Taylor Swift – Eras Tour
NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
April 21, 2023
by Brooks Burris
Hitting the road for the first time in five years, Taylor Swift made history by becoming the first artist to sell out three consecutive nights at Houston’s NRG Stadium. The days leading up to the show Swift’s merch trucks arrived on site. They were immediately swarmed by fans who weren’t able to land tickets or wanted to be the first to purchase the Swifts’ swag before the show.
Opening the show, Beabedoobee displayed an energetic, but short set. Warming up the Swifties with stand out bangers “The Perfect Pair” and “Cologne”. Next up was Gracie Abrams who told the crowd she was “happy to be among fellow Swifties”. Gracie gave her best effort to work the massive stage that Taylor would soon dominate.
Moments before a two-minute clock began counting down to the start of the show, Taylor was, not so inconspicuously, rolled to the stage in a black box topped with cleaning supplies. The crowd wasn’t fooled. The ear piercing screams had begun and persisted throughout the entire epic three hour concert.
Swift’s Eras Tour shows breakdown her career into several mini sets, covering her last nine albums. The show opened with her “Lover” era, went into 2008’s “Fearless”, followed by “Evermore”. The stage design corresponds with each record’s aesthetic, bringing each album to life in a visually stunning form. Taylor’s “Folklore”, “Evermore” and “Midnights” eras received the most love, but the transition into the “Fearless” act displayed a dazzling downpour of golden sparks that contributed to the first class production.
One of the stand out moments of the night was when Swift sat down at a mossy piano and played “Champagne Problems”, which was followed by one of the loudest applause of the evening. The crowd of 60,000+ didn’t sit or stop singing the entire night and were rewarded with two surprise songs that hadn’t been performed on the Eras tour to date. Swift’s “Wonderland” and “You’re Not Sorry” made their first live appearance since 2013 and didn’t disappoint.
The momentale show came to an end at 11 PM, with Taylor signing off saying, “Houston, Texas I love you so much!”, the sellout crowd seemingly felt mutual.
Check out our complete photo gallery from the show on Austin 101.
SET LIST
Act I: Lover
Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince
Cruel Summer
The Man
You Need to Calm Down
Lover
The Archer
Act II: Fearless
Fearless
You Belong With Me
Love Story
Act III: Evermore
’tis the damn season
willow
marjorie
champagne problems
tolerate it
Act IV: Reputation
…Ready for It?
Delicate
Don’t Blame Me
Look What You Made Me Do
Act V: Speak Now
Enchanted
Act VI: Red
Red
22
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
I Knew You Were Trouble
All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
Act VII: Folklore
seven
the 1
betty
the last great american dynasty
august
illicit affairs
my tears ricochet
cardigan
Act VIII: 1989
Style
Blank Space
Shake It Off
Wildest Dreams
Bad Blood
Act IX: Surprise Songs
Wonderland
You’re Not Sorry
Act X: Midnights
Lavender Haze
Anti‐Hero
Midnight Rain
Vigilante Shit
Bejeweled
Mastermind
Karma
