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Taylor Swift's Eras Tour makes 3-night stop in South Philadelphia: What to know ahead of the show

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Swifties, are you ready for it? Taylor Swift's much-anticipated Eras Tour arrives in South Philadelphia this weekend.

Thousands of fans from across the region will descend upon Lincoln Financial Field to hear and see the Grammy-winning artist and Berks County native perform more than 40 hit songs.

With reports of tickets commanding more than $10,000 apiece on secondhand markets, the stakes are high for those who have dedicated months to planning their outfits, memorizing set lists, and watching concert clips on social media.

The shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday begin at 6:30 p.m. with performances by Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle.

All gates will open at 4:30 p.m.

Officials say Will Call opens at 4 p.m. next to the Xfinity Gate.

Have your digital tickets ready as you approach the gates. Screenshots of the tickets will NOT be accepted.

Fans with medical needs or disabilities may enter at the North Gate, located behind the seven flag poles in front of Lincoln Financial Field near Xfinity Gate.

Floor Seat Instructions

Guests with floor tickets must enter at the South Gate.

The South Gate is located at the south end of 11th Street, near I-95, facing the Wells Fargo Center.

Weather forecast

The weather is looking good for all of the Taylor Swift concerts, according to AccuWeather.

There will be a period of rain after Friday night's concert, but that should end by the afternoon on Saturday.

Is parking still available?

Parking is available at the stadium sports complex for $35 for cars and $70 for oversized vehicles.

Oversized vehicles can include limousines, party buses, RVs, oversized vans, etc.

Officials say parking opens at 12 p.m. on show day.

K-Lot at the Linc has been reserved for pre-paid parking passes only. ADA parking is available on a first-come-first-serve basis, but officials expect it to sell out quickly.

There are a few hundred parking spots available at Stella Maris Catholic Church at 2901 S. 10th Street. The fee is $40 per car.

Officials warn drivers that parking is expected to fill up quickly, try carpooling to the venue and arriving early.

Pick-ups & Drop-Offs

There will be a designated area for concert-goers to wait onsite for post-show pick-ups.

If you will be waiting to pick someone up after the show, enter the pick-up area from the intersection of Packer Avenue and 10th Street.

Drivers must remain with their vehicles while in the pick-up area, according to officials. Vehicles will not be permitted to park along any other curb lines in the Sports Complex.

Officials say if you are waiting to pick someone up after the show, you must be in the Sports Complex no later than 9 p.m. After that, the complex will be secured and no vehicles will be allowed to enter.

What kind of bag can I bring to the show?

Fans are permitted to carry one of the following style and size bags into the stadium:

- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not exceed 12 x 6 x 12"

- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar)

- Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand but not larger than 4.5 x 6.5, with or without a handle/strap. This small clutch bag may be carried into the stadium along with one of the clear bag options.

- An exception can be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection. Please contact Fan Services for more information at [email protected] prior to arrival.

- Prohibited bags include but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage, seat cushions, computer bags, camera bags, binocular cases, or any bag larger than the permissible size.

Prohibited Items

The following items will not be permitted into the stadium for the show:

- Costumes or signs with battery packs

- Masks (not including medical face masks or religious face coverings)

- Costumes or clothing that may impede the view of surrounding fans

- Signs larger than 11 inches x 17 inches

- Signs or sticks

- Cameras with lenses longer than six inches

- Video cameras and GoPros

- A full list of prohibited items can be found here .

To make sure things go smoothly this weekend, here are some important tips from Nicole Pivonka, an advanced practice nurse with Virtua Health.

Protect your ears

The loud music and screaming fans can take a toll on your hearing. Pivonka said to avoid potential long-term damage, wear ear plugs or other devices to help reduce the decibels or lessen ambient noise.

Wear sensible shoes

Most concert-goers will be standing or dancing for the three-hour concert, and don't forget about the pre-show festivities.

"People put a lot of thought into their Eras outfit. I encourage them to make sensible shoes part of the overall ensemble," Pivonka said.

Spare your vocal cords

While singing along is inevitable, Pivonka recommends moderation to avoid losing your voice or, worse, causing damage.

If you are hoarse or raspy the day after the concert, that is most likely not a reason for concern. If those symptoms persist beyond 24 hours, consult a medical professional.

Wear sunscreen

We all know the event will be a day-long celebration. Do not forget your SPF.

Stay hydrated

Drinking water will help you stay healthy during and after the concert. Pivonka suggests that fans can avoid "Champagne Problems" by consuming one or more servings of water in between any alcoholic beverages.

Bring basic supplies

Don't forget things like aspirin, band-aids, and hand sanitizer.

"Of course, my number one tip is to just enjoy and have fun," Pivonka said. "It's all about making memories."

SEPTA running additional late-night service

SEPTA is helping fans get to Lincoln Financial Field by offering extra service on the Broad Street Line for the Taylor Swift concerts all weekend long.

Friday, May 12: Five local trains will leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 6:08, 6:18, 6:28 6:38, and 6:48 p.m. These local trains will make all stops at NRG Station.

Saturday, May 13: Five local trains will leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 4:30, 4:40, 4:50, 5:00, and 5:10 p.m.

Sunday, May 14: Five local trains will leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 4:42, 452, 5:02, 5:12, and 5:22 p.m.

Additional late-night regional rail train service to accommodate Taylor Swift concert travel Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 only.

There will also be added service on the Paoli/Thorndale Line, Media/Wawa Line, and West Trenton Line only.

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Everything You Need to Know for Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ in Philadelphia

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It's the biggest concert event of the year, and it's finally here. Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour hits Philadelphia and Lincoln Financial Field on May 12, 13, and 14.

From setlists to parking to opening acts, we put together a list of EVERYTHING you need to know ahead of the show:

What Time Is Taylor Swift's Philadelphia Concert?

The "show" begins at 6:30 pm, according to stadium officials and Taylor Swift.

The gates to the Linc open at 4:00 pm daily.

If You Have Floor Seats, Where Do You Enter for the Taylor Swift Concert in Philadelphia?

Guests with floor seats MUST enter at South Gate. South Gate is located at the south end of 11th street, near I-95.

Is There An Opening Act for Taylor Swift in Philadelphia?

Yes, there are two opening acts each night. Here's a breakdown:

Friday, May 12, 2023 & Saturday, May 13, 2023 - Pheobe Bridgers & GAYLE Sunday, May 14, 2023 - Pheobe Bridgers & Gracie Abrams

What Time Will Taylor Swift Perform in Philadelphia?

Per our best guesstimates, we think Taylor will take the stage between 7:45 and 8 pm.

If you're like me, you want to be prepared for a concert. I recommend being safely in your seat by 7:30. The stadium will be absolutely packed that night so it may take a few minutes to get into your seat, and you absolutely don't want to miss ANY of the show.

Production times are always subject to change, of course.

PRO-TIP: The last song that plays in the overhead speaker BEFORE Taylor enters the stage is rumored to be "Applause" by Lady Gaga. When you hear that song, the show is starting. 

Are Tickets Still Available for Taylor Swift's Philly Concert? How Can I get Last-minute Taylor Swift tickets in Philadelphia?

We have tickets through Friday, May 12 for you to win. Listen RIGHT NOW for today's Twisted Taylor Swift Ticket Track. 

Download the  94.5 PST app  for us to send more info directly to your phone VERY SOON.

If you're not our lucky winner, we suggest checking reputable sites for the latest ticket availability.

Yes, resale tickets are available for resale on sites Stubhub. It'll certainly cost you.

• Click here for  Stubhub tickets to the show(s).
• Click here for  TickPick tickets to the show(s).
• Click here for VividSeats tickets to the show(s). 

As of Monday, April 24, it looks like the most affordable tickets are listed for Sunday night's show. But that, of course, is subject to change. Tickets for that show can be found for about $1,100 with fees. OUCH!

What Time do the Parking Lots Open for the Taylor Swift Concerts at the Linc? How Much Does Parking Cost for the Taylor Swift Concert at Lincoln Financial Field?

The parking lots open at Lincoln Financial Field will open at 12 noon every day (Friday-Sunday).

K Lot is ONLY reserved for pre-paid cars, and it appears to be completely sold out. However, all other lots will be available for parking.

We've got a map posted for you here. Lots A-M are closest to the field.

Remember, these are CASHLESS payments only at the Linc, so you need to use your digital payment (or a credit card).

Where Can I Pick Someone Up Or Drop Someone Off For the Taylor Swift Concert in Philly?

There is a dedicated area for post-show pick-ups. This is the area that MUST be used as vehicles will not be permitted to go anywhere else for a pickup.

It’s marked on the map below. Enter the area from the intersection of Packer Ave and 10th Street.

TIP: You must be in the complex no later than 9 PM if you’re doing a pickup as the complex is secured and no vehicles will be allowed to enter after 9 pm, officials say.

What is the Bag Policy at Lincoln Financial Field for the Taylor Swift Concert 2023?

The venue will follow the NFL Clear Bag policy. Bags cannot exceed 12"x6"x12" and must be clear, per the venue's policies.

Click here to read more about the bag policies at Lincoln Financial Field. 

What Is the Setlist for Taylor Swift's Philadelphia Concert?

We did some digging and know more about Taylor's expected setlist, but we don't wanna give any spoilers here. So we posted them on our site. Check that out by clicking here. 

What are the Hours for the Eras Tour Merchandise in Philadelphia?

The Taylor Swift Merchandise Trailer is open for pre-show sales on Thursday in Lot-K (near K-19) from 10 am until 7 pm. The lines will close in time for that 7 pm closure, so arrive early.

On the show days (May 12-14) the merchandise lines open at 12 pm. They will be located on 11th Street, across from Xfinity Live!

Inside the stadium, merchandise will be sold at the following locations:

• Pepsi Plaza
• Main Concourse: 102, 106, 107, 113, 117, 121, 128, 134
• Mezzanine: M10
• Club Levels: C4, C22 (MUST HAVE CLUB TICKET FOR ACCESS)
• Upper Concourse: 226, 242

Merchandise lines will be closed 30 minutes after the show ends, nightly.

Are Signs Allowed for Taylor Swift's Concert at the Linc in Philly?

Yes, signs are allowed. But they must follow these rules/restrictions a tour spokesperson tells the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Ensure your sign is 11 inches by 17 inches. In fact, signs with sticks/poles longer than 12 inches are not allowed, the tour tells Inquirer.com.

Additionally, signs that block the views of others in the crowd or are hung on the stadium structure will be confiscated.

Are Umbrellas Allowed Inside Lincoln Financial Field for the Taylor Swift Concert?

Umbrellas are NOT allowed in the venue. If rain is forecasted at all, you'll want to pack a poncho or raincoat.

More prohibited items can be found on the Linc's official website.

Are Portable Phone Chargers Allowed in Lincoln Financial Field for the Taylor Swift Concert?

Small portable phone chargers are permitted, but stadium officials say they must be no larger than the size of your cell phone.

Is there Extra SEPTA Service For Taylor Swift?

There will be additional service on both the Broad Street Line (BSL) and the Regional Rail.

There will be a total of five Broad Street Line trains for the shows.

• Friday, May 12 : Leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 6:08 pm, 6:18pm, 6:28pm, 6:38pm & 6:48 pm.
• Saturday: May 13 : Leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 4:30pm, 4:40pm, 4:50pm, 5:00pm & 5:10pm
• Sunday May 14:  Leave Fern Rock Transportation Center at 4:42pm, 4:52pm, 5:02pm, 5:12pm & 5:22pm

"Additional late night train service to accommodate Taylor Swift concert travel Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 only," SEPTA said in a release on Monday.

Added service will be available on the Paoli/Thorndale Line, Media/Wawa Line and West Trenton Line only. Click here to view the updated timetables.

If you're going to the concert, have a great time. We can't wait!

These are the Hottest Pop Concerts Happening in Philadelphia in 2023

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Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour makes 3-night stop in South Philadelphia: What to know ahead of the show

Taylor swift's much-anticipated eras tour arrives in south philadelphia this weekend..

• 6abc digital staff

Taylor Swift performs during 'The Eras Tour' on Friday, May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Floor Seat Instructions

Weather forecast.

SWIFTIES FORECAST The weather looks good for all of the Taylor Swift concerts @ The Linc this weekend. There will be a period of rain after Friday night's concert, but that should end by the afternoon on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/dJ6HrC6W5d — Cecily Tynan (@CecilyTynan) May 11, 2023

Is parking still available?

