A year after its announcement, Buzz’s in-house Swiftie Gosia Buzzanca was counting down the days until Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour live in Cardiff. As her live review from the front line lays out, this leg of her tour was anything but underwhelming…
Boarding the train taking me to Cardiff Central, I think about the experience awaiting over 70,000 people at the Principality Stadium and hundreds of ‘Tay-gaters’ gathering outside. Taylor Swift is bringing her record-beating Eras live tour to Cardiff, a year after its announcement, and the city buzzes with – albeit still fairly quiet – excitement from the moment you exit the station.
Swifties take over Cardiff: a sea of enthusiasm
In Cardiff, Swifties are everywhere. Some still in their travel attires, pulling their suitcases behind them; some already dressed to the nines in outfits representing all of Taylor’s Eras. Multilayered ballgowns from Speak Now; sparkling bejewelled Midnights sets; leotards, hand-embroidered with snakes, for Reputation; fringe dresses to die for representing the Fearless era; A Lot Going On At The Moment T-shirts, paired with black shorts and hats.
The city’s roads, closed from midday, have been taken over by a glorious, shimmery crowd of all ages and genders, busying themselves by trading friendship bracelets, taking pictures against the city’s walls, dancing. On my way to the stadium I bumped into David Hurn – legendary Wales-based documentary photographer, known for his photographs of The Beatles – and stopped for a chat about the beautiful, kind crowds capturing his attention all afternoon. I offered him a friendship bracelet and thought about the symbolism of his presence there amongst Taylor Swift fans: there are comparisons to be drawn, clearly, between Beatlemania and the Swift Era.
The weather is glorious, yet perfectly Welsh – overcast moody skies, but no rain – and getting inside the stadium was smooth and quick. Everyone working at the stadium that night deserves rounds of applause and generous bonuses: doling out free water, guiding overwhelmed or unwell fans to safety and answering questions cheerfully, their patience and kindness was fundamental to the night’s success.
Paramore sets the stage: opening act highlights
Paramore, the European opener for the Eras tour, are a band familiar to the Cardiff audience, and deliver a fantastic, high-energy set combining their biggest hits – The Only Exception, Misery Business – with new additions to their discography like This Is Why. Boasting one of the best voices of her generation, Hayley Wiliams is a magnificent performer, and the other Paramore members complement each other in the mastery of their instruments. Williams acknowledges that Paramore’s job for the night is to warm up the crowd before Taylor Swift; it was clear that job was done perfectly.
Taylor Swift’s grand entrance in Cardiff: The LOVER era begins
So, time for the main act. There are some unbreakable Eras tour traditions: the energy palpably changes once Applause by Lady Gaga booms from the speakers because those in attendance know what’s to come next. Lesley Grace’s You Don’t Own Me is the moment the countdown clock appears on the screens to the roar of thousands. The lights go down; the show is about to begin.
The first Era on the setlist is Lover. Taylor Swift appears from underneath massive scallop-like leaves in pastel colours held by her dancers. This singular moment is perhaps designed to look like the Birth of Venus, and is something to behold – that first sight of Taylor in her sparkly bodysuit and knee-high boots, but also the way the entire stadium trembles as she does so.
Welsh pride: Taylor Swift’s special connection with Cardiff
Taylor greets us with a cheerful “Hiya!” and begins taking us through some of her songs from her seventh album. The Man, performed on an impressive model of a house, has all of the dancers wearing classic office attire; You Need To Calm Down is always a crowd favourite, especially during Pride Month. After these two, Swift returns to the centre of the stage to give a first proper welcome, and does so in Welsh. “Cardiff! Croeso i’r daith Eras!”
With Cardiff the sole Welsh show on the tour (the likes of Liverpool or Edinburgh got three nights in a row), some fans worried it may feel flat, an also-ran. But it’s obvious from the start that Taylor Swift doesn’t do flat – she comes prepared, on top form. For her – and Kam, a dancer, who throws in a “ych a fi!” during We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together before counting in Welsh during I Can Do It With A Broken Heart – to big up a language that was for centuries ridiculed, ignored or oppressed by the English-speaking world made the Cardiff show feel even more thrilling and special for her Welsh fans.
From FEARLESS to REPUTATION: high-energy performances
A show over three hours which manages to feel like mere minutes, the Eras pass by in a flash. Following Lover, we get a superior, high-energy Fearless; Red, during which Taylor gives away a 22 hat to a young fan; and the full 10-minute version of All Too Well that delivers multiple cathartic lyrical moments. “Fuck the patriarchy!” from more than 70,000 throats truly hits different.
Though Speak Now is an era with the shortest representation, Enchanted is a sugarplum-sweet, ballgown beauty of a song and easy crowdpleaser. After that was Reputation: here, Taylor and her dancers leave everything they got on the stage and take us to literal church during Don’t Blame Me. Its seamless blend into Look What You Made Me Do is one of the show’s finest creative decisions.
‘FOLKMORE’ & 1989: a theatrical experience
A woodland cabin is rolled onto a stage, with Taylor lying atop in a berry-red gown: it’s Folkemore time. Folklore and Evermore – sister albums, says Swift – hold a special place in many fans’ hearts due to both being pandemic albums. Slower in tempo, the effects and production are glorious and peaceful, with an almost theatre-like quality. Another special moment happens at the close of Champagne Problems, where tour tradition demands extensive applause: in Cardiff, the stadium tremors for a record three minutes of absolute anarchy. Even the headliner seems taken aback and moved by it.
We move from the forest to the busy cityscape where Swift, dressed in orange and green (another nod to Wales), performs a solid crowd’s-favourite set of 1989. The dancers riding across the stage on bikes and the heat coming off Bad Blood fire are spectacular; again, the stadium knows every song.
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: a new addition to the tour
The newest addition to the Eras tour, The Tortured Poets Department, makes for another high-theatrics highlight. Hovering around the stage in a Vivienne Westwood custom dress, Taylor’s live vocals are impeccable yet again. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart feels almost meta, sung out loud like that, but it’s great to see Taylor enjoying herself: a crinkle in her eye, playful hair-twirling, silly faces pulled all night.
After TTPD comes another highlight of the Eras tour — the acoustic set during which Swift can sing any song from her 18-year career. A very tongue-in-cheek mashup of I Forgot That You Existed and This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things is followed by a move from guitar to piano, and a mashup of I Hate It Here and The Lakes – a beautiful, poetic combination of some of her lyrically greatest songs.
MIDNIGHTS era: the grand finale in Cardiff
The final era, Midnights, is full of hits, impressive stage props and choreography: a set that ends with Taylor and her dancers wearing rainbow-coloured tassel jackets amid explosions of confetti as the artists bid goodbye to the only Cardiff show. “Diolch o galon!” she shouts, and the Welsh crowd roars one last time.
Looking around a sea of exiting fans – holding hands, wearing their merch, singing, discussing the surprise song choices – I feel grateful, and sad. Grateful to Taylor and her team for the effort, stamina and professionalism; and to be part of a fandom where strangers exchange gifts and dance with each other. Sad, because soon the Eras Tour will end, like all great things must do.
Diolch o galon Taylor Swift – and your band and dancers – thank you for making our city shimmer.
Taylor Swift, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Tue 18 June
words GOSIA BUZZANCA photos TIM ALBAN