Very few solo music artists in history have been capable of selling out Soldier Field for three consecutive nights. For that reason alone, Taylor Swift’s Friday-through-Sunday stand in Chicago this weekend with her “Eras” tour is noteworthy.
Given the demand for tickets, it’s fair to say that Swift, who is generally performing in one city each week on her North American tour, could easily have played for two straight weeks at the stadium on Chicago’s lakefront. But her shows have been lasting more than three hours and she is but human, even if her fans increasingly view her as a deity.
By all accounts, the tour is extraordinary. “Taylor Swift keeps building the legend of her Eras Tour,” Rolling Stone wrote this week, following Swift’s reportedly triumphant New Jersey stand. “Week after week, city by city, making every night so much longer, wilder, louder, more jubilant than it has to be. There’s nothing in history to compare.”
That’s quite a claim. If you are going, you will have to let us know.
Swift’s arrival obviously is boosting the economic fortunes of downtown Chicago as anyone who has tried to book a hotel room, let alone a flight in or out of the city, has found out. Just ask attendees at the James Beard Awards, forced to jostle with Swift’s fans, aka Swifties, for planes, hotels and weekend restaurant reservations.
Many cities and publicity-hungry politicians have been rolling out the red carpet for the partying Swifties, offering keys to the city, illuminated buildings a la Swift, or even renamed streets (“Taylor Swift Way”) to add to the fun. We don’t recommend much of that for Chicago, and we don’t expect to see Mayor Brandon Johnson decked out in Swift-ified pastel garb. But Chicago does owe Swift’s audience a high level of warm hospitality which, given the international focus on the city’s current level of safety, has to be a crucial priority for City Hall this weekend.
It is a simple truth that many concertgoers, or their parents at home, will be nervous. They must be shown they had no reason to be.
Much has been made of the arrival of NASCAR over the July Fourth weekend, but the Swift concert has just as much import and, frankly, commands more international attention.
The other aspect of the tour that has been making headlines around the country is the sense of community that Swift has created due to the intense emotional engagement enjoyed by her devoted fans. There are widespread reports of sobs turning into smiles, instantly blossoming friendships, kindnesses breaking out all over. In the annals of public gatherings, this one looks set to be everything a city like ours could want.
“Nobody wanted it to end,” Rolling Stone said, and we don’t doubt that will be the case at Soldier Field, a place that, with the Chicago Bears headed to Arlington Heights, needs to showcase its operational expertise and its aesthetic pleasures. And what better weekend to knock that ball out into Lake Michigan?
We’re confident all the Swifties, be they suburban, downstaters or visitors from across the world, will have a blast by the lake with the extraordinary artist they most admire.
And everyone else? Don’t even think about taking the inbound Kennedy this weekend.
Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].