Photo courtesy of Taylor Swift Productions

On Aug. 31, Taylor Swift announced she would be taking her record-breaking Eras Tour to theaters. After six weeks of gruesome anticipation, I got to experience the Eras Tour for a second time.

There are very few things that will ever top being in Arrowhead Stadium during that concert – there’s just something unique about being in the crowd, regardless of your view of the stage. However, during the film, I watched Swift perform on the screen in a way I hadn’t during the live concert. 

I believe there are the obvious highlights of the film to mention, like the “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” introduction. I don’t think there was a better and more unpredictable song to open the tour to. 

Swift hasn’t gone on tour in nearly five years; since then, she has released four studio albums and several re-releases. She has a lot to show as an artist, and we have a lot to give as fans. It truly has “been a long time coming,” as  Swift sings. 

The second thing worth mentioning is the “reputation” set. It was undoubtedly my favorite part of the tour. “reputation” has always been that album for me, the album that simply cannot be beaten. I was at the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018, and there are very few things that can top her stadium performance of “I Did Something Bad.” But if there is one thing I know about Taylor Swift, it’s that she will find a way to outdo herself.

Another notable part of the film is Taylor’s choice of surprise songs. Out of all the songs she performed in L.A. during the acoustic set – “Maroon,” “New Romantics,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts” – I don’t think any combination could have hurt more than “Our Song” and “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”

The contrast between these songs nearly had me in tears in the theater. “Our Song” represents the naivety of Taylor’s youth, the first loves and fairytales. “You’re On Your Own, Kid” however, represents her growth, not only in the music industry, but in her personal life. She went from being this icon of fairytale love and teenage heartbreak to a snake, a calculated manipulator who used the men she dated for her career. Now, after everything she’s been through, she’s somewhere in between, and she’s embracing it. 

While I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of the film, I will say this: 2 hours and 45 minutes was not long enough. The film was a lot of things, but it could not encapsulate the experience of truly being there. Fan favorite songs like “The Archer” and “Wildest Dreams” were cut from the setlist. The crowd missed the transitions between each set, like the burning of the “Lover” house into the Fearless Era or the transition of the “Seven” poem into the 1989 set.

The Eras Tour was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Between the friendship bracelets, the surprise songs, and the overall sense of community among the fans was something unique and special to Taylor Swift. She has forever changed the dynamic between fans and an artist. It’s unclear if or when the concert will be available on streaming services, but one thing is for sure: I can’t wait to watch it again.