You’ve done it. You registered as a verified fan, fought your way through the virtual queue, and waited anxiously for that sweet confirmation email. And now you must wait again for another several weeks until your tour date arrives. I know the feeling, I went through the process and was lucky enough to see Taylor opening night in Glendale, Arizona, along with a crowd of almost 70,000 people. It was an undoubtedly magical experience, but there are many practical ways you should prepare yourself before going to ensure you have a stress-free time while you’re there!
do the homework
Whether you’re more of a Folklore or 1989 Swiftie, the best thing about the Era’s tour is Taylor sings almost every one of her greatest hits one era at a time! With a massive setlist of 44 songs, there’s sure to be one you’ll like. With Taylor having such an immense discography, I found myself struggling to sing along to a few songs I was less familiar with, like “My Tears Ricochet” and “’Tis the Damn Season.” Now that there are plenty of Era’s Tour setlists out on Spotify, I recommend giving the songs another listen if you want to make sure you can sing along. Overall, Taylor did a fantastic job of mixing a little bit of everything, and I was hooked for the entire 3-hour ride.
Come prepared
That’s right, 3 hours. As glorious as those 3 hours were, it’s crucial to remember the less glamorous sides of any concert. That is, lines for the bathroom stretching farther than the human eye can comprehend. Despite arriving hours early, a quick assessment of the crowd confirmed my suspicion that I was neither going to have time to get something to eat or buy merch, and I caved for my more primal needs. My best advice would be to make sure to eat something filling and drink plenty of water before you arrive. You should also be mindful about what you bring with you into the concert, as only small, clear bags are allowed at most. Consider bringing a portable charger, or at least making sure your phone has plenty of juice if you want to take videos. Trust me, you will. More than anything, have your tickets ready on hand when you enter the venue. You don’t want to feel that last-minute rush of panic about not making it in.
showcase your style
I was blown away by the insane amount of creativity displayed in fans’ outfits at the concert. From couples going as sunshine and midnight rain, to literal mirror balls, to someone dressing up as Taylor post Lasik eye surgery, the Swifties outdid themselves. Filling the stadium with so much glitter and personality!  What made that so special was everyone’s ability to express themselves through their outfits, from the silliness to the full glam. The Era’s Tour brings out the unique possibility of exploring all types of style, whether that’s black fishnets and thigh-high boots for Reputation or rainbow sequins and heart eyes for Lover. But if you don’t want to spend time supergluing gems on a skirt—go with what you feel comfortable in! You want to have fun, whatever that means for you.
craft an exit plan
I learned this one the hard way. There was a mass exodus around the time the clock struck midnight and it took nearly an hour to get out of the parking lot. Although hard to see at the time, there was a reason to the madness, they were letting cars out starting with the ones furthest away from the stadium. Just my luck for getting there early. I recommended looking into your venue ahead of time and figuring out the best place to park (and exit).  But if you do find yourself in a long car line, you’ll have plenty of time to debrief the magic you just witnessed. One things for sure, you’ll be singing songs the whole way home.