Pick-ups & drop-offs, what kind of bag can i bring to the show, prohibited items, protect your ears, wear sensible shoes, spare your vocal cords, wear sunscreen, stay hydrated, bring basic supplies, septa running additional late-night service.

Media: Additional late night Regional Rail service will be added to accommodate passengers following the Taylor Swift concert on Saturday and Sunday, May 13 and 14. Service details | https://t.co/euc168rN8M — SEPTA (@SEPTA) May 8, 2023

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Taylor Swift Reflects on ‘Magical’ & ‘Emotional’ Eras Tour Hometown Shows

"Philly was a dream, honestly," the pop star tweeted.

By Hannah Dailey

Hannah Dailey

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Taylor Swift ‘s trio of Eras Tour shows in Philadelphia couldn’t have been more nostalgic if she tried. In a Tuesday (May 16) post about her weekend spent at the city’s Lincoln Financial Field, the singer reflected on the full-circle feeling of performing at her hometown venue, celebrating Mother’s Day, family memories and more.

All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far)

Trending on billboard.

Then, two nights later, the “Anti-Hero” singer got to celebrate her mom, Andrea, with a sentimental surprise song performance of her 2008 Fearless track “The Best Day,” which she wrote as a teenager about their close bond. “Plus I got to emotionally hobble my way through singing The Best Day for my mom on Mother’s Day,” she added in her tweet. “I love you all so much.”

The 12-time Grammy winner had also confessed to feeling emotional about the performance while onstage Sunday night. She told the crowd about how she once surprised a tearful Andrea by secretly recording “The Best Day” all those years ago, and warned that, even a decade and a half later, she’d likely get choked up while performing it live.

Swift’s next stop on the Eras Tour will be Foxborough, Mass., about which she wrote she’s “counting down the hours” ’til she gets to play three consecutive shows at Gillette Stadium starting Friday (May 19). The week after, she’ll hit MetLife Stadium just outside New York City before heading over to Soldier Field in Chicago.

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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour,’ a 27-date U.S. stadium tour in 2023, is coming to Philly for two shows in May

The pop superstar, whose new "Midnights" album is in contention to be the most successful of her career, will play two shows at Lincoln Financial Field on May 12 and 13.

Taylor Swift is coming to Philadelphia.

The Wyomissing-raised pop superstar’s new Midnights album is in contention to be the most successful of her career. It has sold over 1 million copies in its first week of release, and its songs occupy all Top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

On Tuesday, Swift announced a 2023 U.S. concert trek of football stadiums that she’s calling “The Eras Tour.” It begins in March in Arizona and wraps up in August in Los Angeles and includes two dates at Lincoln Financial Field on May 12 and 13.

The show will be Swift’s first in Philadelphia since she played two dates at the Linc in 2018 on her Reputation tour.

Since then, the 32-year-old Berks County native has been busy. She put out Lover in 2019 and then Midnights that released last month.

When COVID-19 kept her from touring behind that music, Swift released two quarantine-recorded folk-rock albums in 2020, Folklore and Evermore. And in 2021, she released re-recorded versions of her albums Fearless and Red , which originally came out in 2008 and 2012.

All of that activity will presumably be reflected in the Eras tour, whose artwork is a collage of looks Swift has sported through her 16-year recording career.

The opening acts on the tour are all ones that Swift has championed, including sister band Haim and singer and dancer Owenn. Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle — the stage name of Plano, Texas, songwriter Taylor Gayle Rutherford — will open the Philly shows.

» READ MORE: Taylor Swift: The girl-next-door superstar

Tickets range from $49-$449 and VIP Packages go from $199-$899. The general public Ticketmaster on-sale date is Nov. 18 at 10 a.m., but Capitol One credit card holders will have early access on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. Registration is open for the TaylorSwiftTix presale at verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/taylorswifttix .

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November 01, 2022

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour includes two Philadelphia concerts in May 2023

The pop superstar will perform at lincoln financial field. tracks from her 10th studio album, 'midnights,' occupied the all top 10 spots on the billboard hot 200 this week.

Taylor Swift will perform back-to-back shows at Lincoln Financial Field next spring as part of her Eras Tour, the pop singer announced on Tuesday. 

The 11-time Grammy Award winner will take the stage in South Philly on  Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13 , accompanied by opening acts Phoebe Bridgers and GAYLE. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. Swift said the concerts on the tour will include music from her entire catalog. She has released six albums since the conclusion of the Reputation stadium tour more than four years ago. 

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Swift broke the news of the Eras Tour on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.

"I wanted to tell you something that I've been so excited about for a really long time, and I've been planning for ages. And I finally get to tell you I'm going back on tour" Swift said in a recorded clip played during the morning show. "The tour is called the Eras Tour, and it's a journey through all of my musical eras of my career." 

The Reading native first teased the possibility of a tour during her an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Oct. 24, while promoting her 10th studio album, " Midnights ." The singer, who is well known for her elaborate album promotion, told Fallon that her next tour would happen when the time is right. 

Swift hasn't toured since 2018's Reputation tour, which included a stop at Lincoln Financial Field. Though she had said she would tour her 2019 album "Lover," the plans were scrapped due to COVID-19. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

Since her last tour, Swift has released four original albums — "Lover," 2020's "Folklore" and "Evermore," and "Midnights," — along with two re-recorded versions of her past work, which had previously unreleased songs. 

There are 28 concerts scheduled for the U.S. leg of the Eras Tour.   International dates were promised, but dates have yet to be announced. 

Eras kicks off March 18 in Glendale, Arizona, with opening-act performances by Paramore and GAYLE. Other supporting acts joining the highly-anticipated tour include MUNA, beebadoobee, girl in red, HAIM, Gracie Abrams, and OWENN. 

Bridgers and HAIM are recent collaborators with Swift. Bridgers teamed up with Swift on " Nothing New ," a previously unreleased track added to "Red (Taylor's Version)," the re-recorded version of the singer's 2012 smash-hit album. Indie pop trio HAIM were featured on " no body no crime ," the murderous ballad on 2020's "Evermore." 

Following Tuesday's announcement, fans rushed to Twitter to share their excitement — and fears about expensive resale tickets. 

me with the new taylor swift tour pic.twitter.com/aUfTphrAey — t (@swifterous) November 1, 2022

taylor swift’s setlist for her “ts the eras tour” pic.twitter.com/82id1zh4SL — i’m the problem (@ThrowbackTaylor) November 1, 2022

mom: “WHO SOLD THE HOUSE?” me at taylor swift’s “the era tour” concert: pic.twitter.com/HKFWVROmF4 — Midnights commentary (@tsmidnightsts10) November 1, 2022

me walking into the taylor swift eras tour after selling my kidneys to get tickets: #TSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/HSy1KWlpQN — ” (@httpshcni) November 1, 2022

If taylor swift goes on tour i need her to play every song from lover, folklore, evermore and midnights even if it takes 13 hours — Liam 🌙 (@Notfancy_) November 1, 2022

Swift is using the Ticketmaster Verified Fan program, allowing people to register for presale tickets now through Nov. 9 at 11:59 p.m. Registered fans receive codes giving them exclusive opportunities to purchase tickets for the Eras Tour beginning Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m.

Those who previously purchased Verified Fan tickets for Swift's Lover Tour , and who register the Eras presale using the same account, will receive preferred access to participate in the  TaylorSwiftTix Presale , according to Ticketmaster.

Ticket prices start at $49 and go up to $449. VIP ticket packages — available first come, first serve — start at $199 and go up to $899.

The tour announcement comes less than two weeks after Swift released "Midnights," which became the top-selling album of the year in just one day and broke Spotify's single-day record for streams. On Monday, Swift became the first artist to claim all 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at one time. 

The album had more than 1.5 million sales in its first week. This is largely due to physical media — though Swift's 3 a.m. deluxe version of "Midnights" was released as an entirely digital album, the singer released four different physical versions of the standard edition, some including bonus songs not available on streaming platforms. 

"Midnights" is available to stream or purchase . Fans can also check out the album's second music video, for "Bejeweled." 

Maggie Mancini PhillyVoice Staff

[email protected]

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Taylor Swift Eras Tour Philadelphia concert review: A pop masterclass, and unreal homecoming show

• Updated: May. 13, 2023, 11:20 a.m. |
• Published: May. 13, 2023, 11:03 a.m.
• Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Three hours and 15 minutes. Forty five songs. A profoundly satisfying adventure through a prolific catalog, with 70,000 devout fans coveting every deep cut, belting each obscure lyric with spiritual revelry.

Sound familiar? There’s a new Boss in town.

On her mammoth new Eras Tour , Taylor Swift has recalibrated the bar for pop stadium spectacle, outdoing even her previous monolithic and record-breaking roadshows in scale (52 sold-out U.S. stadiums, international to come) and further strengthening her bond to a fanbase unmatched in its dedication to the celestial Swiftie-verse.

The ultra-star commandeered Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Friday night, her first tri-state area concert in five years and the first of three de-facto homecoming shows this weekend. Swift, 33, was raised an hour west in Wyomissing, Pa. before relocating to Nashville as a young teen.

“I grew up just down the road,” Swift noted to the deafening audience, many of whom donned costumes mirroring past music videos (a powder-wigged “Bejeweled” duo were a personal favorite). “You spend your whole childhood with your dad watching Eagles games on TV …” she added, continuing on about how she’d never dreamed she’d be playing a stadium in her neighboring city.

Of course, Taylor’s already been at this a while — her “1989″ (2015 ) and “Reputation” (2018) tours also played football stadiums in most American cities, including Philly. But heading into 2023, Swift was, to some extent, a victim of her own success: Since her last tour, she’s amassed a backlog of six No. 1 albums (“Lover,” 2019; “Folklore” and “Evermore, 2020; re-releases of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version” and “Red” (Taylor’s Version),” 2021; and “Midnights,” 2022; all of them co-produced by New Jersey’s Jack Antonoff ).

For a pop deity to tally more than 80 new or previously unreleased songs between tours is unheard of. So came the question: How could Swift possibly build a concert that pays homage to hits new and old, and not balloon the thing into an unmanageable marathon?

Simple: She would indeed play the lengthiest shows of her career, and manage it just fine, thanks.

“We’re going to go on a journey … through 17 years of music, one era at a time,” Swift declared early in the show, her perfectly straightened bangs not yet curled from sweat. “I’ll be your host, my name’s Taylor.”

As with all things Swift, each moment across her highly glamoured pop endurance test — broken into 10, mostly album-specific segments — was meticulously plotted. While Swift doesn’t dare attempt the intense pop-and-lock choreography of a Beyonce or Jennifer Lopez, her “crowd work” is unmatched — the finger points and happy waves; the knowing winks, nods and glances; the blue-eyed stares directly into the sea of iPhone cameras, so every fan believes their dirty-blonde demigoddess is looking at them only.

Swift has built a career toeing the line between vulnerable relatability — like your lovelorn school friend, whose heart has been shattered a dozen different ways — and untouchable, Barbie doll-like aura. She’s just like us, only better in every conceivable way.

And as the show went on, Swift delivered again and again, touching both ends of her aesthetic spectrum. For the new “Evermore” song “Marjorie,” written about Swift’s late grandmother, the crowd lit up the stadium with tens of thousands of swaying, twinkling phone lights. Swift’s perfectly lined eyes began to well immediately. She composed herself and sang through it, thanking the audience upon the song’s conclusion: “That was really nice of you,” she said, “that’s the most incredibly personal song you could have done that for.”

She continued in that moment, laying on the hometown shtick. “Pennsylvania is where my childhood … all the imagination and daydreaming, creating dramatic scenarios in my head to write down later (began). … All my memories with my grandmother happened in Pennsylvania.”

Surely Swift will save anecdotes from her summers at the Jersey Shore for her upcoming trio of MetLife Stadium shows in East Rutherford May 26 to 28. Swift’s family owned a home in Stone Harbor for much of her youth.

