides of the stage, and at the back of the venue to ensure no matter where ticket holders sat, there wasn’t a bad seat in the stadium.
Swift took the stage just before 8 p.m. following the opening acts, and the stadium erupted in screams and sing-alongs that lasted the entirety of her three-hour performance.
After the first four songs, Swift introduced herself to the crowd, saying she was looking forward to “going back into 17 years of music together, one era at a time.”
While some of Swift’s greatest hits were written when she was a teenager and in her 20s, she told fans she didn’t want them to think of what she was experiencing during those times, but rather about the memories made together that night.
Swift emphasized a period of growth and the distance she’s made with her autobiographical music as she introduced the first surprise song of the Saturday performance, Dear John.
She reminded fans the song, rumoured to be written about her previous relationship with singer John Mayer, was from a lifetime ago, and discouraged Swifties from digging up old skeletons.
In a red duster dress, Swift played the guitar with fervour while singing the breakup song, the spotlight shining starkly on her. Background dancers subsided, special effects were subduded and Swift’s whole focus was creating an intimate, one-on-one moment with her captivated audience.
The official merchandise trailer. (Nadya Pankiw / Winnipeg Free Press)
However, Swift’s greatest strength as a performer is being able to engage the masses, gesturing to the crowd, removing her earpieces to listen to the screams and expressing so candidly her gratitude for her fans.
Following the final song, Karma, flares shot up into the sky, confetti fell from the air, and Swift waved goodbye to the crowd before disappearing from the stage.
Some fans remained in their seats following the breathtaking performance, partly in shock, partly because they had been standing for the whole show. Others took time to remove their shoes, their feet swollen from dancing in platform heels and cowboy boots.
A few fans began to scour the ground for confetti — one last keepsake to have of the shows that will continue to make history.
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