What Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Means for Denver This Weekend

Before I dive into the crux of the matter, I must acknowledge that I am a Swiftie. I have been at least a casual fan of Taylor Swift’s since I was about 10 years old when the sweet country-pop excellence of “Our Song” hit the airwaves on the drive to school. Swift is a generational talent. And with her acclaimed Eras Tour finally stopping in Denver for two nights in a row, I had to make sure to snag some tickets, with a swiftness. So without further ado, I will walk you, dear reader, through what Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will mean for our fine city throughout this weekend.

The Premise of the Eras Tour

The Eras Tour is a fascinating concept which comprises performances of deep cuts, singles, and fan-favorite tracks all around from each of Swift’s album eras. Swift has been a major-label recording artist since she was 15, and she released her self-titled, debut album as a 16-year-old. During the promotional cycle for the release of her seventh studio album, the glittering Lover, Swift announced that she would re-record her discography up to that point due to a label dispute. Swift officially owns the masters to the new and improved Taylor Versions of three quintessential albums (so far). Last Friday signaled the release of the third Taylor’s Version, an update on her 2010 coming-of-age-film-distilled-into-a-record Speak Now.

The re-recording process has caused her to play herself back and (perhaps inadvertently) prove how much her voice has come over the years. In addition to this, one of her classic deep cuts features new lyrics after some controversy regarding the original ones. Swift playing back her prolific discography provides the perfect opportunity to let her fans do the same, in an arena show context!

Swifties and the Eras Tour

Not every Swiftie relates to the Eras Tour the same way. For example, a few friends of mine (and presumably many others on Twitter) have been watching livestreams of the Eras shows. Swift makes sure to keep her set lists interesting, playing different surprise songs at every show. The Swifties who consistently watch the live streams often make sure to keep stats on which songs she performs each night to gauge what she might perform when she stops in their town. Swift typically performs a surprise song on guitar and then a surprise song on the piano. These two songs arrive between the final two acts of the show, the 1989 era set and the Midnights era set.

Certain Swifties are also into dressing for the occasion. A button-down could signal some appreciation for Swift’s style during the Red era. A sparkly, disco-inspired outfit would work perfectly in reference to two particular classic Swift deep cuts, “Mirrorball” and “Bejeweled.” A fringe jacket could be a nice callback to some of Swift’s Lover era looks. One could also simply dial it back to basics with any cowboy hat, redolent of Swift’s entry into the public consciousness as a country artist.

However one relates to the Eras Tour, it is certain to be a feast for the eyes, the ears, and the spirit.

What Denver Swifties Should Make Sure to Catch This Weekend

So the Eras Tour is happening in our city twice in a row, tonight and tomorrow night. What a time to be alive! Anyway, I have compiled some events/specials to check out surrounding the Denver edition of Taylormania…

• X Bar has got the right idea! The iconic queer bar is offering a free shot to Swifties who bring in their tickets on Friday and Saturday.
• Try some fascinating Swift-inspired cocktails at Bar Dough Denver! The special menu includes a delicious-sounding “Lavender Haze” cocktail which is infused with blueberry gin and a “Sparks Fly” mocktail with pineapple juice and clove syrup.
• Poka Lola’s got some more Swiftie cocktails! The bar is serving two special cocktails today and tomorrow inspired by Swift songs. “Champagne Problems” features vodka, cranberry, lime, and bubbles. Poka Lola’s “Lavender Haze” mixes gin with lavender and honey.
• Denver’s own Inspyre Boutique has a cute section of its website currently dedicated to some Eras-inspired outfits! Make sure to stop by to purchase some sweet, timeless looks.
• Union Station is hosting pre-games for the shows! It is sure to be a fun time, including special drinks, a face rhinestone artist, and Taylor’s music blasting all the way.
• Head over to Chez Maggy for a “Champagne Problems” brunch this weekend!
• The wonderful Certified Tattoo Studios is doing Swift-inspired flash tattoos all weekend!
• Toro Denver has even more Swift-inspired cocktails, and they are also giving out friendship bracelets to mark the occasion!
• My Neighbor Felix is also featuring very colorful Swift-inspired cocktails this weekend!

It is sure to be an exciting weekend all around! Make sure to celebrate Swift safely, and pace yourself if you plan on drinking and partying! Also, if you plan on driving to either or both of the shows, make sure to check out parking info for Empower Field right here. See you tonight and/or tomorrow!

Photo courtesy of Taylor Swift’s official website