Yes, the intimate, fan-tethering moments were special and very welcome. But then there was the reality of the performance, the immensity of the production, the nine costume changes, the smoke, the fire, the utter euphoria and mayhem of a concert with such maniacal anticipation finally becoming real. Here were a few choice moments:

• During her “Red” session, Swift unloaded the updated, 10-minute version of her most beloved ballad “All Too Well,” and during the cresting bridge — “maybe we got lost in translation …” — the sing-along was so outrageously emphatic, it’s unclear how the neighboring Walt Whitman Bridge didn’t crumble into the Delaware. This moment rivaled the loudest collective human sounds I’ve ever heard; up there with BTS and Metallica. The song finished with a rain of snow-like confetti (bound to another lyric, of course), which fans naturally scooped into their pockets as keepsakes.
• For “Reputation,” Swift stood at the center of her enormous catwalk, on steps rising from the stage for “Don’t Blame Me,” and unleashed a soaring, gospel-like belt — the night’s finest vocal moment — summoning beams of light from the stage several hundred feet into the South Philly sky. Surely this could have been seen from Gloucester County.
• As songs from “Midnights,” her newest world-beating album, finished the set, Swift and her troupe of dancers took a more sultry approach to her thumping “Vigilante S***,” performing a smoldering chair dance unthinkable during Swift’s early, squeaky-clean days on country radio.

While all of those moments are built into each night’s performance, the Eras Tour has since its March kickoff been defined by its surprise songs — two per show, with hundreds of thousands of fans watching fans’ TikTok live-streams from home. Swift performs these solo, harkening back to her earliest days; one on acoustic guitar, one on a cabinet piano painted with a rainbow of flowers. This night, she debuted on guitar “Gold Rush,” a winning burner off “Evermore,” which fittingly mentions an Eagles t-shirt in its lyrics (there was some debate over whether the line referenced the band or the football team; Swift confirmed the latter).

She followed it with “Come Back … Be Here,” a deep cut from “Red,” at the request of her opening act, indie darling Phoebe Bridgers (who also emerged earlier to perform their sweeping 2021 duet, “Nothing New.”)

For sake of brevity, I won’t indulge further into the other 40 or so songs’ individual stagings, which shifted from vivid, maximalist pop bedlam (“Cruel Summer,” “Blank Space”) to mossy cottage-core (“The 1″) and witchy interpretive dance (”Willow”).

Just know this is the tour. The tour against which all other A+ level pop extravaganzas will now be measured. If you snagged seats for one of the MetLife shows or elsewhere, prepare not only for a magnificent and endlessly exciting cross-section of Swift’s career — a millennial-distinguishing songbook, delivered at the height of her power — but for what may go down as the pop-culture experience of the decade.

It’s been a long time coming.

Taylor Swift’s setlist

May 12, 2023 — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

• “ Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince ” (shortened)
• “ Cruel Summer ”
• “ The Man ”
• “ You Need to Calm Down ” (shortened)
• “ Lover ” (spoken intro)
• “ The Archer ” (extended outro)
• “ Fearless ” (shortened)
• “ You Belong With Me ”
• “ Love Story ”
• “ ‘tis the damn season ” (shortened)
• “ marjorie ” (shortened)
• “ champagne problems ” (spoken intro)
• “ tolerate it ” (extended intro w/ keys)
• “ ...Ready for It? ” (extended intro)
• “ Delicate ”
• “ Don’t Blame Me ” (shortened)
• “ Look What You Made Me Do ”
• “ Enchanted ” (extended intro)
• “ We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together ”
• “ I Knew You Were Trouble ” (shortened)
• “ Nothing New ” (with Phoebe Bridgers )
• “ All Too Well (10 Minute Version) ” (spoken intro)
• “ betty ” (spoken intro)
• “ the last great american dynasty ”
• “ illicit affairs ” (shortened)
• “ my tears ricochet ”
• “ cardigan ”
• “ Style ” (shortened)
• “ Blank Space ”
• “ Shake It Off ”
• “ Wildest Dreams ” (shortened)
• “ Bad Blood ” (shortened)
• “Gold Rush” (live debut, acoustic solo on guitar)
• “Come Back... Be Here” (tour debut, acoustic solo on piano)
• “ Lavender Haze ”
• “ Anti‐Hero ”
• “ Midnight Rain ”
• “ Vigilante S ***”
• “ Bejeweled ”
• “ Mastermind ”

Bobby Olivier may be reached at [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook .

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After Five Years of Waiting, Taylor Swift Delivers Pure Magic

Swift’s three-night Philadelphia stand served as a fiery confetti-cannon reminder that the artist's greatest strength is always her connection with her fans.

Get a compelling long read and must-have lifestyle tips in your inbox every Sunday morning — great with coffee!

Taylor Swift at night one of the Philadelphia visit on the Taylor Swift Eras Tour / Photograph by Lisa Schaffer

The sunburn was the first giveaway — bright and pink on their shoulders and stretching across their cheeks. The “13” and “Lover” tattoos on Christina Zilocchi’s right arm were the second, two symbols of a fandom that brought her from Hightstown, New Jersey, in the dark of night to secure her place at the front of the Lincoln Financial Field ticket line — a line for hopers and lovers and wildest dreamers who pushed aside common sense on the off chance a Taylor Swift ticket would miraculously appear.

By 6 p.m. Friday, 13 hours after taking her spot at the front of the line, the 19-year-old was still ticketless.

“It’s just the power of the fandom,” she said alongside her friend and fellow sunburnt Swiftie Emily Poulter. “Taylor has been my favorite artist for forever.”

The two stood before a line of dozens, all hoping, praying, that somehow the ticket gods would open the heavens and sprinkle tickets down from above. They shared phone chargers and held each other’s places in line as nature beckoned them to the Port-a-Potties. As the day progressed and overzealous mothers walked past the line and straight to the ticket window, hoping for the same last-minute miracle, the line-sitters glared.

I wished Christina and Emily luck, but having passed dozens of handmade EXTRA TICKETS? PLEASE!! signs on the brief walk from the subway to the stadium, I knew their night likely wouldn’t end within its walls.

A few minutes earlier, my friend Molly and I had climbed aboard the Broad Street Line and into the Amazon. “It’s like Titanic ,” she said, as the train windows fogged with body heat to the point where condensation was collecting and dripping in quick, greasy streaks down the windows. Makeup ran, armpits saturated, but no one truly, really, cared. What’s 15 minutes on the train to Buson if you’ve waited five years or a lifetime to see Taylor Swift?

My own experience with Swift started back in 2008, as the album that launched her into mega-stardom, Fearless , was released. I was introduced to her through a short Washington Post profile written by J. Freedom du Lac, and, skeptical of anything country and borderline hostile to anything pop-country, I flippantly burned Fearless onto a CD. Within one play, the hook was set. The following spring, I took a road trip with two similarly skeptical friends. We spent the whole 2,300-mile drive scanning the radio to find “Love Story,” Swift’s paean to young love. In retrospect, the song set the path for 15 years of Swift — forbidden love, shifting narrators, swelling bridges. 

On the final leg of the trip, somewhere between Atlanta and D.C., on the umpteenth listen, one of my companions chimed up from the back seat: “Oh, now I get it.”

I thought about that moment nine songs into Swift’s set, as the track’s opening banjo plucks coursed through the stadium and the sell-out crowd screamed and chanted and lurched. “We were both young when I first saw you,” she sang with 67,000 back-up singers, myself included. As an artist grows and you grow, your relationship with that artist’s music changes. In 2008, unmarried, childless, world at my feet, I connected with the protagonists, young and in love, ready to do anything to be together. Fifteen years later, I found myself in the audience, not connecting with the characters, but rather cheering them on. Yes, it’s worth it, keep fighting.

In those 15 years, I’ve gotten married and had two children. They’re perfect, those three, and they’ve forced me to tear down and reconstruct my entire perspective on life and love, rebuilding my definition of both to focus on them. So it’s unsurprising that later in the set, as the 2020 novella “Betty” trickled out through the stadium, my attention steered to my kids. I was no longer in these stories; they were. They were skateboarding and navigating summer love and feeling that deep mourning that only a teenage breakup can bring. 

And that’s okay — nay, even good. It’s part of the magic of Swift’s catalog, the world she’s built, that I can enjoy these songs in a totally different way than I first did. That’s not due to any magical thinking on my part; it’s because she’s crafted these malleable worlds that say C ome on in to anyone who’s willing to listen.

It would be malpractice to spend this story simply navel-gazing and not allowing a bit of time to discuss the fact that, fairly unequivocally, this was one of the best stadium shows I’ve ever witnessed, a three-hour pummeling of confetti and fire that made us all feel we were in a snow globe, removed from the outside world. Swift played her two best albums — Red and Folklore — back to back, brilliantly using the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” to span the two stylistically antithetical albums. (I’m eagerly anticipating any mail regarding my top-albums assertion.) Swift’s crowd-work was commanding and charming in equal parts, inviting the crowd in while still reminding them why they were there.

We’ve all aged so much in the past five years, as the pandemic warped our sense of time and longevity. It’s clear these years have taken an emotional toll on Swift, and she admitted as much onstage.

“I write my feelings down, and then I sing them to you,” she said. “And eventually I feel better.”

Nearly four hours after we all crushed into the stadium, Swift released us back into the South Philly air, full of hope and glitter and maybe a few hard seltzers. The next day, on Saturday afternoon, I got a text from Christina Zilocchi, whom I’d met online outside the Linc.

“Just wanted to let you know we did not get tickets,” she said. “Sadly no luck on our end.”

I texted back my condolences and, expecting her to be crestfallen, received an uplifting text in return.

“Going into it I knew we had to expect not to get tickets so we weren’t that disappointed,” she said. “ … but at least we tried!”

Here’s hoping she’ll make her way inside, this week or 15 years down the road. Either way, Swift will be waiting, however old Zilocchi is when she finally finds her.

For photos from the Taylor Swift Eras Tour in Philadelphia, go here .

• taylor swift

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Four years after the pandemic, are we all just awkward now, septa’s new “high-tech” fare gates are very, very easy to beat, a food bank fight fumes at media food bank in delco, when that phone call from your kid actually isn’t from your kid, in this section.

Bex & Buster

Official guide to taylor swift's eras tour in philadelphia, from tailgating to taylor on stage, here's the info for taylor's 3-night run at the linc.

When: Friday May 12th, Saturday May 13th, and Sunday May 14th

Start Time: 6:30pm Pheobe Bridges and GAYLE will open the Fri/Sat shows. Gracie Abrams will replace GAYLE on Sunday.

Taylor will take the stage around 8:00pm and wrap up around 11:00pm

Where: Lincoln Financial Field

Bag Policy: Attendees will be allowed one large clear bag, either a one-gallon Ziploc style bag or the 12" by 6" by 12" clear bag, plus a small clutch into the stadium. Fans are encouraged to limit what they bring into the stadium with them.

Prohibited Items include, but are not limited to:

• purses larger than a clutch bag
• fanny packs
• computer bags
• camera bags
• luggage of any kind
• bottles, cans, or beverages (medical exemptions can be made)

Parking: The folks at the Linc say parking will open 4.5 hours before the show begins. Parking at the stadium costs $35 for cars and $50 for oversized vehicles.

Photo : Credit: Lincoln Financial Field

Pink areas surrounding the stadium are marked for tailgating while the red-colored lots are for non-tailgaters. The Phillies will not be playing at Citizen's Bank Park, they're away all weekend so the parking lots are wide open!

• LifeBrand Gate: Northeast corner of the stadium
• XFINITY Gate: Northwest corner of the stadium
• Verizon Gate: West side of the stadium
• South Gate: South corner of the stadium
• North Gate: ADA-designated gate

Escalators are located behind Sections 125, 128, 135, 227, 235, and 241

There are six first aid locations scattered throughout the stadium, for fans in need of medical treatment. They are located in the Pepsi Plaza and in Sections 114, 136, 217, 233, and 242.

Enjoy the show and take lots of pics!

Sponsored Content

Watch CBS News

Taylor Swift's new tour brings her to Philadelphia in 2023

By Tom Dougherty

Updated on: November 1, 2022 / 10:47 AM EDT / CBS Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Fresh off making music history again with her new album "Midnights," Taylor Swift is going on tour, and it will bring her to Philadelphia in May 2023. Swift revealed Tuesday on Twitter her "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour."

The first leg of the tour will be stadium shows across the United States.

Swift is scheduled to play at Lincoln Financial Field on May 12 and May 13.

