“End of an era” as a “proud” Taylor Swift wraps up her tour
Taylor Swift expressed her deep gratitude to fans as she wrapped up the Eras Tour, calling it “the most exciting, powerful, electrifying, intense, and most challenging” experience of her life. The final show took place in Vancouver on Sunday, marking the end of a journey that began in March 2023. As she performed All Too Well, Swift reflected on her career, sharing that she had been “touring since I was 15 years old,” but the experiences of the last 21 months had been “completely unrecognizable” from anything she had done before.
Swift fondly recalled how one lyric from You’re On Your Own Kid about friendship bracelets had inspired fans to create and trade the handcrafted accessories. She noted that this sense of community, with fans connecting and bringing joy to one another, would be the lasting legacy of the tour. The heartfelt sentiment was shared with her audience in Vancouver, where she received a warm birthday serenade ahead of her 35th birthday next Friday.
The Eras Tour, which began in Arizona, was a massive success, breaking records and selling over 10.1 million tickets for 149 shows across five continents. It became the first tour in history to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales and is expected to top $2 billion by its end. The merchandise sales, too, added a significant revenue boost, with estimates suggesting it contributed an additional $400 million.
As the final show unfolded in Vancouver’s BC Place stadium, Swift was in a nostalgic mood, reflecting on the journey and calling it “one last grand adventure” with her fans. During Cardigan from her Folklore album, the reality of the tour coming to a close began to hit her, remarking that it was “crazy” to think she was singing the last song in the “Folklore cabin.” She also honored her band, dancers, and crew, acknowledging the sacrifices they made to keep the show going despite personal challenges.
For the acoustic set, which featured deeper cuts from her catalog, Swift selected songs that captured the emotional significance of the moment. On guitar, she performed a mash-up of A Place in This World and New Romantics, with lyrics about heartbreak, and on piano, she played Long Live, changing the words from “It was the end of a decade” to “It was the end of an era,” which was met with an overwhelming cheer. The setlist also included New Year’s Day and The Manuscript, which reflected the themes of memories and closure.
The tour’s finale came after an extensive run that saw only six songs from her 11 studio albums left unperformed. These included That’s When, Bye Bye Baby, Girl At Home, Ronan, Forever Winter, and Soon You’ll Get Better. Her mother Andrea was present in the audience, though her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, had to miss the show due to a game. Despite fans’ speculation about big reveals, including the potential announcement of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), the final show remained focused on celebrating the legacy of the Eras Tour.
As she closed with Karma, Swift thanked her fans, dedicating the song to Kelce, changing the lyrics to reflect their relationship. The emotional final moments saw her share a hug with her team before walking offstage with them, a fitting conclusion to a historic chapter in her career. The Eras Tour, celebrating 18 years of music, ended on a powerful note, leaving fans and the world in awe of its unprecedented scale and success.