Toronto showed up and showed out for pop sensation Taylor Swift as she hit the Rogers Centre stage Thursday night for the first of six shows.
The “Bad Blood” songstress returned to the stadium for the first time since August 2018, opening her three-hours-long show with “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” from her seventh studio album, Lover.
“It brings me so much joy to say these words to you,” she expressed after the opening number. “Toronto, welcome to the Eras tour!”
The tour officially wraps up on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, but not before Swift graces the Rogers Centre stage for another five nights. Amid her performance, she complimented Toronto’s fans and why she chose to bring the show to the city.
“If we’re going to bring the Eras tour to a close… I really want to spend those last shows with the most generous, encouraging, welcoming, passionate, excitable fans. So, we came to see you, Toronto!”
Swifties reciprocated her love with a long and thunderous ovation, leaving the singer completely speechless after removing her in-ear monitors.
Swift performed an impressive 45-song setlist from her extensive 11-album discography, including surprise song mashups of “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” “False God,” and “’tis the damn season.” The crowd erupted in excitement, chanting her name soon after the surprise songs.
“This is why everyone loves Canadians,” she said.
During her performance of “22,” a young fan was lucky to receive hugs and high fives from Swift, as well as her top hat.
Swift said that the tour is beyond what she’s ever experienced, and that fans, especially in Toronto have made her feel welcome.
“I’m just having more fun on this tour than I’ve ever had on a tour in my life. And the reason for that is that you guys have turned this into something that feels more than just a concert for me,” she said.
“You have all these traditions you’ve started, you’ve turned it into a full event – the way the city of Toronto has embraced us and welcomed us. We notice all of it, and it’s so heartening. It feels so good & it feels so different than any other experience I’ve ever had before.”
The city rallied together to warmly greet Swift ahead of her performance, including a Toronto police-escorted motorcade which saw a typically-busy Gardiner Expressway temporarily slowed down for her arrival.
Toronto police (TPS) says that as Swift is a public figure, it’s important for officers to ensure her safety as she navigates the city.
“Taylor Swift attracts a large following that are very actively engaged, and for public safety reasons, we are facilitating her movements in the city,” TPS Senior Communications Advisor Nadine Ramadan in an email statement on Thursday.
The TPS Mounted Unit was also on the scene outside of the Rogers Centre, with horses decked out in friendship bracelets.
The next dates to “Shake It Off” at the Eras Tour in Toronto are Nov. 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23.
