Taylor Swift at Gillette Stadium – May 21, 2023
There are two things you should know about Taylor Swift: she puts on a hell of a stadium show and she loves the number 13. So Foxborough was buzzing with energy when, 13 years after her first stadium show, Swift came back to headline Gillette Stadium for the 13th time. Known as The Eras Tour, it is Taylor’s highly anticipated return to live music after the pandemic. It was a masterful spectacle celebrating nearly two decades and ten studio albums of Taylor’s music.
But first, the openers. Starting off the night was Gracie Abrams. Daughter of famed director J.J. Abrams, Gracie bopped on stage in a Red Sox tee and jeans, and shared that her family has deep ties to New England. (Go Sox!) A sweet singer songwriter, her music would be best described as downbeat pop. A perfect backdrop while fans poured in the stadium. She played a quick 4 song set from her debut album, Good Riddance.
A quick moment later, Phoebe Bridgers emerged wearing a stunning cream suit with her signature fringe ribcage. Starting with her hit single “Motion Sickness,” she moved in to a 8-song set with JJ Kirkpatrick playing a haunting trumpet throughout. She plays one different song each night, and this night she played “Punisher,” along with set staples like “I Know The End” and “Scott Street.”
What followed next was a three-and-a-half hour marathon of music. Referred to as Eras, Swift took us through a rollercoaster of her albums, each with its own distinct color, mood, and sound. Beginning with Lover, her pink pre-pandemic pop album, she played hits like “Cruel Summer” and “You Need To Calm Down.” Then, she disappeared and re-emerged within moments completely glittered and gold in the Fearless Era. Her sophomore album, she played country-pop anthems like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.” This whirlwind of a performance continued through Evermore (where she got a standing ovation for her acoustic rendition of “Champagne Problems” on the piano), Reputation, Red (Where Phoebe Bridgers joined her onstage for their duet Nothing New), Folklore, 1989, and Midnights.
One of the most anticipated parts of the night was the surprise song set. This is when Taylor plays two songs that are not on the core set list. These can be from any album, and change every night. Typically, she plays one song on the guitar, and another on the piano. This night however, she ran into technical difficulties after playing in a torrential downpour the night before. With a broken piano, she played two songs on guitar, which were “I Think He Knows” and “Red.”
In summary, it was an outstanding performance. Taylor Swift is a master at her craft and proved her range is above any other contemporary artist. She kept fans on their feet for hours singing, crying, and dancing. If you have the chance to go, I can’t recommend it enough. 13/10 stars!