I’m enchanted to announce my next tour: Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, a journey through the musical eras of my career (past & present!) The first leg of the tour will be in stadiums across the US, with international dates to be announced as soon as we can! https://t.co/KFuqvrhSGo pic.twitter.com/eVyTcuW8sK — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 1, 2022

Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle will open for Swift for her shows at the Linc.

International tour dates will be announced at a later time.

Fans can register for the verified presale by clicking here . The presale will take place on Nov. 15.

It will be Swift's first stadium tour in five years.

Swift played the Linc during her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.

• Pennsylvania
• Lincoln Financial Field
• Taylor Swift
• Philadelphia

Tom Dougherty is a digital content producer for CBS Philadelphia. Before joining CBS News Philadelphia, Tom covered the NHL and college sports for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He covers breaking news and sports.

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Taylor Swift Announces 2023 U.S. Stadium Tour

By Madison Bloom

Taylor Swift has announced a massive 2023 stadium tour. Dubbed the Eras Tour, it begins in March 2023 and stretches into August. Guests on the tour include Phoebe Bridgers, Haim, Paramore, Beabadoobee, Gayle, Girl in Red, Gracie Abrams, Muna, and Owenn. Find her full schedule below.

The Eras Tour will support Swift’s new studio album, Midnights . It’s her 11th album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than a million copies in its first week. Swift previously teased the tour during her interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October.

Midnights features collaborations with Lana Del Rey and Zoë Kravitz, and Swift described it as “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life.” The new LP follows a steady stream of albums: In 2020, Swift issued a pair of stripped down releases— Folklore and E vermore , and, last year, she returned with re-recorded versions of Fearless and Red .

Swift announced Midnights at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards as she accepted the trophy for Video of the Year. Swift won the accolade for her 10-minute “ All Too Well: The Short Film ,” marking her third victory for Video of the Year, having previously won for 2015’s “Bad Blood” and 2019’s “ You Need to Calm Down .”

In recent months, Swift has shared “ This Love (Taylor’s Version) ” (a re-recorded cut from 1989 ), penned an original song for the new film Where the Crawdads Sing , and joined Ed Sheeran for a new version of “ The Joker and the Queen .” She also joined Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner to perform “ Exile ” live. She’s currently in theaters as well, appearing in the new David O. Russell film Amsterdam alongside Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Robert De Niro, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, and more.

Read about Taylor Swift in “ The Best and Worst of the 2022 MTV VMAs ” over on the Pitch.

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Taylor Swift:

03-18 Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium *% 03-25 Las Vegas, NV - Allegiant Stadium #% 04-01 Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium #@ 04-02 Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium #@ 04-14 Tampa, FL - Raymond James Stadium #@ 04-15 Tampa, FL - Raymond James Stadium #@ 04-22 Houston, TX - NRG Stadium #@ 04-28 Atlanta, GA - Mercedes-Benz Stadium #@ 04-29 Atlanta, GA - Mercedes-Benz Stadium #@ 05-05 Nashville, TN - Nissan Stadium $@ 05-06 Nashville, TN - Nissan Stadium $% 05-12 Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field $% 05-13 Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field $% 05-14 Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field $@ 05-19 Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium $% 05-20 Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium $% 05-21 Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium $@ 05-26 East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium $% 05-27 East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium $@ 05-28 East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium $? 06-02 Chicago, IL - Soldier Field !? 06-03 Chicago, IL - Soldier Field !? 06-10 Detroit, MI - Ford Field !? 06-17 Pittsburgh, PA - Acrisure Stadium !? 06-24 Minneapolis, MN - U.S. Bank Stadium !? 07-01 Cincinnati, OH - Paycor Stadium ~@ 07-08 Kansas City, MO - GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium ~@ 07-15 Denver, CO - Empower Field at Mile High ~@ 07-22 Seattle, WA - Lumen Field +@ 07-23 Seattle, WA - Lumen Field +@ 07-28 Santa Clara, CA - Levi’s Stadium +@ 07-29 Santa Clara, CA - Levi’s Stadium +@ 08-03 Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium +@ 08-04 Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium +? 08-05 Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium +%

* with Paramore % with Gayle # with Beabadoobee @ with Gracie Abrams $ with Phoebe Bridgers ! with Girl in Red ? with Owenn ~ with Muna + with Haim

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By Jazz Monroe

By Nina Corcoran

By Pitchfork

The bonding experience of watching a Taylor Swift concert from a parking lot

Swift fans have battled for tickets to the eras tour, and if it doesn’t work out thousands find spots outside the stadium..

PHILADELPHIA — Daniela Mello, 29, was on Facebook recently when she spotted a thread from her neighborhood group: strategies about how to sneak into the Eagles football stadium for Taylor Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour . Maybe bribe an hourly employee, someone suggested. Others advised that if you carry a ladder with confidence, you can get in just about anywhere.

“I mean, they were all crazy ideas,” Mello said. “But the thing is, one comment that caught my attention the most was like, ‘That is actually way more realistic than actually getting tickets.’”

Even though the commenters were (probably?) kidding, the very difficult odds of scoring tickets to Swift’s 52-date stadium tour are no joke — which is what brought Mello and her fiance to an area outside the gates of Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night, where they sat on concrete parking barriers near a sign for Lot K. Around them, thousands more Swift fans swarmed parking lots and closed streets by the stadium, screaming and dancing and singing and sometimes crying along to Swift’s vocals that rang out from the enormous speakers inside the venue. If they couldn’t see the pop megastar, they were certainly going to hear her.

“We’re lucky to even just be in the same city as her,” said Jackie Gaul, 27, of Ridley Park, Pa. She sat on a blanket on the ground with friends in Lot F, where you could hear the music surprisingly clearly, thanks to what one person described as a “sound tunnel” gap in the stadium’s architecture. For Eagles games, people explained, security typically patrols the lot for tailgaters who overstay their welcome — but Gaul and her friends correctly assumed that no official in their right mind would risk upsetting die-hard Swift fans by asking them to leave.

So the Swifties gathered in full force, bringing blankets, beanbag chairs, drinks and snacks. They knew that, even without laying eyes on the singer, they were still a part of the experience. During her 17-year career, Swift, 33, has created an unusually close connection with her fans by emphasizing that she’s one of them and that they’re all part of one big friend group. In turn, they have created tight bonds with each other, practically speaking their own language as they analyze Swift’s music and her every move in general.

The mass singalong with thousands staring up at the stadium — on the second of Swift’s three-night residency in Philadelphia, which the Wyomissing, Pa., native called her hometown shows — took on the feel of a religious experience in a sea of sequin dresses, pink cowboy hats and elaborate Swift-themed outfits, such as one that involved a mop and broom to symbolize Swift’s song “Clean.”

“What other concert are you seeing this many people sit outside the stadium, in alleys, on the floor?” said Anna Mason, 24, perched on a curb with two friends from Washington — where, to the shock and dismay of D.C.-area residents, Swift didn’t schedule any tour dates. “Everyone is so special and so, so, nice, and it’s just a great community.”

“There’s so many people here who wanted to be inside,” said Shreya Srinivasan, 23, of the Philly suburbs, settled in a lawn chair on 11th Street next to her father and sister. “And they’re still making the most of it.”

It’s hard to pinpoint how the massive Eras Tour outdoor gatherings (“Tayl-gates”?) started, but fans were inspired by TikToks that came out during the Tampa concerts in mid-April, where Swifties found just the right angle outside Raymond James Stadium, so they had a direct view of the Jumbotron. “You can see everything perfectly, and have a nice little picnic on the grass,” one reported . Others followed suit in Atlanta and Nashville, even without views of the screens.

But it also started back in November, when Eras Tour tickets went on sale on Ticketmaster and sold out so quickly and so disastrously that it sparked a congressional hearing about consolidation in the ticketing industry; the company blamed bot attacks and the “massive demand” for Swift, whom they said could have filled “900 stadiums.” More than 2 million people got tickets, but plenty more did not. And hype for the show — a three-hour, 15-minute spectacle with 44 songs, a journey through the “eras” of Swift’s music — has only grown since the tour launched in March.

On the sidewalks and in the lots of Philadelphia, fans held out hope as they bonded over stories of trying to secure tickets and stared intently at their phones, monitoring last-minute Ticketmaster drops. They waited in the virtual queues for hours, though the screens inevitably reported that there were 2,000-plus people ahead of them. Rumors flew about stadium staff releasing tickets at the box office during the opening acts. Some monitored secondary-market sites for a drop in resale prices, though the cost seemed to spike the more they refreshed, hovering around $1,800 for “obstructed view” seats as Swift hit the stage.

“The monopoly is not okay,” said Tara Ketterer, 39, of Bucks County, Pa., who arrived around noon with her 12-year-old daughter and their friends to stake out the best parking spot; they scouted out the good views when they also watched from outside the stadium Friday.

“Is nobody else crying?” one woman asked, dejected, as she drifted toward the will-call window about a half-hour after the show started, in the unlikely event of a miracle. She vowed to return Sunday for the third show to try again.

Although there were a few tear-stained faces (“It’s so unfair, I want to go home!” screamed one preteen who slumped in a camping chair outside her family’s car), most fans were determined to enjoy the second-best thing, which was to be swallowed up in a wave of joyous Swifties scream-singing their hearts out. You couldn’t hear Swift’s crowd banter between songs, but fans in the parking lots went wild when they heard the opening notes to her biggest hits, such as “You Belong With Me,” “Love Story,” “Shake It Off” and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” and they sang along to every lyric.

“I don’t know, it’s literally a cult,” Gianni Fowler, 19, said cheerfully, standing near the stadium entrance, when asked what makes the Swift fan base so loyal.

“Everyone’s just so connected, I feel like, and everyone loves Taylor. The mutual connection is really cool,” said Abby Crispin, 19, who traveled with Fowler from New Jersey. “Everyone’s just great, everyone’s vibing, it’s a really good group — ”

“OH COME ON!” someone roared as a car alarm suddenly started shrieking nearby, interrupting the cathartic belting of the chorus of Swift’s ballad “Enchanted”: “This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go.”

But the Swifties quickly learned the advantages of space unrestricted by seating: There was more room to flail and dance to “Look What You Made Me Do,” more room to dramatically fall to the ground and yell the lyrics of “Illicit Affairs.” There was more time to make and trade friendship bracelets, a Swift tour tradition.

And there was the ability to chat with the people around you, such as Mello — the fan who spotted people scheming about how to break into the stadium — and her fiance, Chris Calligan, 29, who quickly became pals with the people in their corner of the lot and accepted their lack of concert visuals.

“I just wish they could have, like, at least a little screen, like they do at the U.S. Open,” said Mello, who wore a “Me and Karma Vibe Like That” shirt and sparkly jacket. “But this is great. Honestly, I love it.”

“Two hours into the show, we’ve paid zero dollars,” confirmed Calligan, boasting his own “Swiftadelphia” T-shirt.

Jasmine Chen, 27, a woman they met that night, struck out on tickets multiple times, including almost falling prey to some scam attempts. But she also decided to have a positive attitude.

“We can pay zero dollars,” she added triumphantly, “and make 10 new friends.”

@benjiethehorse Crowd outside Philly Eras Tour 5/13! GREASE THE POLES #taylorswift #erastour #erastourphilly @Taylor Swift @Taylor Swift: Eras Tour ♬ original sound - Benjie the horse

Taylor Swift

Over 20,000 Taylor Swift fans without Eras Tour tickets watch Philadelphia show outside the stadium

15 May 2023, 15:00 | Updated: 15 May 2023, 15:12

Taylor Swift teams up with Captial One for The Eras tour presale

By Sam Prance

Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour is so popular that people are going even if they can't see the show.

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20,000 Taylor Swift fans who didn't get tickets to The Eras Tour still went to her show in Philadelphia in the most iconic way.

There are two types of Swifties in the world: Those who managed to get tickets to The Eras Tour and those who didn't. While more than 2.4 million tickets were sold in The Eras Tour presale, Ticketmaster crashed and millions of Taylor Swift fans were left without tickets. As a result, many fans have had to accept that they will never get to witness The Eras Tour in person.

Nevertheless, Swifties have now come up with a solution to not getting tickets to see her perform and it's honestly inspired.

