Murray Wood: Isn't it time for more 'we' than 'oui' in Rideau Hall?
Louise Arbour brings much more than French skills to her role as the king's representative, but she also has taken contr...
VANCOUVER — While sparkly outfits were packed away and friendship bracelets donned by starstruck fans, Taylor Swift’s sixth tour ended in Vancouver, BC on Dec. 9, 2024.
With the final note ringing out it was the end of an era after 21 months, 149 shows across five continents and over 10 million fans.
The Swiftie magic poured into Vancouver as both fans who attended the highest-earning female musician show and those who didn’t felt it.
It was a night filled with emotions for mother-daughter duo Kelly and Claire Barnie.
“We’re happy, free, confused and lonely,” Claire said with a laugh, quoting song lyrics from “22.”
Claire (left) and Kelly Barnie are from Vancouver Island. They are a mother-daughter Taylor Swift-loving duo.(Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
They managed to swiftly snag a pair of tickets behind the stage for $39. Thanks to the cheap seats, Kelly splurged on merch, but she says it was worth it.
“She (Swift) just somehow sees into my soul and makes me feel connected to her and everyone all around me,” Claire explained. “She just brings out my love, sadness and artistic side, and I just love it so much.”
Kelly got emotional hearing her daughter explain what Swift meant to her.
“It makes me cry,” she said. “I’ve been a fan for a long time, but not like this, but like she does this for my girls.”
There were many mother-daughter duos in the crowd, but we can’t forget about the Swiftie dads.
Bree Janzen (left) was joined by her parents Kelly Linn and Mark Janzen on the final night of The Eras Tour in Vancouver on Dec. 9, 2024. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Mark Janzen said this moment was about celebrating his daughter, wife and all the women in the crowd that night.
“Women are our future,” he said. “The world needs women. And women right now are the most dominating positive force in the world to have any hope to kind of mollify some of the horrible things that are going on.”
He said Swift is a great role model and those inspired by the singer will continue to swiftly spread goodness to the world.
Although the tickets for the three Vancouver locals cost around $4000, Kelly Linn said giving the “Wildest Dreams” experience to her daughter was priceless.
“It gets me choked up,” she said.
“The world is just such crap right now. And to be able to come to something like this, where it’s just happy and joyful, it’s a really positive thing for my daughter to see that not the whole world is bad right now.”
Throughout the show, the trio swayed back and forth and held onto each other during emotional songs. The love they shared — you knew they belonged together.
A Swift ride through the ages with Taylor’s three and a-half-hour-long Eras show
As for the three sold-out shows in Vancouver, for a Swift fan of any level, there was something everyone could enjoy.
The tour spans across Swift’s entire discography including 232 tracks over 18 years some would say she has a Reputation.
The concert is a long one, but Swift only “Shake(d) It Off” stage for outfit changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS17bfVR8Yk
She starts in an era where no one “Forgot That ‘it’ Existed”, playing hits like “Cruel Summer” and the album title track Lover.
The stage lit up in bright pastel colours and displays what fans call the Lover house, which Swift “burns” in a later era.
Then the show “Change(s)” to 2008 entering a Fearless era.
Swifties sang along to nostalgic she sings iconic songs like “You Belong with Me” and “Love Story.”
Then she Swift’s into the “Sad Beautiful Tragic” Red era.
During this era, her team hand-picked a fan from the crowd to “Starlight” by giving them the hat she wears during the “22” performance.
Swift also sang the fan favourite of this era, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).”
“I was enchanted to meet you” is how most fans probably felt as they entered the Speak Now era with only “Enchanted” being sung.
“…Ready For It?” After the “Delicate” heartfelt moment, Swift takes a “Getaway Car” entering her angsty era, Reputation.
Black glitter and snakes fill this era, dancing throughout the crowd and glowing on the wristbands handed out when entering the arena.
Swift sings four songs in this era, ending with “Look What You Made Me Do”.
To make room, Swift combined her two sister albums Folklore and Evermore into one set for the second leg of the tour.
Here, she sings eight songs like, “Cardigan,” “Betty” and “Marjorie,” which features vocals from Swift’s late grandmother who dreamed of singing in stadiums.
“Champagne Problems” got a standing ovation over the span of a few minutes shaking the stands in the upper levels.
Mark Janzen — a sound engineer — said the volume of the standing ovation was early 138 decibels, which is equivalent to a jet plane taking off.
Following the double era, the tour “Shake(d) it Off” by “Welcome To New York” for Swift’s 1989 era.
Fun pyrotechnics lit up the entire stadium for songs like “Bad Blood.”
Following the pop album comes Swift’s newest era, The Tortured Poets Department.
There are seven songs sung in this era and even a theatrical performance from Swift during “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
During the song, her dancers are seen carrying Swift to a couch and putting a new outfit on the singer.
Swift pretends to not want to sing but is forced to do it with a smile.
Swift during her performance of Down Bad during the Tortured Poets Department Set. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
For most fans, the following set is the most anticipated.
Every night, surprise songs are sung. Swift had to get creative as she was running out of songs to sing. In the second half of the tour, she started doing mashups of her own songs.
The final surprise song was a mashup of “Long Live,” “New Year’s Day” and “The Manuscript” all three from different eras.
Swift closes out the show with her Midnights era.
The stage is adorned with colourful tinsel jackets as she sings “Anti-Hero” and “Karma.”
The final bow of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, B.C. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
The show ends with a final bow, fireworks and of course confetti.
Fans in attendance feel like “The Lucky One”
Regina sisters Zsarina and Scheena Mislang took their cousin Juliana Regonas to the Eras Tour.
The trio have been listening to Swift all their life.
Scheena Mislang (left), Zsarina Mislang and Juliana Regonas are massive Taylor Swift fans from Regina. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
“I didn’t think I’d ever get to watch her,” Zsarina said. “It just seems kind of surreal. I really didn’t expect to get tickets, so it’s really nice to actually experience it and watch her and be able to sing along with her live. I’m just speechless.”
Scheena said after being a fan for so long, the tour felt nostalgic.
Regonas was blown away by Swift and her teams’ stamina for the show.
“Whether you are a Taylor fan or not, her showmanship was undeniable,” she said.
Belle Lee came from the Bay Area in California with her mom for the final night of the Eras Tour. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
A California girl and her mom got two $16 tickets behind the stage.
Belle Lee grew up with Taylor and never thought she would one day see the singer live.
“Truly in my wildest dreams I didn’t think we would make it here,” Lee said. “I’m just so happy I can take my mom.”
Chelsea Assaf is from North Vancouver and brought her cousin and auntie to the final night of the Eras Tour. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
North Vancouver resident Chelsea Assaf called it a “Taylor Miracle” getting tickets to this tour.
“She means community,” Assaf said. “And powerful women, strength and resilience and not taking crap from anybody. She brings people together in such a beautiful and positive way and it’s really inspiring.”
Whether you like the singer or not, Swift’s impact on the music industry and beyond is undeniable.
“It’s a multi-generation thing and I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about her and her music,” Assaf said.
The Eras Tour has officially become the highest-grossing tour of all time, bringing in well over $2 billion.
Swift made sure to thank the crowd multiple times throughout the night saying, “Vancouver, I want to thank every single one of you for being part of the most thrilling chapter of my entire life to date,” during one of the three shows.
It was truly the end of an era, as for what Swift does next and how big the star will continue to grow, only time will tell.
