* READ MORE: Taylor Swift live in Edinburgh: The ‘Eras Tour’ finally hits the UK
The singer played a 45-song set at Wembley Stadium, a venue that she will headline a further seven times over the coming months. To begin the three hour-long show, she performed ‘Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince’ from her 2019 album ‘Lover’.
After playing a further four tracks from that record, including last year’s surprise chart-topper ‘Cruel Summer’, Swift introduced herself to the crowd. “I’m going to say something right now that sounds absolutely ridiculous,” she said. “But there are 88,446 people in this stadium tonight. Look what you have done for us, London.”
She continued: “I’m thinking about how you have made the decision to spend your evening with us, while being in the most exhilarating city in the world during the summer. This [crowd] is the most beautiful sight I could ever ask for.”
Taylor Swift. Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The performance followed the same setlist that Swift has already taken across the globe on the ‘Eras’ tour, divided into 10 distinct acts to signify each of her studio albums sans her 2006 self-titled debut.
During the ‘Red’ portion of the show, Swift spoke at length about what London means to her, having previously lived in the capital. She referenced her first UK show, which took place at King’s College in 2008, as well as other significant gigs from across her early career, including nights at the Shepherds Bush Empire and eventually The O2.
“London, you have always been in my corner,” she added. “You have been some of the most supportive people throughout the entire time I have been making music.”
Elsewhere, for the ‘surprise songs’ section of the set, Swift performed ‘The Black Dog’ – named after the south London boozer of the same name – and included elements ‘Come Back… Be Here’ and ‘Maroon’ into an acoustic arrangement. It marked the first time she has played the former, with the track having appeared on April’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ LP. She also debut a mashup of ‘Hits Different’ and ‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’.
For the final run of songs, Swift performed highlights from her ‘Midnights’ album. During closer ‘Karma’, she gave a shoutout to her boyfriend, NFL player Travis Kelce – who was in attendance alongside older brother Jason – changing the lyrics to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs”. Earlier in the set, she incorporated Kelce’s signature ‘archer’ pose into her choreography.
See a selection of videos here:
| Taylor Swift excitedly doing The Archer move to Travis Kelce during "So High School" at today's show! #LondonTSTheErasTour
pic.twitter.com/TP5RIEjvbx
— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) June 21, 2024
KARMA IS THE GUY ON THE CHIEFS #LondonTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/hZ5B8OmEIf
— Tayvis Nation (@tayvisnation) June 22, 2024
oh this is for sure one of my fav videos of travis at eras tour wtf #LondonTSTheErastour pic.twitter.com/ncDuijpTwv
— kristin (@fearlesskristn) June 21, 2024
8 shows total at Wembley Stadium (capacity of 90,000 people) that's a real fucking legacy #LondonTSTheErastour pic.twitter.com/XF0BsGMFkN
— Jake ⸆⸉ (@jakehart06) June 21, 2024
the fact that taylor shouted out king’s college where she did her first ever UK show and where i studied at uni and set up the taylor swift society #LondonTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/gIOxgFI1Bx
— jaison | london N1-8 (@allthekingswift) June 22, 2024
Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour setlist at Wembley on June 21 was:
‘Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince’
‘Cruel Summer’
‘The Man’
‘You Need To Calm Down’
‘Lover’
‘Fearless’
‘You Belong With Me’
‘Love Story’
’22’
‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’
‘I Knew You Were Trouble’
‘All Too Well (10 minute version)’
‘Enchanted’
‘…Ready For It?’
‘Delicate’
‘Don’t Blame Me’
‘Look What You Made Me Do’
‘Cardigan’
‘Betty’
‘Champagne Problems’
‘August’
‘Illicit Affairs’
‘My Tears Ricochet’
‘Marjorie’
‘Willow’
‘Style’
‘Blank Space’
‘Shake It Off’
‘Wildest Dreams’
‘Bad Blood’
‘But Daddy I Love Him/So High School’
‘Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?’
‘Down Bad’
‘Fortnight’
‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’
‘I Can Do It With A Broken Heart’
‘Hits Different/Death By A Thousand Cuts’
‘The Black Dog’ (live debut) (with ‘Come Back… Be Here’ and ‘Maroon’)
‘Lavender Haze’
‘Anti-Hero’
‘Midnight Rain’
‘Vigilante Shit’
‘Bejeweled’
‘Mastermind’
‘Karma’
The Edinburgh date of the ‘Eras’ tour received a five-star review from NME, with Hannah Mylrea writing: “Despite being an arena show, in a huge, cavernous venue, Swift and her fans have managed to cultivate a community. This is a marvel of a show that comes with a beating heart.”
The post Here’s what happened when Taylor Swift brought the ‘Eras’ tour to London appeared first on NME.
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