I spent over $1,600 to attend 4 Taylor Swift concerts this year. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Publish date: 2024-10-10

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Taylor Swift has been raking in dollars this summer on her Eras Tour. At least $1,600 of them have been mine.

Between March and July, I attended four of Swift's massive concerts in three cities across the US. I was there on opening night in Glendale, Arizona; in the audience for two of Swift's three nights in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and present for one show in Denver, Colorado.

To do that, I had to shell out $1,605.58 on my tickets alone. That's not including plane fares, a hotel room, Ubers, food, and other concert necessities. If I added those, my total would be well over $2,000.

But as summer and my Eras Tour journey comes to an end, I don't regret a single penny I spent on the experience. In fact, I'd do it all again if I had the chance.

Me at the Eras Tour in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Amanda Krause/Insider

I didn't originally plan on attending the Eras Tour four times

When Swift first announced the Eras Tour on Instagram, my eyes roamed the poster for a New Jersey date. I've been attending Swift's Garden State concerts since 2010 when she embarked on her first headlining tour.

But then I noticed Paramore listed as a supporting act for the Glendale, Arizona, show — and I'm pretty sure I screamed. Paramore is my all-time favorite band, and I never envisioned them performing with Swift. 

I didn't even have to ask my sister about attending. She called me and immediately rattled off a plan to attend both a New Jersey show and opening night in Arizona. She knew we couldn't miss the opportunity to see my favorite band and her favorite artist together — kicking off what seemed to be the biggest tour of our lifetimes.

Paramore performs at opening night of the Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023. John Medina/Stringer/Getty Images

So we prepared. We requested presale codes and encouraged our parents, my sister's boyfriend, and one of our best friends (who planned to attend the New Jersey show with us) to do the same. We also agreed to splurge on VIP floor tickets for Arizona, and medium-priced, lower-bowl tickets for New Jersey.

Of course, our Ticketmaster experience was chaotic. We spent hours in line, panicked over phone calls, and weren't sure if we'd get to attend even one show, let alone two. But then a miracle happened — I got in, and our dream, lower-bowl seats for New Jersey's Saturday show were available. With fees and tax, those tickets cost $345.14 each.

The Arizona tickets didn't go on sale until a few hours later, and after such a stressful morning, I was terrified that we wouldn't snag them.

So I hopped back in the queue for the Friday New Jersey date, not actually expecting to get through. But when I did, my sister, friend, and I impulsively decided to get three nosebleed seats for $124.60 each.

A few hours later, it was time to buy tickets for opening night. The Arizona tickets were sold through SeatGeek, not Ticketmaster, so I didn't know what to expect. Shockingly, the process was extremely smooth. In a matter of minutes, I was able to snag fifth-row floor seats — which came with VIP merchandise boxes and a few other perks — for $1,009.89 each.

My sister and I at the Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona. Amanda Krause/Insider

But when I called my sister to let her know, she said her boyfriend had changed his mind and wanted to go to the concert. So she hopped in another queue to buy tickets for the Denver, Colorado, show. Choosing nosebleed seats again, we paid another $125.95 each.

My Eras Tour experience

Four times, I got to experience Swift's 40+ song set list, sparkling costume changes, crowd chants, and more. But none of the shows I attended were exactly alike.

Opening night was particularly unforgettable. My sister and I screamed and head-banged throughout Paramore's set, much to the confusion of the younger fans around us who had clearly never heard of the band. And once Swift hit the stage, our jaws dropped. My sister cried on multiple occasions.

Months later, I don't think I've fully processed that night. Every Eras Tour attendee got to hear two surprise songs each night, but we experienced a full set list of surprises. I've never felt anticipation quite like that in my life.

My view of Swift from my seat at the Eras Tour in Arizona. Amanda Krause/Insider

Then we saw Swift in New Jersey, and getting to experience that with one of our best friends was a blast. We dressed up, sang at the top of our lungs, and screamed when Swift launched into "Getaway Car" with the help of her friend and New Jersey native Jack Antonoff. 

And by the time Swift's Colorado show rolled around, we felt like Eras Tour pros. We wore our sparkliest dresses, made friendship bracelets, and tried to take in everything for one last show.

One of our views of the Eras Tour in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Amanda Krause/Insider

I've been lucky enough to see Swift on every tour she's ever headlined, and each of those shows was memorable. But there was something magical about the Eras Tour. 

There was a sense of community that I've never really felt before at Swift's shows and an appreciation for every piece of art she's ever released. 

I also loved watching security guards, venue staff, family members, and significant others watch the Eras Tour as non-Swifties. Their reactions — often shocked — were heartwarming, funny, and at times, even emotional.

And then there's Swift herself. She's always been a standout performer, in my opinion, but the Eras Tour showed that she's perfected her craft.

Her vocals sounded better than I'd ever heard, her confidence was palpable, and yes, even Swift's dancing — imperfect as it may be — encouraged me to jump around for three hours straight.

Buying tickets might have been stressful, and I might be $2,000 poorer after traveling across the country to experience the tour. But there's no doubt in my mind that if I had the chance to do it again, I would.

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