I Went to the First and Last Show of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — Here’s How It Changed (And Got Even Better)

The limit does not exist when it comes to experiencing Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras tour. Along with actually attending the show during its nearly two-year run, you could watch it as a concert film on Disney+, follow along with fan-led YouTube livestreams, catch up on the subtle changes via TikTok clips and debate minutiae on message boards.

The tour concluded on Sunday night (Dec. 8) at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, and fans will still be discussing, rewatching and living in the Eras run for years to come. Yet I was lucky enough to experience Eras in a singular fashion: I was there for its opening and its closing.

After flying out to Glendale, Ariz. to review the kickoff on Mar. 17, 2023, I headed to Canada for its grand finale this weekend. A lot has changed for Swift in those 21 months — she’s got a full new album, two new Taylor’s Version re-recorded projects, three new No. 1 singles and a record-breaking fourth album of the year Grammy. And while I’ve obviously been following along with the developments of the Eras tour as it rolled from city to city and continent to continent, I wanted to experience Swift’s biggest live showcase to date at its start and end points, and understand how one of the biggest tours in history changed over time.

Although both evenings amounted to breathtaking pop showcases — the type of major show that music fans dream of seeing, and one that I count myself lucky to have seen multiple times — the Eras tour undoubtedly evolved in striking ways, and was even more satisfying by its conclusion. Here are seven ways that the Eras tour changed (and got even better) from the first show to the last.