READ MORE: Taylor Swift fans called out over "invasive" Marjorie surprise on her Eras Tour

You know what they say. Whenever there's a will, there's a Swiftie! Fans have realised that, just because you cannot see The Eras Tour in person, doesn't mean you cannot hear it in person. As a result, thousands of Swifities are now showing up at each of her tour stops and listening and singing along to every word of the show from outside of the stadium.

This weekend (May 13), over 20,000 Taylor Swift fans who didn't get tickets to her Phildelphia tour dates, travelled to the stadium and were filmed getting their lives to the show outside of Lincoln Financial Field stadium. In a viral TikTok video posted by @mattymerch you can see thousands of fans shouting '22' at the top of their lungs.

Matty wrote: "Philly! Yall are crazy! 20,000 strong outside the gates singing along to every song."

In the comments, one person wrote: "it’s actually hard to wrap my mind around how big taylor is. generations from now, there will be kids who wished they could’ve seen her. it’s wild." Another person also wrote: "She’s not just selling out stadiums. She’s selling out the surrounding streets! Love it."

Someone even suggested: "taylor just needs to have her own festival at this point". We need Lover Fest!

What do you think? Did you get tickets to see Taylor?

Read more Taylor Swift Eras Tour news here:

• Every surprise song performed on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour so far
• Taylor Swift The Eras Tour setlist: All 44 songs played by Taylor revealed
• Taylor Swift explains how her hand injury on The Eras Tour happened
• Taylor Swift travels to stage at the Eras Tour using a janitor cart and there's a video to prove it
• Here's how Taylor Swift dives and "swims" across the stage on the The Eras Tour

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Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: All the U.S. and international dates and opening acts

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Taylor Swift opened the Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona — which rebranded itself as "Swift Cit y" for the March 17 and 18 concerts — with a triumphant return to live performance as the first act in the history of that venue to sell out two nights on the same tour.

By that point, she'd already broken the all-time record for most concert tickets sold by an artist in a single day and passed Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour as the highest-grossing tour in history by a female artist.

And Swift rose to the occasion , leading her band through a marathon 44-song set that lasted more than three hours while delivering on her promise of "a journey through all of my musical eras."

So what does she do for an encore? Here's where the Eras Tour is headed next, adding two surprise songs to the set at each show. Here's a look at what she's played so far .

Taylor Swift Eras Tour: 5 magic moments at State Farm Stadium that Arizonans saw first

Taylor Swift Eras Tour dates in the US

Friday-Saturday, March 17-18: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona.

Friday-Saturday, March 24-25: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friday-Sunday, March 31-April 2: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.

Thursday-Saturday, April 13-15: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida.

Friday-Sunday, April 21-23 : NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas.

Friday-Sunday, April 28-30: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia.

Friday-Sunday, May 5-7: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee.

Friday-Sunday, May 12-14: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Friday-Sunday, May 19-21: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Friday-Sunday, May 26-28: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Friday-Sunday, June 2-4: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois.

Friday-Saturday, June 9-10: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan.

Friday-Saturday, June 16-17: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Friday-Saturday, June 23-24: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Friday-Saturday, June 30-July 1: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Friday-Saturday, July 7-8: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri.

Friday-Saturday, July 14-15: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver.

Saturday-Sunday, July 22-23: Lumen Field, Seattle.

Friday-Saturday, July 28-29 : Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California.

Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 3-5 : Sofi Stadium, Los Angeles.

Tuesday-Wednesday, Aug. 8-9: Sofi Stadium, Los Angeles.

Turns out it’s NOT the end of an era 😝 Miami, New Orleans, Indy and Toronto: The Eras Tour is coming to you in 2024 with @gracieabrams ! Verified fan registration for all shows is open now - visit https://t.co/xw6YMN3GMc for more information pic.twitter.com/DCgFQb2U22 — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) August 3, 2023

Taylor Swift adds new US dates in 2024 for the Eras Tour

In early August, Swift announced these new U.S. dates for the Eras Tour in 2024:

Friday-Sunday, Oct. 18-20: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.

Friday-Sunday, Oct. 25-27: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans.

Friday-Sunday, Nov. 1-3: Lucas Oil Arena, Indianapolis.

Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 14-16: Rogers Centre, Toronto.

Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23: Rogers Centre, Toronto.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour opening acts on US dates

Glendale was the only city on the Eras Tour to see Paramore as Taylor Swift's direct support. And that was a glorious stroke of good fortune. We also got Gayle, who crushed it in her own way and is playing several stops along the way. Here's a look at all the Eras Tour openers and where they're playing.

The era of surprises: All the surprise songs Taylor Swift has played on the Eras Tour so far in 2023

March 17-18 at State Farm Stadium: Paramore and Gayle.

March 24-25 at Allegiant Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gayle.

March 31 at AT&T Stadium: Muna and Gayle.

April 1-2 at AT&T Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams .

April 13 at Raymond James Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gayle.

April 14-15 at Raymond James Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams.

April 21-23 at NRG Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams.

April 28-29 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams.

April 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Muna and Gayle.

May 5 at Nissan Stadium: Phoebe Bridgers and Gracie Abrams.

May 6 at Nissan Stadium: Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle.

May 7 at Nissan Stadium: Phoebe Bridgers and Gracie Abrams.

May 12-13 at Lincoln Financial Field: Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle.

May 14 at Lincoln Financial Field: Phoebe Bridgers and Gracie Abrams.

May 19-20 at Gillette Stadium : Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle.

May 21 at Gillette Stadium : Phoebe Bridgers and Gracie Abrams.

May 26 at MetLife Stadium: Phoebe Bridgers and Gayle.

May 27-28 at MetLife Stadium: Phoebe Bridgers and Owenn.

June 2-3 at Soldier Field: Girl in Red and Owenn.

June 4 at Soldier Field: Muna and Gracie Abrams.

June 9 at Ford Field: Girl in Red and Gracie Abrams.

June 10 at Ford Field: Girl in Red and Owenn.

June 16 at Acrisure Stadium: Girl in Red and Gracie Abrams.

June 17 at Acrisure Stadium: Girl in Red and Owenn.

June 23 at U.S. Bank Stadium: Girl in Red and Gracie Abrams.

June 24 at U.S. Bank Stadium: Girl in Red and Owenn.

June 30-July 1 at Paycor Stadium: Muna and Gracie Abrams.

July 7-8 at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium: Muna and Gracie Abrams.

July 14-15 at Empower Field at Mile High: Muna and Gracie Abrams.

July 22-23 at Lumen Field: Haim and Gracie Abrams.

July 28-29 at Levi's Stadium: Haim and Gracie Abrams.

Aug. 3 at Sofi Stadium: Haim and Gracie Abrams.

Aug. 4 at Sofi Stadium: Haim and Owenn.

Aug. 5 at Sofi Stadium: Haim and Gayle.

Aug. 8 at Sofi Stadium: Haim and Gracie Abrams.

Aug. 9 at Sofi Stadium: Haim and Gayle.

Oct. 18-20 at Hard Rock Stadium: Gracie Abrams.

Oct. 25-27 at Caesars Superdome : Gracie Abrams.

Nov. 1-3 at Lucas Oil Arena : Gracie Abrams.

Nov. 14-16 at Rogers Centre: Gracie Abrams.

Nov. 21-23 at Rogers Centre : Gracie Abrams.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour international dates and opening acts

In June 2023, Swift announced international dates for The Era Tour. Here's where she's headed next at the conclusion of the U.S. tour:

Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 24-27, 2023: Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 9-11, 2023: Estadio River Plate, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 18-19, 2023: Estadio Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Friday-Sunday, Nov. 24-26, 2023: Allianz Parque, Sao Paulo, Brazil, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 7-10, 2024: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan.

Friday-Saturday, Feb. 16-17, 2024: Melbourne Cricket Grounds, Melbourne, Australia, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 23-25, 2024: Accor Stadium, Sydney, Australia, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Saturday-Monday, March 2-4, 2024: National Stadium, Singapore, SG, with Sabrina Carpenter.

Thursday-Friday, May 9-10, 2024: Paris La Defense Arena, Paris, France.

Friday, May 17, 2024: Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden.

Friday, May 24, 2024: Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal.

Thursday, May 30, 2024: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.

Sunday, June 2, 2024: Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France.

Friday-Saturday, June 7-8, 2024 : BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, UK.

Friday-Saturday, June 14-15, 2024 : Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, UK.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 : Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK.

Friday-Saturday, June 21-22, 2024 : Wembley Stadium, London.

Friday-Saturday, June 28-29, 2024 : Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland.

Friday-Saturday, July 5-6, 2024 : Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Tuesday, July 9, 2024 : Stadion Letzigrund Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Saturday, July 13, 2024 : San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy.

Thursday, July 18, 2024 : Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 : Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany.

Saturday, July 27, 202 4: Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany.

Friday, Aug. 2, 2024: PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland.

Friday, Aug. 9, 2024: Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria.

Friday-Saturday, Aug. 16-17, 2024: Wembley Stadium, London.

Taylor Swift song list for Eras Tour

Taylor Swift told us on the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium that she planned to make the two-song acoustic mini-set near the end of her performance different at each concert. Other than that, this setlist from opening night is what you can expect to hear.

“Lover” album:

“Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”

“Cruel Summer.”

“You Need To Calm Down.”

“The Archer.”

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” album:

“Fearless.”

“You Belong With Me.”

“Love Story.”

“Evermore” album:

“’Tis The Damn Season.”

“Marjorie.”

“Champagne Problems.”

“Tolerate It.”

“Reputation” album:

“… Ready For It?”

“Delicate.”

“Don’t Blame Me.”

“Look What You Made Me Do.”

“Speak Now” album:

“Enchanted.”

“Red (Taylor’s Version)” album:

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

“I Knew You Were Trouble.”

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version).”

“Folklore” album:

“Invisible String.”

“The Last Great American Dynasty.”

“Illicit Affairs.”

“My Tears Ricochet.”

“Cardigan.”

“1989” album:

“Blank Space.”

“Shake It Off.”

“Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version).”

“Bad Blood.”

Wild card — a different acoustic song each show

“Mirrorball.”

“Taylor Swift” album:

“Tim McGraw.”

“Midnights” album:

“Lavender Haze.”

“Anti-Hero.”

“Midnight Rain.”

“Vigilante (expletive).”

“Bejeweled.”

"Mastermind."

Eras Tour Night 2 setlist: Here's how Taylor Swift second song list differed from Night 1

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @ EdMasley .

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: All the latest U.S., international dates

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Taylor Swift at MetLife Stadium: What to Know Before You Go

Here's what you'll need to know about getting to metlife stadium, parking, merch, weather forecast, what's allowed inside — and best bets for trying to snag a last-minute ticket, by ariel peele and tom shea • published may 23, 2023 • updated on may 26, 2023 at 3:21 am.

The Eras Tour is finally coming to MetLife Stadium this Memorial Day weekend.

Tens of thousands of Taylor Swift fans are expected to descend on the New York City area. Given that the East Rutherford stadium can hold 82,000 people, and there are three shows scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

That's upwards of a quarter-million fans flocking to the region.

Whether you fought “The Great War” with Ticketmaster and were one of "The Lucky One[s]" to snag a ticket, or if you’re still holding out hope of getting to see the show – here’s everything you’ll need to know.

Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour at MetLife Stadium: How to Avoid Bad Blood With Ticket Scammers

Taylor Swift Defends Fan From Security During Eras Tour in Philadelphia: ‘Hey, Stop!'

"the very first night".

Taylor and opening acts  Phoebe Bridgers (Friday-Sunday), GAYLE (Friday), Gracie Abrams (Saturday) and OWENN (Sunday) play the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Friday, May 26, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. : Taylor Swift with Phoebe Bridgers and GAYLE

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.: Taylor Swift with Phoebe Bridgers and Gracie Abrams

Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.:  Taylor Swift with Phoebe Bridgers and OWENN

Getting Into the Show: It's a "One-Way" Ticket

MetLife Stadium says tickets are valid for one scan only; there is no re-entry. If you're saying to yourself, "how'd we end up on the floor anyway?" Fans with floor tickets (Sections 1-15) can use any gate for entry and head to HCL Tech Plaza for floor entry. 

Be sure to "Pick Up the Phone" because MetLife gate attendants will be looking for the Ticketmaster App. Have your mobile ticket downloaded, out and ready before getting into the security line. 

The stadium said it will "strongly encourage" those without tickets to not come to MetLife during days of the show.

How to Get There: Will You Need a "Getaway Car"?

