Taylor Swift kicks off Eras Tour in Arizona with 44-song setlist
(CNN) – Baby, let the games begin.
Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” kicked off Friday night in Glendale, Ariz. during a three-hour show that ran through hits from every era of the Grammy winner’s 17-year career.
“Swifties,” as their fans are known, came to town in costumes entirely inspired by Swift, and the place itself changed its name to “Swift City,” according to the Glendale, Arizona website. Ticket sales for the tour even plummeted Ticketmaster, which the singer pointed out on Friday when she told her audience that she can assume it took “a significant amount of effort” to be there.
Full disclosure: This CNN writer is a swiftie. I did manage to secure tickets for Swift’s penultimate show in Los Angeles this August, but here are some of the highlights of her performance on Friday, based on social media posts from those in attendance.
Wearing a crystalized corset and matching boots, Swift kicked off her concert with her “Lover” era by opening with a track from the 2019 album, “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” and then performing “Cruel Summer” for the first time Concert.
While performing “Willow” and “Champagne Problems” from her pandemic-era album Evermore, Swift asked her audience, “Is it just me or do we have a lot of catching up to do?” It’s a fair question given that this tour will be the first for Swift has been since her “Reputation” shows in 2018.
Audiences were transported back to that era as Swift performed popular hits like “Delicate” and “Don’t Blame Me” on a set with the snake “Reputation” slithering around.
The “Red” era brought even more throwbacks with some of Swift’s catchier tunes like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” Swift also performed the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”
Next, she performed songs from her 2020 album Folklore in a live concert for the first time. Swift stood on a set decorated like the moss-covered “folklore” hut featured in several of her music videos. The moody and imaginative album came to life when she sang “Invisible String,” “Cardigan,” and “Betty,” among others. She later performed an acoustic version of “Mirrorball” after telling her audience that she would play a different acoustic song at each show throughout the tour.
In true “1989” fashion, this portion of the show seemed like one big dance party, as it featured some of Swift’s best-loved hits like “Blake Space,” “Shake It Off,” and “Wildest Dreams.”
There were more nostalgic moments throughout the show, with Swift singing her way through her Fearless era with “You Belong with Me” and “Love Story.” She also sang “Tim McGraw” on piano, a song from her earliest era in 2006.
As the concert entered its final and current era, Swift performed and wrapped up various songs from her record-breaking 2022 album Midnights, including “Anti-Hero,” “Lavender Haze,” “Mastermind,” and “Bejeweled.” Show with the energetic hit “Karma”.
Swift’s setlist ran to more than 40 songs, which probably proved to her fans that the long wait for her anti-hero Taylor Swift to return to the stage was worth it.
