I counted days (504) and counted miles (361) to see the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert for a second time. The number of changes between the Pittsburgh and Indianapolis shows I attended made them feel like shows from two separate tours.
Swift played Pittsburgh in June 2023 and Indiana last weekend. The biggest change was the addition of The Tortured Poets Department set to the rest of the eras. The set was added halfway through the tour, after the album was released last April.
The production, choreography, and costuming of TTPD made it arguably the best of the sets. Despite not initially being a huge fan of songs like “Down Bad” and “So High School,” I changed my opinion immediately after seeing them performed.
The production of “Down Bad” especially stood out as Swift moved around the stage on a platform, followed by a beam of light and a large screen behind her – creating the image of a UFO abduction. The song itself was well performed and the unique use of lighting made for a visually stunning experience.
The downside of adding the new set, however, was the removal of six songs, including “Long Live,” “The Archer,” and “Tolerate It.”
Losing “Tolerate It” the second time around was especially disappointing. The song stood out the first time as an almost film-like experience. It had its own unique set pieces, choreography, and – importantly – came from Evermore, an album that never got to be performed live at its own tour, as it was released during the pandemic.
This might not seem like such a loss to some, as it isn’t as popular as most of Swift’s discography. But one can still wish that they’d have removed a less involved number like “I Knew You Were Trouble” or “Wildest Dreams.”
Another big change was the merging of Folklore and Evermore into one set. Despite the fact that the two albums – which are already heavily overlooked – lost some of their individual spotlights, this decision was actually a smart way to keep more songs on the setlist.
Those albums follow a more indie folk, lyrical route compared to some of her other albums, and the songs on them flow well together. Combining the two meant sadly losing the Evermore dresses; however, this was honestly worth it considering that both albums could’ve lost even more of their songs to keep time.
One thing that stayed consistent was the overwhelmingly positive atmosphere. In both Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, streets were flooded with fans trading bracelets, Taylor Swift-themed pop-up shops and restaurants, photo opportunities, and some very creative costumes.