New Jersey Transit is urging Swifties to purchase round-trip train tickets in advance , ideally on the NJ Transit app. However, NJ Transit says they will not cap the number of tickets sold. 

According to their website, fans traveling on NJ Transit trains to MetLife Stadium should purchase their roundtrip tickets from their originating station to Meadowlands Station to avoid boarding delays. Tickets purchased on the train will include a $5 surcharge for each ticket. 

MetLife Stadium says NJ Transit service will operate from Secaucus to MetLife Stadium starting at 4:07 p.m. on Friday and 4:17 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

Coach USA Bus, the 351 Meadowlands Express, will operate from Port Authority in NYC to MetLife Stadium starting at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Return service to Port Authority runs for 60 minutes after the concert ends. Tickets are available here .

If You're Driving, Will You Need to Park "Behind the Mall"?

MetLife Stadium says you must have a ticket corresponding to that evening's show for access to all parking lots. Lots open at 12:30 p.m. the day of each show. It's $40 per car, $100 per limousine and $160 per bus.

Credit cards and cash are accepted. Reminder: the rest of the stadium is cashless. Only credit and debit are accepted.

If we've learned anything from TikTok, there will be traffic, so plan accordingly. Prepaid parking is not available. No pictures to burn here, take a picture of your spot so you can find your car after the show. 

Drinking Beer Out of Plastic Cups? Yes, You Can Tailgate (or Taylor-gate)

That will come as a relief to many. However, MetLife Stadium says no additional parking spots may be used. 

Taylor Will Never Go Out of "Style," But What Bags Are Allowed at the Shows?

MetLife Stadium's policy states that bags must be clear (a.k.a. see-through): 12” x 6” x 12” or less in size, and 1 bag per person. Small purses (clutch-type bags about the size of your hand) 4.5” x 6.5” or less in size (1 per person) are also allowed, and do not need to be clear.

No camera or binocular cases, backpacks, fanny packs, diaper bags, and briefcases/computer bags are allowed either.

For more information on what bags are allowed, click here .

Additionally, food or snacks in a clear plastic bag, factory-sealed, plastic bottles of water or soft drinks 20 oz. or less, empty reusable water bottles (plastic and aluminum) and small handheld portable phone chargers are allowed. 

Put simply, if you're bringing a drink inside, it must still be factory-sealed. Otherwise, a reusable water bottle can be brought in, but it must be empty upon entry. There are water fountains located inside the stadium where the bottles can be filled.

As far as other common items not allowed, be glad the weather looks good for the weekend, because umbrellas are not allowed. Also, the MetLife Stadium site lists banners or signs as forbidden as well.

For a full list of what is and is not allowed, click here .

You May Be Spinning Like a Girl in a Brand New Dress, But What About Merch Stands and Trailers?

Taylor Nation, Taylor Swift's official fan group, says ticketed fans can shop merch and the newly announced special edition CDs (more on that in a second) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 12:30 p.m. The merch truck is located in Lot E. Merch is also available starting at 4:30 p.m. at MetLife gates and the Team Store. 

Again, as we've seen from TikTok, be prepared for long lines, however, it's a great chance to make friendship bracelets. 

As for that new CD, Swift said in a tweet Wednesday there will be a new special edition CD will only be available on-site in East Rutherford. The CD sold at MetLife will have a "never before heard Midnights vault track called 'You’re Losing Me.'"

The new Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) deluxe album will feature Ice Spice o the song "Karma" as well as newly recorded vocals from Lana Del Rey on "Snow on the Beach."

Um. SO much to tell you. I’m a massive fan of this brilliant artist and after getting to know her I can confirm: she is THE ONE to watch. So delighted to say that Karma Featuring the incredible @icespicee_ will be out TOMORROW night at MIDNIGHT ET as a part of the new Midnights… pic.twitter.com/OaRrHBWTUw — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 24, 2023

Speaking of...Make the Friendship Bracelets, Take the Moment and Taste it:

Swifties from Glendale to Boston have been making friendship bracelets to trade at the shows. Think favorite song lyrics, Taylor Swift quotes, special dates...get creative. 

If You're Hoping to Keep Your Hearing Stay "Safe & Sound":

Swift fans who have attended previous shows have recommended concert-friendly earplugs. There are several options available online for under $20. The earplugs promise not to block all the noise or music, but to make the volume safer. 

Standing in a Nice Dress, Staring at the Sunset — How's the Weather Looking?

Our resident Swifties from Storm Team 4 say the chance for "Midnight Rain" will stay south of the tri-state. But hey, maybe an old "Cardigan" couldn't hurt for after the sun goes down.

If You're Thinking About a Dive Bar on the East Side...

Some of Taylor's favorite spots in the city and businesses around MetLife Stadium say they're ready for Swifties. In fact, many are all too happy to get a potential boon for business during what typically is a down holiday weekend. Some restaurants are even offering shuttles to the stadium , which would save you money on parking.

She Wears Short Skirts, I Wear T-Shirts — But What Outfits Are Swifties Looking to Wear to the Show?

The outfit is a key element of the Taylor Swift concert experience (after all, she's going to have more than a dozen outfit changes herself throughout each show), so it's important to do your research into what everyone is thinking of wearing.

According to Pinterest data, "Speak Now" is the most popular era for outfit inspiration searches, followed by "Lover" and "Folklore." So use that to help you form your ideas.

Keep a Wide-Eyed Gaze Around the Tri-State This Week:

Everyone from the Museum of Arts and Design to the NYC Ferry is saying, "Welcome to New York."

All I Do Is Try, Try, Try...for Tickets:

The Eras tour is one of the largest and most sought-after concert tours in history — ticket sales in the first place caused a minor meltdown at Ticketmaster.

If you can feel your heartbeat on the High Line and are still trying to get tickets, be prepared to pay up. StubHub, Vivid Seats, TickPick and GameTime are just some of the secondary market sites that are offering seats, but they'll cost a pretty penny.

As of Wednesday morning, the cheapest ticket listed on StubHub for any of the Friday, Saturday or Sunday shows was for more than $1,400. The most expensive tickets were listed for more than $21,000.

If you've been scouring TikTok looking for tips and tricks, there are some people who have had luck with Ticketmaster the day of the show, even right after the shows have started. If you wake in the night, pacing like a ghost because of ticket troubles, be careful where you buy . Scammers are using different ways to dupe Swifties into sending money online for a ticket that doesn’t exist.

For more on scams,  click here .

This May Be "The Last Time" You Get a Chance for Tickets...

The American Dream Mall, located right next to MetLife Stadium, will be hosting events each day before the concerts from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., and that includes a shot at a pair of tickets to the show that night.

In addition to a live DJ playing all of Taylor's hits, Swifties will get a chance to sing karaoke, shop, grab a bite or a drink, and enjoy photo ops at the Tour Next Door event.

Those looking for a ticket can enter for a chance to win every day beginning Friday and ending Sunday, with the sweepstakes opening from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Winners will be announced live onsite at 5 p.m. — but an important note: Winners will need to be onsite as well to collect tickets.

Those hoping to snag the free tickets can enter at AmericanDream.com .

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Just a Few of the Biggest Concert Tours of 2024, from Olivia Rodrigo to Bad Bunny

Posted: April 14, 2024 | Last updated: April 14, 2024

Listening to your favorite musician at home is fun, but there's nothing quite like the experience of singing along with them, and tons of more fans, live. And as luck would have it, 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for some of the world's top musical acts, so chances are your favorite performer might be stopping at a city near you soon.

Ahead, we rounded up some of the biggest concert tours of 2024, ranging from Taylor Swift's mega-popular Eras Tour to Drake and J. Cole's exciting It's All A Blur Tour - Big as the What?—set to kick off this winter. You can also expect tour dates from classic icons like Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

1) Taylor Swift

Undoubtedly one of the biggest concert tours ever, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour will continue right through 2024. The international leg of the tour kicked off in Japan, where she played four shows in Tokyo. She'll also stop in Melbourne, Singapore, Paris, Madrid, London, Milan, and more before returning to the States to play in the fall.

There's nothing like seeing T. Swift IRL, but don't fret if you're unable to nab tickets—the Eras Tour movie is now available to stream from the comfort of your home.

2) Olivia Rodrigo

This is not a drill—"Drivers License" singer Olivia Rodrigo will be hitting the road on tour starting at the end of February. The Guts World Tour runs from February through mid-August and has dates in Nashville, Toronto, Chicago, and New York City, among others. Even cooler? Rodrigo will have a stacked list of special guests—like PinkPantheress, Remi Wolf, The Breeders, and Chappell Roan—with her.

3) Red Hot Chili Peppers

Did you hear the good news? The Red Hot Chili Peppers have extended their global tour through summer 2024. The buzzy stadium tour, which kicked off in June 2022, will now run until July 2024 and bring the California-based band to places like Los Angeles, Tampa, Toronto, and Salt Lake City.

4) Bad Bunny

It's fitting that "Monaco" rapper Bad Bunny titled his tour Most Wanted —it's slated to be one of the year's hottest tours. Planned to help promote his latest studio album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana , Most Wanted will kick off in Salt Lake City on February 21 and run through May 26.

5) Billy Joel

If you haven't yet seen Billy Joel perform live, there's still time! The Piano Man has added more tour dates to his schedule, stopping in cities like Tampa, New York, Denver, and St. Louis this year. Even more exciting? He'll share the stage with fellow iconic performers Sting and Stevie Nicks for some of these dates.

Mitski recently announced that she's expanding her North American tour dates , and we couldn't be more excited. The months-long tour, which supports her 2023 studio album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, has a long list of stops, including Miami Beach, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Paris.

There's nothing quite like a Madonna concert, that's for sure. The singer's Celebration Tour , which started last October, continues straight through the spring with dates in Seattle, San Francisco, Mexico City, and more. Besides her eye-catching sets, chart-topping songs, and impressive choreography, concertgoers also get a glimpse of the performer's fantastic costumes, which include looks from Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier.

8) Bleachers

The New Jersey-founded rock band, which is fronted by Jack Antonoff—known for producing albums for top acts like Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey—not only has announced a new album but a new tour , too. The tour will start in the UK in March, ending fittingly in the band's home state of New Jersey in mid-June. Check out their newly released music video for "Tiny Moves" if you need a Bleachers fix in the meantime.

9) Nicki Minaj

Nicki fans rejoice: the rapper and singer might be coming to a city near you soon as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. The massive tour will include performances in Brooklyn, Oakland, and Baltimore, with stops at Dreamville Festival and Rolling Loud California along the way.

10) Blink 182

Live out all of your nineties and early aughts pop-punk dreams with one of Blink 182's One More Time Tour dates. The tour, which supports the band's ninth studio album, One More Time..., will bring the trio to cities all over the globe, including Sydney, Santiago, Portland, and Boston. The tour's supporting act is Pierce the Veil, which is also worth checking out.

11) Stevie Nicks

The oh-so-magical Stevie Nicks continues her touring streak with a bunch of 2024 concert dates . Set to begin in Atlantic City, NJ on February 10, Nicks will visit a dozen cities throughout the U.S. this year, such as New Orleans, Omaha, and Chicago. "Let's keep this party going in 2024," the singer-songwriter posted on her Instagram in September to announce the newly added tour dates.

12) The 1975

The 1975 is showing no signs of slowing down. The British band, famous for hits like "Somebody Else" and "Robbers," has extended their 2023 tour through 2024. Titled Still...At Their Very Best , the 22-date tour will open in Glasgow on February 8 and conclude in Amsterdam on March 24.

13) Drake and J. Cole

Rap greats Drake and J. Cole come together for the It's All a Blur Tour – Big As the What? which is guaranteed to be a good time. Drake, fresh off his 2023 It's All a Blur tour with 21 Savage, is set to hit dozens of cities starting in February, many of which J. Cole will also be in tow for. Scoop up tickets ASAP, as Drake's shows are known to sell out.

14) Janet Jackson

Superstar Janet Jackson is also extending her 2023 tour, Together Again , into 2024 with dates in Anaheim, Austin, New Orleans, and Hartford. Even cooler? Jackson's supporting act is the 2000s southern rap legend Nelly.

