INDIANAPOLIS, IN | Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis was bejeweled, sequined, and sparkling to the rafters on the evening of November 1st as the one and only Taylor Swift played the first of three shows in final US city stop of her Eras tour. An enormous crowd of over 69,000 fans turned out for the show, shattering the attendance record for the venue and shaking the walls of the stadium with energy and excitement.
Many in attendance were also fans of Gracie Abrams, who warmed up the crowd with her 30-minute set. Abrams has opened for Swift over 35 times so far during the Eras tour and it’s clear that she knows how to properly warm the crowd, sharing anecdotes of her friendship and experiences with Swift—and the love and respect the two have for each other—in between songs. Abrams demonstrated that she is a talent all her own, too, as she showcased her songwriting and performance skills, sharing six songs with the excited crowd.
It wasn’t long after Gracie wrapped up her performance that a countdown clock appeared on the stage’s gigantic video screen, letting everyone know there was one minute left until Taylor would begin the show. The energy and roar of the crowd increased exponentially as the seconds ticked down, whipping all into a frenzy by the time the clock finished.
And then we were off to the races. Swift opened with an abbreviated version of “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” before moving into “Cruel Summer,” a song from her 2019 album Lover that enjoyed recent, newfound success after being highlighted as the opener for the Eras show.
For over the next three and a half hours, Swift kept her greatest hits coming as she performed some of the hugest hits of her catalog, sharing a handful of songs from each of her albums in turn. Each of those albums received their own treatment, with unique set design, color schemes, dance moves and, of course, costume changes. That Swift can maneuver through this extended performance, hitting her marks and transitions with seamless precision, is a testament to her multifaceted and staggering talent.
A moment of special note was Swift’s crowd work after her performance of “Champagne Problems.” When the crowd began to roar at the song’s conclusion, Swift allowed the time and space for the attendees to get as loud as they possible could. The sound was absolutely deafening as 69,000 people communally clapped, screamed, whistled, and stomped their feet for several minutes. Swift’s face reflected astonishment and appreciation, relating back to the crowd how much that showing of love meant to her and her crew.
Swift’s incredible professionalism was on display toward the end of the concert, when during her performance of “Lavender Haze” the first song from the set featuring her Midnights album, Swift’s mic-pack suddenly failed. Unable to hear herself sing over the roar of the crowd, she began to hand signal to her techs regarding the problem, while continuing to perform, keeping time with a subtle tapping of her leg and foot. She didn’t miss a single beat or note, and had she not been signaling to her crew, the crowd may not have noticed that anything was wrong.
The problem was fixed in time for the grand finale, a colorful and energetic performance of the hit “Karma.” It was an astonishing performance from start to end, a three and a half hour testament to—and showcase of —the incredible skill and talent of one of the biggest ever names in popular music.
