After losing the Swiftie struggle for stadium tour tickets, the news that the Eras Tour film was coming to the UK was a welcome relief. As a relatively new member of Swift’s gargantuan fanbase, the opportunity to get a taste of the world’s most successful tour was simply too tempting to resist. The movie was the closest that I have ever felt to attending a concert other than the real thing. It was two hours and 48 minutes of pure elation from start to finish.

“It was two hours and 48 minutes of pure elation”

Journeying through each of the albums, with around 4–5 songs from each (except Speak Now and Taylor Swift) was an inspired and wildly entertaining choice for her first tour since the pandemic. Featuring classic hits and tracks from her latest albums, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a triumphant return to live performance from one of pop culture’s most influential stars.

So as to cover as many songs as possible, this review is divided into four sections: changes to arrangements, costumes, staging and choreography.

Changes to arrangements

As most of the songs are from her earlier albums, it was inevitable that Taylor would make changes to their arrangements for the tour. For instance, the film opens with a mashup of 2019’s ‘Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince’ and ‘Cruel Summer’. This medley is a highly effective opener, with the fitting first lines, “It’s been a long time coming, but / It’s you and me, that’s my whole world.” As someone who regards these tracks as the highlights of Lover, it was delightful to hear how seamlessly the chorus of the first could flow into the introduction of the latter.

Similarly, during the Folklore era, the end of ‘august’ transitions into the powerful bridge of ‘illicit affairs’. When Swift falls to the floor and belts: “Don’t call me ‘kid’, don’t call me ‘baby’,” she provides a masterclass in storytelling, both lyrically and visually. Moreover, just as she hits the ground, the band reaches a crescendo.

However, the highpoint of the movie is ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ from reputation. Here, the simple addition of electric guitar creates a rock atmosphere that makes an already stellar song even more infectious.

Costumes

Throughout the show, Swift and her dancers change into a myriad of different costumes. During ‘willow’, they dress in dark green robes that contrast with the deep gold that they are wearing underneath and the golden orbs that they are holding. Combined with fog effects, a forest background and soft backing vocals, this creates a truly enchanting experience.

Speaking of enchanting, ‘Enchanted’ is the only song in the film from Taylor’s Speak Now era. In a completely different way to ‘willow’, it is also visually stunning. Swift and her dancers adorn soft lilac gowns – a reference to the album’s overall aesthetic – which, when combined with the track’s dreamy instrumentals, result in a visual wonderland. The simplistic regality of these costumes stands out from the rest of the film.

Another song for which the costume design comes close to perfection is ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version)’. In honour of her Red era, Swift dons a shimmering scarlet dress. While the song is not my favourite from Swift, the glittering of her dress under the lights results in a dazzling performance.

Staging

While the staging is spectacular throughout, three examples are particularly memorable. During ‘tolerate it’, a table is moved on stage to reflect the track’s lyrical content: “Lay the table with the fancy shit/And watch you tolerate it”. This staging visualises the pain that punctuates the song – that of witnessing love withering away.

During what is perhaps the most visually innovative section of the film – the transition from the Folklore into the 1989 era – Swift dives into the stage after performing ‘my tears ricochet’ and “swims” into her track ‘Style’.

Meanwhile, the diamonds and rubies that glisten across the stage during ‘bejeweled’ elevate an already joyous song to new levels of euphoria.

Choreography

Where to even begin with the choreography? During the Fearless era, it is actually the lack of choreography that makes iconic songs like ‘Love Story’ and ‘You Belong with Me’ stand out. The freedom with which Swift spins and sways as she strums her guitar is a testament to how far she has come as an artist (and how far she has run from a certain record label).

‘22’, ‘We are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ and ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ are a triple threat during the Red Era. Not only are they Taylor’s greatest hits from the early 2010s, but the choreography for these songs is relentless.

The same applies to the Midnights era and especially ‘Karma’. The closing track of the film, ‘Karma’ features choreography that is intentionally simplistic so as to inspire the audience to dance along with Swift. Overall, this final performance is an ode to the conviviality of the concert experience.

There are many other songs that deserve a mention. However, this only speaks to the level of excellence that the Eras Tour operates. At its most danceable and emotional points, Swift and her incredible team “never miss a beat”.