15) Rolling Stones

If you've ever dreamed of seeing the Rolling Stones perform live in person, now's your chance. The iconic rockers, who released their studio album Hackney Diamonds this past fall, are returning on the road for a 16-date tour with shows throughout the United States and Canada. Concertgoers can expect a mix of new tunes and Stones classics.

16) Bruce Springsteen

Famous for countless listenable hits like "Born to Run" and "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen is set to embark on a massive world tour this year with his band, The E Street Band. The much-anticipated tour will take the Boss and his crew to cities such as Phoenix, San Diego, Dublin, and Madrid, from March through November.

17) John Mayer

Be sure to catch John Mayer's solo tour this year, which will bring the guitarist and crooner to cities throughout Europe. This leg, an extension of his popular 2023 solo tour, will kick off in Stockholm on March 13 and finish in Dublin on March 29.

18) Shania Twain

Okay, this one is technically a residency , but we're excited nonetheless. Shania Twain, most known for her incredible outfits (her hooded leopard print look, anyone?) and hits like "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is setting up shop in Vegas starting May 10. Twain's residency will take place at the Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood on and off throughout December 2024.

All good things must come to an end. The Eagles, known for "Hotel California" and other amazing rock songs, began their final concert tour this winter. It launched in Phoenix on January 20, with March 16 as its last date in the United States. Eagles fans won't want to miss this one.

20) Alanis Morisette: The Triple Moon Tour

Alanis Morisette joins forces with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts for their 2024 Triple Moon Tour , which has dates in North America and Canada. This tour is a great one to catch this summer, as it's slated to run from June through August.

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Chicago Bears | As the Chicago Bears prepare to unveil their…

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Chicago Bears | As the Chicago Bears prepare to unveil their vision for a new downtown stadium, projects in other NFL cities could prove instructive

The grand presentation is coming soon. The flashy renderings. The attention-grabbing video. The slide presentation to explain the financial dynamics. The Chicago Bears have reached the next step in their ambitious push for a fixed-roof stadium folded within a reimagined Museum Campus off the shores of Lake Michigan.

But first, team President and CEO Kevin Warren must sell the Bears’ vision in a convincing manner that creates more unity than division, more excitement than trepidation. That’s among Bears fans, sure. But more so, the pitch must land compellingly with city officials, state legislators, residents of Chicago and Cook County plus the leaders of the Friends of the Parks group. And it must further the momentum Warren has felt building in recent months.

“With all these projects, that’s a great word. They require momentum,” Warren said. “They require vision. They require tenacity. They require a lot of thought and planning. But they also require momentum. And I strongly believe we’re building momentum to that museum area.”

Warren gushes when discussing Chicago and the downtown area specifically. He speaks often about how the majestic architecture of the city’s skyline intersects with the glimmering water of Lake Michigan. He views that as the perfect backdrop for the grand new stage on which the Bears might one day perform and believes the entirety of the project can heighten the prestige of the team, the Museum Campus and, to a significant extent, the city.

“We think this is an extraordinary opportunity,” Bears Chairman George McCaskey said, “for Bears fans, for the Museum Campus, for the city and for the region.”

Added Warren: “The energy in downtown Chicago is really unique. We just want to bring that campus to life.”

To do so, the Bears won’t take their biggest swings blindly. They’re equipped with wisdom from how other NFL teams and cities handled their stadium projects over the past 20 years. That includes the Minnesota Vikings, who opened U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in 2016 after a yearslong process of which Warren was an integral part as the team’s chief operating officer.

The Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons also completed stadium projects with notable success.

Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan only recently finished processing the impact of Super Bowl LVIII on Las Vegas this winter. Douglass Morgan also has witnessed firsthand how Allegiant Stadium, which opened in summer 2020, has added to the city and surrounding community as a 365-day-per-year venue for everything from football’s grandest game to much smaller banquets and private events.

A recent team-issued survey, according to Douglass Morgan, revealed that more than 70% of out-of-town visitors to the stadium came to Las Vegas specifically for the event there — be it a Raiders game, a concert or another happening.

“I think there’s a notion that 40 million people come to Las Vegas annually and (millions) just happen to wind up at Allegiant,” Douglass Morgan told the Tribune. “No. They are coming and they’re traveling because of the world-class stadium we have built there and the events we attract.”

Warren is confident the Bears’ stadium pitch can have a similar impact on Chicago.

“This will set this city up for greatness for the next 100 years,” he said

But how exactly? At what cost? And what’s next?

At present, the Friends of the Parks organization continues urging the Bears to consider alternative city sites outside the Museum Campus, emphasizing its aim to limit development along the lakefront. Resistance from the group likely will be just one significant obstacle for the Bears, particularly after the its opposition proved influential in thwarting filmmaker George Lucas’ plans to build a museum in the same area.

Then there’s the funding issue. When the Bears pivoted from their proposal to build on their $197 million Arlington Heights property, they announced plans for a $2 billion private investment to the lakefront stadium project. But public money will still be needed as the city and team consider both stadium construction plus necessary infrastructure improvements.

In addition, the Bears’ push to build a lakefront stadium comes at a time when the White Sox are exploring their own stadium project on a strip of land known as “The 78” in the South Loop, raising  concerns about the funding feasibility for two such mega projects.

What’s the plan?

Whenever the Bears deliver their formal presentation, which is expected this month, they must come ready for a long list of questions about how all this will be possible. The issues the team must be prepared to address include but are not limited to:

• What are the details of the public-private partnership the Bears will be seeking to fund a project likely to surpass $3 billion for the stadium alone? And with the wide array of infrastructure enhancements needed, what will the estimated cost of the entire project look like?
• What projected economic impact do the Bears foresee that would qualify a project of this scale as beneficial for all involved?
• What upgrades, amenities and new elements does the team propose to incorporate within the Museum Campus?
• How will this project address significant concerns with traffic, parking and limited public transit that currently exist with Soldier Field?
• Finally, how will the Bears work through anticipated resistance from those who strongly oppose public funding of professional sports stadiums?

The Bears’ current proposal is to build their new stadium on city-owned land south of where Soldier Field sits, on the footprint where the Waldron Deck and South Lot parking venues currently are. Beyond that, the team hasn’t disclosed its full file of details, which will be necessary to clear up why its pivot away from a potential stadium in Arlington Heights and back to a lakefront venue qualifies as a better option.

With the Bears vowing to contribute more than $2 billion to the proposed public-private partnership, Warren asserts he is viewing this project through the eyes of an urban planner, particularly as it relates to reinvigorating the Museum Campus.

“What we’ve tried to do is to ask: ‘What could we do to bring that area to life even more?’” he said.

The Bears’ presentation likely will include proposals for demolishing Soldier Field while keeping the stadium’s distinctive colonnades intact; creating multiuse playing fields for youth sports and community use; building a hotel plus a limited number of dining and entertainment venues; creating a Chicago-sports-themed museum; and suggesting solutions for alleviating traffic snarls and ingress/egress congestion around the campus.

“We want this area to be very smartly built,” Warren told the Tribune. “We’re not trying to build the Taj Mahal and just throw money in there. And that’s one of the reasons we’re bringing more than $2 billion to the table to say we’re invested in it. Now let’s build a very smart, well-built stadium that the citizens of Chicago and the Chicagoland area and the state of Illinois can look to and say, ‘This is a crown jewel that will create jobs and opportunities and (attract) mega events.’

“Instead of saying this is the Chicago Bears trying to get something (for) free, what we’re trying to say is just the opposite. We want to build our stadium here to create these opportunities to make Chicago the city it really deserves to be.”

Minnesota: A pitch, then a switch

As the Bears prepare to unveil their pitch for a new stadium on the Museum Campus, it’s worth noting that the Vikings delivered a similar presentation in May 2011, proposing to move out of Minneapolis and Hennepin County and to a 430-acre site in suburban Arden Hills.

Warren wasn’t the Vikings COO at that time; he was the organization’s executive vice president of legal affairs and chief administrative officer. But despite the initial momentum the proposed Minnesota Sports Complex in Arden Hills seemed to have, that vision crumbled within a year amid significant funding obstacles plus a thorny political wrestling match that ultimately led the team back to downtown Minneapolis.

As it relates to the Bears’ current efforts, it’s difficult to forecast whether, like the Vikings, they will wind up with a new stadium in the same area where their current stadium sits — or whether, also like the Vikings, their presentation of an attention-grabbing new complex might wind up as little more than flashy archival artwork if they shift back to their original idea.

In this case, that would mean redirecting focus back to the 326-acre property in Arlington Heights that the Bears purchased in 2021 and closed on last year.

For now, Warren insists the latter option is not his focus.

R.T. Rybak was the Minneapolis mayor during the Vikings stadium venture and fought to keep the franchise playing downtown by reducing strong resistance within the City Council and helping to sell a vision of a mutually beneficial project for the team and city.

One key tenet within that push, Rybak told the Tribune, was demonstrating potential for development in the immediate area around the stadium. That ultimately came when financial services giant Wells Fargo agreed to invest, expanding its Minneapolis operations through a $300 million project in which two 17-story towers were erected west of the U.S. Bank Stadium site, adjacent to a newly developed downtown plaza and in close proximity to the Minneapolis Light Rail.

Rybak also successfully championed new housing in the area to stimulate the growth of a neighborhood that took on both commercial and residential identities.

“Football stadiums can be real dead zones,” Rybak said, “unless you weave it into a live-work neighborhood. So that’s what we did.”

Rybak said he tried to keep himself — and, by extension, the city — focused on one central question as the vision for a downtown stadium crystallized: “Are you planning a stadium or are you planning a community? And if you’re planning a community, there are some very simple strategic things that can be done.”

Bringing the area to life

Given the land the Bears are targeting for their stadium proposal, it’s difficult to assess how instructive the Vikings project might be. But Rybak, a self-described fan of downtown Chicago, hopes the Bears can express creative visions to bring the Museum Campus to life in new ways.

“I love that part of Chicago,” Rybak said. “But I don’t walk around it.”

With the Field Museum just north of Soldier Field, McCormick Place to the south and the Adler Planetarium butting up to the lake on the east side of the campus, Rybak described the current identity of that area as “too monumental.”

“One of the things they’ll have to really think a lot on is weaving community in and out of that,” he said. “One of the things we’ve learned is that these (stadiums) shouldn’t be just places to go for an event and leave. There are reasons why (community) can be woven in. So with Chicago, I’m both thrilled by and a little nervous about having all those big monoliths there without some mortar of humanity that can make it a more accessible community.”

It will be up to Warren, the Bears and the city to identify a realistic sweet spot with potential amenities for the area that prove viable given land limitations. And they could face opposition from groups such as Friends of the Parks, the advocacy group that met with the Bears last month to discuss the project\.

Rybak believes the Vikings and Minneapolis hit their target with U.S. Bank Stadium, helping to enliven a declining pocket of downtown while creating energy that didn’t exist with the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

“Football stadiums can be like giant spaceships landing inside a town,” Rybak said. “With the Metrodome, it was like the spaceship landed and everybody was afraid of the aliens and ran away. In this case (with U.S. Bank Stadium), we had friendly aliens and we all came to be part of them.”

Vikings owner Mark Wilf stressed his organization never viewed U.S. Bank Stadium as a venue built solely for the team’s game-day needs. Instead, Wilf said, the goal was to create a multiuse, year-round venue that could pay dividends for the community.

Wilf emphasizes the Vikings stadium project created thousands of construction jobs and countless other long-term jobs while stimulating more than a billion dollars in commercial development around the stadium. That, he asserted, is evidence the stadium has helped that pocket of Minneapolis remain consistently vibrant outside football season.

“It’s a hub. A centerpiece,” Wilf said. “What happens can really galvanize the community. … The reality is these are 365-day buildings. And when you make it first class, world-class acts want to come. Tournaments want to come. Corporations want to come. A lot of people want to be there.”

But the stadium deal has its detractors. J.C. Bradbury, an economics professor from Kennesaw State University, said Minnesota’s state debt for building U.S. Bank Stadium was paid off early through the legalization of electronic pull tab games, disproportionately played by people with low income.

“Yes, poor people paid electronic gaming to fund a play palace for billionaires,” he said. “It hasn’t paid for itself. You could use that money for a lot of other things.”

Las Vegas: A draw for big events

Growing up in Arizona, Warren never vacationed in Las Vegas. As he got older, he traveled there only for business meetings. But in February, he and his wife, Greta, visited for the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. As the Warrens were leaving the $1.9 billion facility at the southwest corner of the Vegas Strip, Kevin told Greta, “This would be a cool place to come back for a weekend with friends.”

