Concordia students look back on the Eras Tour after Taylor Swift finally performed in Canada.
After touring worldwide for over a year, Taylor Swift finally made it to Canada. She performed in Toronto from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16 and Nov. 21 to Nov. 23, joined by American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams as the opening act.
With no tour stop in Montreal, thousands of locals, including many Concordia University students, made their way to Toronto over both weekends, excited to pour their hearts out with Swift.
Daniela Orrego-Grosso, a second-year economics major, travelled by car with her dad and cousin.
“It was kind of awful because it’s a long drive,” she said. “I fell asleep, but my dad told me the traffic was horrible.”
Some Swifties decided to take the train instead of worrying about traffic and gas.
“I travelled by train. It took about five hours,” said Kami Meghan Ounanian, a second-year human relations student. “It was smooth, and I got some homework done.”
Once in Toronto, people relied on Uber to get around instead of driving. Toronto Uber prices were more affordable than in Montreal; a 15-minute drive in downtown Toronto was around $12, almost half what it would cost in Montreal.
Some fans who weren’t far from the Rogers Centre decided to walk instead. While it might usually have felt scary to walk late at night, the area was packed with Swifties all heading in the same direction. Police and staff were stationed to ensure safety and order.
“I walked [for 20 minutes], and since they had closed a couple of streets, it was faster than if I had gone by car,” said Ounanian.
The city arranged for shuttle buses to facilitate post-concert transportation and extended public transportation service hours. However, for those who took the subway, it was a hassle.
Hotels in Toronto were packed with out-of-towners attending the Eras Tour. Some hotels prepared Swift-related events, played her music or offered gift bags to concert-goers.
“It was full of Swifties,” said Orrego-Grosso. “You could tell because most of them had merch.”
Every concertgoer was given an LED wristband that lit up in sync. Fans from previous shows have been keeping them as memorabilia. Others bought merchandise as souvenirs, ranging from $65 for a t-shirt to $105 for hoodies.
The concert felt like one big community gathering, with fans open to socializing with those around them. Trading friendship bracelets themed around Swift’s albums between fans contributed to the warm and friendly atmosphere.
“Honestly, it didn’t feel like [being] strangers that much, but more like we’re kind of all friends,” said Orrego-Grosso. “We all share [our] love for Taylor.”
While some die-hard fans of the singer watched the concert’s film beforehand, others preferred to go in blind.
“I didn’t know a single thing except the fact that she had two [surprise] songs,” said Orrego-Grosso. “I didn’t know the setlist for her or Gracie. I didn’t want to know it. I wanted it to be a surprise from beginning to [end].”
For fans who have followed Swift since her earliest work, seeing her in concert proved to be a dream come true, allowing them to experience the songs they all grew up on.
“I went to one of her other concerts in 2015, and I got emotional thinking about how much we’ve both grown since then,” said Ounanian. “It was amazing to see that many people there all singing her songs.”
