The excitement begins on the plane: six girls and young women compare notes on costumes (“You want to be in Lovers?” “I want to be in Midnight!” “I want to be Miss America”), productions, and deals. Friendship bracelets, some even traveled to the country without a ticket, hoping for a miracle one day. The action continued in the bars and restaurants the night before and into the day, with themed cocktails flying and every conversation somehow centered around the city’s biggest event in years.
When Swift takes the stage in Toronto on Thursday night (November 14) for the first of six shows, marking the start of the final Canadian leg of her long-running and record-breaking Eras Tour, it’s already reaching In a frenzied tone, the first notes of opener “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” were nearly drowned out by the screams of those who had waited so long to see a show that might never come again.
“In 2024, we’re doing the Eras tour around the world,” Swift said at the beginning of the show. “We went to Asia, we went to Australia, we spent the whole summer in Europe and then we came back across the U.S. and we thought, ‘You know what? If we were to end the Eras tour[which we had done at nine shows]), “I was thinking, I want to spend my last show with the most generous, encouraging, passionate, excited fans. “So we come to see you, Toronto.
Before the show started, the area around the venue was packed with people who either lined up as soon as the doors opened or flocked to the bars and restaurants closest to the venue. But when she took the stage, it seemed like the entire city packed into the Rogers Center to witness the spectacle. Here are eight of the best moments from the first of Taylor Swift’s six nights in Toronto, just eight of the 149 Eras tour dates remaining.
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Giant Travel Friendship Bracelet
It debuted in New Orleans, then moved to Indianapolis, and now it’s going international: giant friendship bracelets appear outside Rogers Center, a huge tribute to the fan-led phenomenon that has become the Eras Tour A must-have for attendees welcoming fans to one of six nights of running events. While high winds meant it couldn’t continue to stand in Indy, it stood proudly outside Taylor Swift Way, braving the frigid temperatures of the Great White North and providing a convenience for those wishing to connect before or after the show. meeting place.
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Land confirmed to open night
Before opener Gracie Abrams took the stage, a sign flashed on a screen on the main stage that read: “We acknowledge that we are performing today at the Rogers Center, which is located on Treaty 13 land — —Credit Bank Mississauga Traditional Territories. We recognize the original and treaty territories of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples on whom we are based.
Acknowledging land is a form of acknowledgment of Aboriginal people and their relationship to traditional territory, often as a sign of respect and to raise awareness – something Swift has also done in Australia to recognize Aboriginal people.
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Cam’s Toronto Scream
Kam, one of the fan-favorite Swift dancers, has been known to give out his own personalized shout-out when she performs “We’re Never Ever Getting Together Again” – which is usually featured on the show depending on the tour. Stop at specific locations in the city to customize his moments. Of course, he incorporated this on the first Canadian leg of the tour, saying in a Canadian accent: “Sorry – start it!“
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A journey through the ages for everyone
“We’re about to go on a little adventure that’s going to span the last 18 years of music,” Taylor said at the start of the show, before introducing the overall vibe of the next three-plus hours. “Here’s the thing – you’re going to hear a lot of songs on this show. These are songs I’ve written about my life, how I’m feeling, or things I’ve invented in my imagination. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re in the world What you think when you hear these songs But that’s all going to change tonight, isn’t it? I’m going to be your host tonight… My name is Taylor.
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Why the Eras Tour is important
“I was probably about 15 years old when I started touring,” Swift said during the show. red Before addressing her Canadian fans and all the Eras Tour attendees, we took a look back at the era of the show. “So the way it works is, no one is forcing me to keep adding shows to the tour. No one is saying, ‘You really should go see the Canadian fans. “First of all, I love you guys – we come to see you all the time. Second of all, I’m having more fun on this tour than I’ve ever had on any tour in my life. And the reason for that is you guys have turned this into more than just It’s a concert thing, at least to me.
“You have all these traditions that you started and you turned it into a whole event, and the way the city of Toronto embraced us and welcomed us, and we noticed it. It was so inspiring. It felt so good, and It feels so different than anything I’ve ever experienced before, thank you to everyone here tonight who was excited about the idea of the Eras Tour because you made it so much fun for us. I also want to play you a song from red album, if you have about 10 minutes to spare…” I think you know which song she plays next.
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“Folklore” as a Canadian experience
“We brought folklore The house goes to Canada! Swift said her two pop albums were the beginning of an era, folk custom and evermore.
“It doesn’t look like the whole folklore Does this era only belong to Canada? she said, to thunderous applause. “The place I imagined in my mind folklore What happens is very natural, wild, beautiful, the forest has been there since time immemorial. It feels like we’re giving back folklore Regardless, time has come to where it belongs.
“folklore It’s really an imaginary place in my head,” she continued. “Because I started writing this album two days into the pandemic, I think we’re all looking for escapism. This is one of mine: Every day I write, and I write in a different way than I did before. Because Before folkloreI actually wrote mostly from a very personal, autobiographical place; very “Dear Diary” type stuff. It’s always a fun way to write songs.
“But what I love folklore I took more of a narrator’s perspective: I was going to create characters who would fall in love, have their hearts torn apart, experience all kinds of drama in their small town, but it wouldn’t be about me of. It’s going to be about these characters. Long story short,” she concluded, “it’s a story about a character named Betty…”
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Surprise Song No. 1
At this point, the tour has exceeded 125 shows, and every fan knows to expect surprise song parts. “This is a tradition I started on the Eras tour to challenge myself to play as many songs as possible from different albums, different eras,” she explained on stage, before introducing the first mashup of her performance: “My Boy Only Broke His Favorite Toy”/”That’s Why We Can’t Have Nice Stuff.” Previous Song, Off Tormented Poets Departmentshe acknowledged her recent Grammy nomination during her introduction. “You guys have done some things over the past few months, like hugging Tormented Poets Department This album – it really blew my mind. Because it’s really an emotion for me. I wrote this album during the Eras Tour. I wrote that album, produced that album, all while trying to keep it a secret from you guys, and then announced this album. We’re basically working very hard to secretly put together a new chapter of Tour of the Eras Tormented Poets Departmentwe want to surprise you with it. It’s great that you guys dug into this album and understood my vision for it. …Everything that happens is a direct reflection of the passion you display. Your album was nominated for six Grammy Awards. So thank you.
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Surprise Song No. 2
She then turns to piano for her second surprise mashup – “False God”/”‘Tis the Damn Season,” a medley of lover and evermore Songs, every song is about past love. “This is a tradition I started on the Eras tour, to challenge myself to play as many songs as possible from different albums and different eras,” she said.
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Toronto Nights 1 Track List
Miss America and the Sad Prince
cruel summer
man
you need to calm down
lover
fearless
you belong With Me
love story
No. 22
we are never ever getting back together
I know you’re in trouble
Everything Is Fine (10 Minute Version)
Obsessed
…are you ready?
exquisite
Don’t blame me ->
Look what you made me do
cardigan
Betty
Champagne problem
August->
illegal affairs
my tears bounce
marjorie
willow
style
blank
get rid of it
wildest dreams
bad blood
But dad I love him
Who’s afraid of little old me?
Bad ->
two weeks
smallest person ever
I can do this with a broken heart
My boy only breaks his favorite toys/That’s why we can’t have nice things
False God/Tis the damn season
lavender mist
antihero
vigilante shit
Bejeweled
planner
karma
