Who’s Taylor Swift, anyway? In the first of three sold-out shows on her Eras Tour stop at Soldier Field, the star presided over a 200-minute extravaganza that often had the crowd of more than 60,000 devoted fans singing along to every word.
Steered by the 33-year-old Swift’s vast ambition, almost every tune functioned as an immersive journey, a transport mechanism to an emotion, place, wish, circumstance or memory. She built scenes and inhabited environments as much as she sang lyrics and strummed acoustic guitars. By largely refraining from pyrotechnics and frills that would otherwise distract from the music and messages, she further challenged contemporary notions of large-scale shows.
Addressing topics ranging from Pride Month to owning her own recordings, Swift expressed gratitude and received love in return. Seated silently at a piano after turning in a gorgeous rendition of “Champagne Problems,” she appeared overcome by a crush of applause that endured for two entire minutes, prompting her to remove her ear monitors and mouth “that’s so loud” as if in utter shock.
She proved equally effective leading her entourage. Dancers holding glowing orbs added an eerie mystique to the folksy “Willow.” A thatched roof provided Swift a space to lie down and present the reflective “The 1″ in calm tones. Before she neared closer and confronted him, dim lighting and a long table at which Swift sat opposite her partner reinforced the distance and frustration of “Tolerate It.” A bed and ladder to the sky provided apt entry points for the low-key escapism of “Lavender Haze.
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