The Eras experience

2023 has been the year of the Swifties and it's not difficult to see why. With the release of the much-anticipated re-recordings of Speak Now and 1989, and a record-breaking 7th Grammy nomination for "Song of the Year," Taylor Swift has been difficult to shake off from our collective consciousness. "The Eras Tour", however, was her magnum opus. With a runtime of nearly four hours, it's a masterful compilation of Taylor's 17-year-long career, featuring 44 songs from her 10 studio albums. Of course, not everyone could afford to go watch the popstar live on her groundbreaking tour. So, when Taylor announced the release of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour on August 31, the internet predictably erupted into giddy excitement.

Despite attending the earliest show, the popcorn line was still packed with Swifties donning Folklore wristbands or t-shirts adorned with her countless iconic lyrics. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour strongly emphasises the "concert" part of being a concert film. I felt teleported to an arena, hearing the whole theatre singing along to Lover while stepping inside, belting along to Love Story with 50 others and then seeing half the theatre rush to the front to dance along to Shake It Off.  

The film also refuses to pull its punches with its gorgeous cinematography. The camera work is incredibly immersive with shots from seemingly every possible angle, almost teleporting the viewer to the SoFi stadium itself. The stage design and costume changes are Taylor-ed to each era, from the cottage-in-the-woods ambience of Evermore to the dark serpentine style of Reputation. What stands out the most is Taylor's ability to tell stories through the moving theatrical performances and the meticulously choreographed dance numbers with her crew of talented backup dancers, adding an entirely new dimension to her lyricism. 

It would also be a terrible injustice not to appreciate the musicality of The Eras Tour. Taylor showcases why she is one of the best in the industry when it comes to putting on a show. Despite the nearly four-hour setlist, she never skips a beat, singing with absolute conviction without even a hint of exhaustion in her voice. Taylor's brilliant ensemble of skilled musicians elevates the live renditions to a higher stratosphere. The mixing is tasteful and deliberate, from the punchy kicks and rib-shattering 808s in Look What You Made Me Do to the warm acoustic tones of the 10-minute version of All Too Well.

As I walked out of the hall, my voice was left slightly sore and my weekly Spotify playlist decidedly included more Taylor Swift. The film is perfectly able to capture the magic of The Eras Tour in two dimensions and a slightly shorter runtime of 2 hours and 45 minutes. The film is a worthy substitution to the actual concert and is able to flex the full spectrum of what may possibly be one of the greatest musical spectacles of the 21st century. All in all, it was an enchanting experience that any Swiftie will be sure to love all too well.

Robiah is an A level graduate from Mastermind English Medium School.