Warren was thoroughly impressed with how the city handled arguably the most extravagant event in sports, with so much happening during the entire week before Super Bowl Sunday.

“The way Las Vegas performed,” Warren said, “that won’t be their last Super Bowl. So I sit there and I say, ‘That’s what Chicago should be able to do.’”

Not long ago, Vegas was known primarily as a gambling and entertainment mecca. But now, with three established professional franchises, a fourth on the way and a stadium capable of hosting a range of major events, the city has become a draw for sports fans.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority predicted this year’s Super Bowl would have an economic impact of at least $500 million on the city, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported the total economic output in Arizona for Super Bowl LVII in 2023 — played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale — was $1.3 billion.

Just this past week, State Farm Stadium also hosted the men’s college basketball Final Four, with attendance for Monday’s Connecticut-Purdue championship game topping 74,000.

Allegiant Stadium will host the Final Four for the first time in 2028.

Warren envisions a new Chicago stadium working its way into that cycle in addition to becoming an attractive site for Super Bowls and other sports and entertainment mega-events.

Some economists balk at the economic impact figures released for such events, especially in places already established as tourism centers, noting that fans at those events may simply be displacing other tourists.

It’s also fair to wonder whether a new domed stadium on the Museum Campus would draw events away from other Chicago venues. Soldier Field, the United Center and Wrigley Field already serve as major concert venues, with Soldier Field hosting Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” for three nights last summer and back-to-back Beyonce shows the following month.

But Douglass Morgan, who was the chief regulator and chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board before joining the Raiders, also emphasized the wide range of events Allegiant Stadium has proved capable of hosting, from small private parties and banquets to convention gatherings to soccer games and rugby matches.

More than 4 million fans have attended events at Allegiant Stadium since it opened, the Review-Journal reported last month.

As the wife of former cornerback Don Morgan, who spent three seasons with the Vikings and one with the Arizona Cardinals, Douglass Morgan said, “I knew what that NFL Sunday looks like around a (stadium).”

But now, all the other events now held at Allegiant Stadium, she said, have “made this a community asset we never had before and honestly never really understood could happen until it was actually alive and running.”

Indianapolis: A sweetheart deal?

Requests for public assistance in financing expensive stadium projects frequently are met with staunch opposition, which would be likely in Chicago. Earlier this month, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a 40-year sales tax increase that would have gone toward funding renovations at Arrowhead Stadium — the home of the Kansas City Chiefs — and subsidizing construction of a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.

That offered another reminder of the current climate on such matters, highlighting how difficult it may prove for the Bears to generate support for a new downtown stadium, especially one requiring substantial public funding.

While acknowledging some intangible social benefits from sports teams, economists generally frown on public subsidies for such projects. A University of Chicago survey of economists in 2017 found that 57% believed stadium subsidies were likely to cost taxpayers more than the economic benefits they generated, and only 2% disagreed.

An analysis of recent research found robust evidence that stadiums are “ poor public investments .”

“Research consistently demonstrates that professional sports stadiums generate little to no tangible economic impacts in host communities; therefore, typical public subsidies for the construction of new stadiums generally exceed any meager economic benefits they may confer,” the paper concluded.

Nevertheless, lawmakers continue spending tax dollars on professional sports venues, to the tune of $19 billion since 2000 — sometimes even after voters have rejected such requests.

The nearest NFL city to Chicago, Indianapolis, claims great success in operating the retractable-roof Lucas Oil Stadium but had to pay dearly for it to open in 2008. It cost the public at least $620 million to build. Colts owner Jim Irsay paid $100 million with the public paying the rest, in part through a 1% sales tax.

Critics have complained the Colts got a sweetheart deal. A University of Michigan study of 121 public-private stadium partnerships as of 2010 concluded that Indianapolis paid the most. The Indianapolis Star reported the Colts play in the stadium for $250,000 per year, pay nothing for maintenance while getting millions of dollars a year from other events, concessions and naming rights.

The stadium has operated in some years at a loss. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the stadium lost $41 million.

But Andy Mallon, executive director of the Capital Improvement Board that runs the stadium, said the investment in an enclosed facility has been worth it. The stadium is connected to the city’s convention center and hosts joint events from the Super Bowl to the Final Four to mega-concerts.

“For us, it’s a hugely successful investment because it allows us to do bigger and better and cooler things,” Mallon said. “Our event industry is 90% of tourism in Indianapolis. All the hotel rooms downtown depend on us bringing in these events.”

Reimagining what’s possible

Last month, when the Sports Business Journal released its ranking of the top 25 sports business cities in terms of event hosting, Chicago was notably absent. The list included Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Arlington, Texas — all NFL markets that opened new stadiums in the past 20 years.

Warren was mystified, and it also struck him that 10 other cities — including Detroit, Milwaukee, Nashville and Pittsburgh — were in a “Ones to Watch” grouping, recognized for having greater recent success in winning bids for sporting events.

There’s no reason, Warren thought, Chicago shouldn’t be distinguishing itself with its ability to court and host events that also can have a positive economic impact.

Within the sports industry, a sentiment exists that Chicago hasn’t been a preferred destination for major events in part because of a perception that there’s no central organization to both court events and work directly with their rights holders. There also has been a sense of disconnect between the city’s sports commission and local and state governing bodies.

“The data speaks for itself,” said David Broughton of the Sports Business Journal. “The rights holders of these events are making a very conscious effort not to go to Chicago.”

The formula for the SBJ rankings was complex, and Chicago will need more than a new stadium to reshape its identity. But Broughton noted that this summer’s U.S. Olympic swimming trials — a nine-day event — will be staged in Indianapolis. At Lucas Oil Stadium. Yep, inside a football stadium.

Broughton labeled that “a game-changing event in our industry” as it relates to the growing trend of expanding the imagination about which sports and events can fit into which venues.

“This is an event that’s been in Omaha, Nebraska, inside a 9,000-seat arena forever,” Broughton said. “Now? If an Olympic swimming event can suddenly be staged inside an NFL stadium, then what are the limitations anymore as far as what sports can be in there? … Every opportunity you can use to show off your city is a great one.”

One of the ultimate goals for Chicago, Warren believes, is to be in play more regularly for sporting events both big and small. And if a closed-roof stadium downtown can advance that cause rewards can be reaped.

“In 2024,” Broughton said, “the goal is heads in beds. That’s why you go after these events beyond the mega-events. You’re not getting international viewers by the billions. … You’re looking to generate room nights. Because that generates the lodging tax revenues that help fund your buildings and your CVBs (convention and visitors bureaus).”

The Sports Business Journal recently documented a post-pandemic surge in cities and states focusing more heavily on sports-related tourism. Of the 22 states that currently have state-funded mechanisms to help attract and operate events — Illinois is not one — half have activated such funding since 2021.

For many municipalities, that has become a new marketing tool.

“Every person who comes into your city, if they have a good time, they’re going to come back,” Broughton said. “That multiplier you’re seeking is that from the 20,000 room nights you may generate (for a given event), a percentage of those people may return the next year when there’s not an event and at least stay in your hotels and see your sites and eat in your restaurants. That is the true multiplier.”

Arlington: A lift for the community

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — still known to many as “Jerry World” — has been evolving for almost 15 years under Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ philosophy that no event is too big or too small to embrace.

Over the next four months alone, the building that serves as the Cowboys’ game-day home will host an RV show; a “Tacos and Tunes Festival”; concerts by Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan; the Professional Bull Riders World Finals; a series of games in the Copa America soccer tournament; and the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight. The stadium also will host nine matches in the 2026 World Cup.

Since opening in 2009, the retractable-roof stadium — publicly owned by the city of Arlington with the Cowboys paying rent plus a portion of their naming-rights revenue — also has been the site of the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl XLV, Wrestlemania 32 and 38, the 2014 College Football Playoff championship game and the 2020 Rose Bowl. There have been countless other major attractions, from significant college sporting events to Manny Pacquiao fights to supercross and rodeo to mega-concerts by U2, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Beyonce.

“The project itself becomes a focal point for all the uses and potential uses a venue like that can create,” Jones told the Tribune during a sitdown at the NFL owners meetings. “Just the process of expanding your imagination is very impactful. Honestly. We literally aren’t the same since the minute that venue came into place.

“It puts everyone associated with it on steroids. The teams that are involved. City officials. Your community. Everyone takes on a certain lift.”

That’s why each time Jones listens to and absorbs the Bears’ evolving stadium wishes, he encourages them to think big.

As Jones has listened to McCaskey and Warren present their vision for a publicly owned, domed stadium in downtown Chicago, he has been magnetized to the ambitious energy. There’s clearly something here worth exploring, he said.

“I can’t overstate the energy that a venue done right can give a community,” Jones said. “That, in and of itself, creates multiplications of economic activity. But just as importantly, it puts center spotlight on your area.

“Now you may say, ‘Well, this area has always had the spotlight. This is Chicago.’ But I will tell you this right now. It can get brighter. It can get more intense. All in a positive way.”

Jones believes there’s immeasurable value in people just talking about a stadium. He noted how the Cowboys pushed the envelope with the expenditures and finishing touches they made to AT&T Stadium, which had a final cost estimated at $1.2 billion.

“For two-thirds of what we spent, we could have had a fabulous place for the Cowboys to play football,” Jones said. “But the final 20% to 30% of the money was spent not for the 100,000 (fans) who go in it. It was spent so (broadcasters) Al Michaels and John Madden could sit up there during games and go to 30 million viewers and say: ‘Folks, you ought to see this place! It’s pristine. It’s spotless. The quality of this.’ And they sit there and let the 30 million people who aren’t inside the stadium live vicariously.

“You can’t fool those people either. There has to be real meat on the bone.”

A new state-of-the-art stadium done well, Jones said, can heighten the Bears’ profile nationally and even globally.

Obstacles ahead

The momentum Warren alludes to eventually must become much more than anecdotal for a Bears stadium project to even taxi from the gate, much less get off the ground.

Pushback is likely from those who see far more pressing civic issues — education, crime and violence, the migrant crisis — than developing a venue for a football team and other entertainers.

The Bears also will have to be forthright in why all the benefits they’re propping up for their preferred city site wouldn’t be possible with a team-owned stadium and entertainment megaplex on the originally proposed site in Arlington Heights.

After all, it wasn’t long ago — in September 2022 — that then-team President Ted Phillips asserted during a community meeting in Arlington Heights that the Bears had a “singular focus” on the former Arlington Park site as the organization began sharing its vision for that sprawling complex.

Warren’s hiring as Phillips’ successor came less than four months later. And due in large part to ongoing property tax squabbles with both the Cook County assessor and three suburban school districts, the Bears say they have been persuaded to change directions.

Still, in Arlington Heights, officials have not given up.

The Bears face enough obstacles on the lakefront that Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes thinks the team will end up using the site they own in the suburbs.

“They’ve got some very big hurdles to overcome on the lakefront,” Hayes said, “and ultimately we look forward to seeing them in Arlington Heights.”

Among those hurdles is the opposition to the lakefront site from Friends of the Parks, and the city’s Lakefront Protection Ordinance, which requires that the lakefront be for “public use.”

The nonprofit park advocacy group issued a statement last month raising concerns about surrounding development the Bears may propose. The group has proposed the former Michael Reese Hospital as being near downtown and off the lakefront, but team officials say the site is too narrow.

“We hope the Bears will show more vision and patience,” Friends of the Parks stated. “Instead of picking up their ball and going home, we urge them to toss balls around with stakeholders to find a way to stay home in a location that preserves our open, clear and free lakefront and is a boon for neighborhood development.”

Still, with Warren at the forefront, the Bears are making an aggressive pitch to keep the team playing on the Museum Campus with a finished product Warren believes can create impactful change for the Bears and Chicago.

Again, he cites Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Indianapolis as models.

“They have made a concerted effort to come together,” Warren said, “not only as a business community but as a political community, a sports community, a civic community and from an operational standpoint to say, ‘Who do we want to be?’

“I think our stadium (pitch) provides the city of Chicago with the opportunity to decide who we want to be. And if we want to be that world-class city I know we are, this is an opportunity to come together.”

A larger, more formal proposal is coming soon.

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