I went to the Eras Tour Movie yesterday
As an asian Swiftie- worse, any Indian Swiftie with no chance of ever actually going to a concert- going to the movie was perhaps my closest shot at the communal experience of a concert. I think Taylor releasing the movie here has been a godsend. A few thoughts:
Fandoms deserve communal experiences! It's why we have Comic Cons and Anime expos and concerts! Being deprived of this, the Swiftie community in India has long suffered. Recently, there have been Swiftie Nights- parties of fellow swifties with food and drinks carrying a moderate fee however, they're not attended by many (too late in the evening, people live in remote places, tickets can be a bit pricey) It's a valiant effort by the community and it's very fun but it's not very accessible. Releasing the movie in every theatre (which are definitely more accessible than a party hall) has enabled even those living in remote conditions to fully experience community.
I went in alone and came out with friends and i so desperately miss the entire thing.
The energy was so wholesome and it all felt very safe. Let's be real- dancing in a crowd of strangers can be scary at times (especially if you're from this part of the world and grew up somewhat demurely) but not once did I feel scared or anxious.
I think why so many people have post-concert depression from the movie (and from the concert itself) is because it's one of the few places you can truly be yourself. You're ugly dancing, screaming your heart out in the most tone deaf way to music some (unfortunately misguided) people find derivative or boring. And there is no judgement in that theatre, in the empty space right in front of the screen. Nobody judging you. What I'm saying is, in the three hours in the theatre, I felt like I was rid of shackles. Joy and laughter and glitter and the sense of belonging. And maybe part of the reason we miss those hours despite them being just a few hours is that we miss that freedom and that community and I guess all I'm saying is i had the time of my life singing Taylor Swift with you đ
















