Taylor Swift The Eras Tour movie: why I’ll be skipping the concert film, as a mega-Swiftie myself

When I first saw the trailer for Taylor’s concert film, I got chills. There may have also been a tear or two in my eye, which I’m not ashamed to admit. Watching someone I have admired for so long be at the very top of her game, and getting a glimpse into the tributes she has crafted to each of her albums - all of which have seen me through different stages of my life - was pretty emotional. 

I was excited about the film - about the fact that Taylor’s epic, mastermind, sell-out tour would be immortalised for years to come. I also felt happy for the many Swifties in the US who missed out on tickets for the first leg. Now, at least they would get to experience what Variety called “a once in a lifetime phenomenon” in some form. 

But when Taylor announced that the movie wouldn’t just be releasing in the US this October - but also in other countries across the globe, including the UK, where I live - I felt conflicted. Initially, I thought the concert film wouldn’t come out in the UK until after Taylor had completed her stops here, but clearly she didn’t want to make everyone wait, which is fair enough.

However, it put me in a bit of a predicament. You see, I was lucky enough to get my hands on Eras Tour tickets for June 2024, a date I am already counting down the days to. And so I had to decide whether I wanted to see the movie before I experience first-hand what is without a doubt the tour of our generation.

In some senses, I would have thought the decision would be easy. I love everything Taylor creates, so I'll love the film, so why not go and see it? I also know that past me, who lived through Taylor's post-1989 and pre-Reputation hiatus, would be screaming: "TAKE ALL THE CONTENT YOU CAN!" But protecting my experience of The Eras Tour is more important to me.

My excitement for that evening in London's Wembley Stadium - when I'll get to see Taylor - is pretty unparalleled. I know that I will cry with happiness, I will scream the bridge to Cruel Summer as loudly as I can, and I will share friendship bracelets with Swifties who understand why I feel the way I do about Taylor.

But I also know I will be blown away by Taylor's performances, the special effects, and the concert she has crafted - and I don't want anything to take away from what it's like to take that all in for the first time.

Admittedly, I won't be going into the show completely blind. I've seen spoiler-filled clips on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X, and I have also watched the movie trailer over and over again. But there's still plenty I don't know - and I want to do my best to enter Wembley Stadium keeping things that way. I want to feel all the emotions all too well.

So, I've decided I won't be seeing The Eras Tour movie. Or, I will, but not until after I see Taylor perform in London. I'll be sad to be missing out on the experience in cinemas with fellow Swifties, and I respect everyone who has still chosen to go, but it just makes me even more excited for the day I finally get to see, in the words of UPROXX, "the most impressive stadium tour ever conceived".

For now then, I'll join in excitedly with my fellow Swifties as we await the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version), and I'll continue counting down the days until June 2024 - after which I'm sure I'll be watching Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film more frequently than most sane people would.