Swifties who couldn’t snag tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour rejoiced when a three-and-a-half-hour filmed version of her complete Los Angeles performance arrived in movie theaters across the nation back in October 2023. Now, The Eras Tour is available for streaming on Disney Plus, so you can join Taylor on a tour through 44 songs from all of her most famous albums from the comfort of your couch.
Considering how expensive ticket prices were, one could only hope that the tour’s production value would live up to its market value. Fortunately, the tour put its budget to good use; each number is decked out in all kinds of flashy spectacles, including dazzling costumes, choreography, live musical accompaniment, advanced LED displays, and even moving set pieces. The second number in the concert, “The Man,” transforms the stage into a three-tiered office setting littered with desks, rolling chairs, and printers, and features ensemble members playing Swift’s bustling coworkers. Taylor remains opulent as ever, donning a shimmering silver oversized suit jacket for this number as she depicts the feminine struggle of succeeding in a male-dominated society.
The wardrobe, set, and props for several other songs also tell their own stories, capturing a variety of aesthetics: hooded witches in the woods for “Willow,” a couple in turmoil confronting one another at a dinner table for “Tolerate It,” a gossiping ballroom and subsequent wedding scene for “The Last Great American Dynasty.” The productions accompanying these tunes both compound the vivid atmosphere of each song and underscore the narrative eloquence of Taylor’s evocative lyrics, weaving full, compelling worlds and plots in about three minutes.
Other numbers thrive on their simplicity, requiring no dancers or elaborate sets at all. Swift takes the mic for songs like “Archer” and “All Too Well,” with nothing but her guitar or a piano, yet she still manages to deliver a compelling performance that resonates with her fans, made clear by their singing and boisterous cheering throughout. These songs no doubt enable the singer to sustain herself throughout such a long performance by giving her a chance to rest her body, which is constantly dancing and moving for the duration of her upbeat numbers like “22” and “Look What You Made Me Do.” Somehow, her performance never falters and the Taylor machine never runs out of steam.
Remarkable showmanship is truly what makes Swift’s performance stand out. Few touring artists know how to engage their fans as personably and effortlessly as she does. She knows how to make this precise audience feel special, despite them being only one stop on her worldwide tour. Swift seamlessly transitions from earth-shattering show-stoppers to delivering heartfelt addresses to the euphoric crowd. Audience members feed on her stage presence – every exclamation, gesture, and pointed look from Swift – as she expresses to them how excited and grateful she is to perform for them. This electrifies the sea of concertgoers, as proven by their impassioned shrieks. Her laid back, sincere manner keeps the larger-than-life mega-tour grounded in the intimate connection between Taylor and her fans.
The cinematic format lends itself well to the Eras Tour. The elegant camerawork and artistic, rhythmically-timed editing choices make the special feel like one three-and-a-half-hour-long music video with a monumental budget. Cuts between shots occur to the beat of every melody, keeping the momentum of each song forever surging forward. Sweeping wide shots capture the entirety of the stage and its occupants from every imaginable angle, granting virtual onlookers an all-encompassing, eclectic viewing experience that those who attended the concert were never afforded. At the same time, many up-close shots of ecstatic audience members remind the viewers at home that even though they get to watch the tour on their TV screens, it’s only a taste of the mind-blowing close encounter that these fans had in-person.
Still, it’s a delicious taste, and it comes as close as possible to capturing the entire meal. Swifties who lacked the means to see the singer face-to-face last year will delight in this special’s singular ability to recreate an unforgettable evening of music for all to enjoy.
