I went to a Taylor Swift concert and oh boy are my feelings mixed
End of May, I was picking up the girls from school. Irene, my 10 year old daughter, came out with a frown. I could feel the heat as I got closer. Did you know that Your friends daughters are going to the Taylor Swift concert? You told me tickets were sold out!
I lied.
Truth is: I spent my young years going to ticketing lines. I spent more time waiting to buy tickets than on the actual shows. Was it worth? Of course it was, it was the 90’s and I saw Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince (bought the tickets twice because I lost the first one), Pearl Jam, U2 just to name a few. It was fun but I just don’t have the energy anymore. And ignoring Taylor Swift concert? Pff easy done!
On the phone with my friends I couldn’t hide the disappointment of being caught by surprise by my own daughter and a concert in Warsaw from all the places in the world!? Standing on the other side of the room Irene pleaded, Mom, I really want to get a ticket, with her piggy bank on her hands, I could also get the money I got for my Birthday on my bank account. Fword Fword Fword.
I spent the next 48 hours going after tickets resellers, booking plane tickets and hotel while managing a Swiftie-in-the-making growing excitement. And once everything was settled my main job now was to prepare a very young girl for what she was getting herself into.
65,000 attended the sold out The Eras Tour concert at Warsaw PGE Narodowy Stadium for three nights in a row
Outside the PGE Narodowy stadium, the royal court is getting in motion for their Queen. Dressed in sequins, high pink hats and everything feathery, these were the readiest fans I’ve seen in my life. Taylor has the most insatiable and efficient fans community. An idolised cultural icon, from her looks to the numerological theories on her lyrics - It’s a Taylor thing, you wouldn’t understand, it’s written on a shirt. I do not understand and I must confess that this level of fascination makes me very uncomfortable.
But then I remind myself that this is GenZ: reality is far from being binary. They’re organised, unapologetic, goofy and depressed on sequins while they souls burn on a purified rage for every single struggle in the world. Taylor is a Millennial that brilliantly has targeted all of GenZ narratives and branded them.
These youngsters will defend Taylor from cancel culture but they’re the same demanding a stance on her political views. When you are young they assume you know nothing, some are disappointment by Taylor’s silence on the wars or climate change but they will sing along with her their own growing pains.
This show is everything at the same time and it’s taking a very long 3 hours and a half to be unforgettable. Taylor Swift, the once industry underdog is diving on a 100 million dollar super stage and swimming to the highest reaches of the Pop music Olympus.
According to financial news outlets, the Eras Tour has made Taylor Swift the first artist to achieve billionaire status solely on the basis of her music, with and estimated $1.1 billion fortune. Powerful as her show, impressive as her stamina, talented as her skills and focused as her choice of climax to celebrate 20 years of career. No surprise she’s The Man.
The world is a strange place but Pop is a safe pitch, so I don’t know about you but I’m feeling 22 and with my mixed feelings aside I went along with the inevitable vibe only Madonna “Holiday” or Michael Jackson “Thriller” hit the best. That Pop ethereal sparkle.
I stopped for a moment to breathe in and stared at Irene enjoying herself with her bff by her side. She was singing, dancing and laughing. My happy girl.
On our way back home she said Thank you, Mom, I had a great time. I snuggled her.
Months and weeks before this day I told her on repeat, Irene don’t forget that Taylor Swift is an artist working for an industry. Her job is to creatively fulfil your emotional needs. So do take her songs, interpret them your way however you feel fit as you grow up and as Taylor markets it be your strong self, determined. Obsessing for something, or worst for someone, is falling into a trap of an easy rewarding loop. Pop is the rainbow on a grey raining day. Take it all in. And never forget: concerts are one of the best things when you’re young!
And when you’re a Parent.
