Photos: Taylor Swift and a capacity crowd got loud at GEHA

July 10, 2023

Chris Ortiz,

Taylor Swift. // Photo by Chris Ortiz

On what was slated to be an overcast, possibly rainy Saturday turned out to be anything but on July 7^th as Arrowhead Stadium opened up the flood gates early and started to allow people to park their cars slightly before 2pm as the lines down Blue Ridge Parkway grew longer with idling cars, waiting for their chance to get in, park, get merch, and fight their way to their seats to catch a glimpse of Night One of the two night stay of none other than the biggest pop star in the world at the moment, Ms. Taylor Swift.

As my plus one and I pulled into our parking spot, got out of our car and started to walk around and see what Taylor’s World was made up of, my partner in crime for the day uttered: “It is like ComiCon, but they are all cosplaying a single character…”

And she was right. This was the Eras Tour. People wore outfits that went along with Taylor’s mood of every album, every phase she went through, just everything.

Taylor at Arrowhead. // Photo by Chris Ortiz

I was able to talk to a few Swifties before and after the show to get their thoughts the night. Jamee, an elementary school teacher in Eudora brought her daughter to the show. This was her first show and never thought that they would have the money to see Swift live since the prices were so high.

“There was something about her that captured my attention,” she stated, on why she decided to venture out to Arrowhead. “Her lyrics are just so raw, honest, and beautiful. I never really listened to her regularly until my separation/divorce almost 4 years ago. Her lyrics really spoke to me then. I discovered my daughter was a Swiftie! She knew almost every word to every song. So, when we go on road trips, we always include Taylor and just sing as loud as we can!”

The same vibe came from Valerie, a therapist in Overland Park who brought her two daughters to both nights of the Swift KC Tour Stop. “I’m most looking forward to hearing the surprise songs and singing the songs I’ve grown up with with my own daughters.”

Her sixteen-year-old daughter Mishayla agreed and stated that she was excited to “finally hear my favorite songs in person,” while 12-year-old sister Lilliana was most excited to see Swift make so many people happy.

However, not everyone was 100% thrilled with the concert. Molly, a 40-year-old from Kansas City preferred an earlier concert of Swift’s. “The show was great,” say says, “but my favorite show of hers was at the Sprint Center. More intimate.”

Taylor at Arrowhead. // Photo by Chris Ortiz

Yet, despite all of that, the concert went off like the vast majority of people wanted it to, from the cell phone flashlights that flooded the stadium during Marjorie, a song that Swift wrote for her grandmother to the introduction of new band members, the premier of the new music video featuring ex Taylor Lautner (who was Swift’s special guest on this tour stop, shocking fans), to a surprise appearance of actress Jennifer Garner (who attended the show), a slight sprinkle of rain during the song delicate and a ten-minute version of “Despair,” more vault songs than anyone could ever hope for, and the two surprise songs “Never Grow Up” and “When Emma Falls in Love”—re-released the night before on the new release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Everyone in the crowd was left happy, exhausted, and wanting more.

Photos by Chris Ortiz

The Crowd