I'm a Swiftie, but I'm Not Streaming Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Movie. Here's Why
Commentary: It's been a long time coming, but now that the Eras Tour is streaming on Disney Plus, I'm turning a blind eye to the movie.
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is now on Disney Plus.
It's fair to say that the two nights I spent at Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 feature among the top five in my life -- and not just because I met Swift in person before the show. The handful of other times I've seen her perform, including the 1989 tour, would easily make the top 10.
And yet I won't be among the many thousands of people streaming the Eras Tour Movie this weekend, even though I'm a Disney Plus subscriber. Likewise, I didn't go to see the film in the theater or pay to rent it online. I've decided not to watch the movie at all -- for now, at least. (I realize you may feel otherwise, in which case see our guide on how to watch the Eras Tour movie on Disney Plus.)
The reason is simple: As a British Swiftie, I haven't had the chance to see the Eras Tour live yet. All this is set to change in a touch under three months when Swift comes to Edinburgh as she embarks on the UK leg of her tour. This is the first time I'll see the show that's been dominating cultural discourse for the past year as Swift has traveled all over the US, Latin America, Australia and Singapore.
Until I experience the Eras Tour for myself, I'm not going to watch the movie version. This is because I want the first time I see the show in full to be in person rather than through a screen. I'm far from alone in making this decision. Many Swifties across Europe with tickets for this summer's dates have also chosen to hang back from overindulging in tour content. One of my friends has achieved the impossible and managed somehow to avoid almost all tour content on social media, and still doesn't know the set list.
I've not been that strict with myself. I'm familiar not only with the set list, but also the costumes and each beat of the opening number of the show. I've examined diagrams that map Swift's movements around the stage so I can choose the best positions for the nights I have standing tickets. After every show, I let myself watch the surprise song performances in the acoustic section, as I know I'm unlikely to get to see these songs live. At times it's made the wait for the show to arrive in my region of the world feel painful, but it's hard not to dip my toe into the copious amount of tour content available.
I know Don't Blame Me will be a highlight of the show.
After the Reputation Tour, the movie that was available to stream until the end of 2023 on Netflix became one of my most frequently rewatched pieces content on the platform. It was almost permanently downloaded on my iPad so that I could turn to it while sleepless on overnight flights or delayed on British trains. My now-husband even put it on to distract me while he was preparing to propose.
I can already anticipate a point in the near future where I'll feel the same way about the Eras Tour Movie. Once I've experienced the show for myself, I'll immediately discard my current stance in favor of streaming it on repeat. It's a real test of my willpower not to give in right now, just as it was when it was showing at my local theater. (I did pop in to buy the popcorn bucket and cup, though.)
I hope also that the movie comes back to theaters at a later date for Swifties like me and my friends who've chosen to refrain for now. I know that reliving the Eras Tour on screens both big and small will be something for us to look forward to once the post-concert depression sets in.
When I finally watch the movie, it will be not as a precursor to delights that lie ahead, but as a time capsule containing a treasured memory of what will inevitably be a new entry to the list of the top five nights of my life.
Bonus track: TikTok Is Changing the Way You Discover Music. Meet the Young Creators Making It Happen