Being a Swiftie’s Mum
Last weekend I took my daughter home to Melbourne to see Taylor Swift in her first Australian concerts. These were the largest in the world at over 96,000 people each of three nights. My daughter had arrived into Sydney, (after three months in Canada), on Thursday. We drove from Sydney back to Canberra on Thursday, and then road tripped to Melbourne on Friday – listening to the Eras Tour playlist the whole way.
I knew this was a particularly special trip when at 8.15am we stopped for breakfast at Jugiong, (only 90 minutes from Canberra along the Hume Highway). Almost every table was taken at the small country town café the Long Track Pantry. It was mostly groups of women: mums & daughters; groups of teens and 20- somethings. Lots of P-platers. All clearly heading Melbourne-ward like us.
As the trip wore on, we saw more & more cars with ‘Era’s Tour!’ and various Taylor lyrics written on rear windows. We beeped as they passed us & my daughter shook her 100 friendship bracelets at them at the windows. Smiles and waves were returned.
Fast forward a few hours to when I dropped her into the city for the concert and saw some of the most joy-bringing sights I have ever seen: a glittery wonderland of (mostly) women and girls in sparkly dresses, sparkly cowgirl boots & hats. Or those in reputation era outfits of edgy black with lipstick red snakes in sequins. Or flowy, floaty, girlie dresses to represent Folklore or Evermore. I’m sure I’ve missed Eras and costumes – I’m not yet completely fluent in Taylor.
Sadly, I didn’t go to the concert but followed along online and through my daughter, seeing images of police officers & security guards exchanging friendship bracelets with fans and thousands of ‘Taylor-gaters’ partying and singing along outside.
I’ve seen my hometown of thirty years buzzing with events many times before: the AFL Football finals (or great rivalries), The Oz Open, the F1 Grand Prix – but I have never seen anything as gloriously positive as this magic weekend of shimmer and girlie, excited energy.
There was one small sour note: some soccer hooligans went past one of the gates were people were Taylor-gating, (non-ticketholders listening outside). Being drunk and upset by their team losing, they tried to drown out the noise of the Taylor fans with hoodlum obscenities. However, it didn’t last long and Swifty Power prevailed as thousands outsang them until they moved their toxic, drunken, loser negativity onwards.
Girl Power all the way!!!
Turns out I’m doing it all again in Sydney this weekend! One of my daughter’s friends thought my enthusiasm cute, took pity and bestowed a precious ticket upon me – it’s F reserve – but I don’t care! Give me a night of sparkly, supportive, wholesome, girlie goodness anytime!
Reading social media comments this week I’m struck by how similarly so many feel. Mia Freedman wrote, “It was like visiting an alternative universe where everyone is happy and kind and bursting out of their skin with joy.”
Comments from women on a Facebook page dedicated to the Eras tour in Australia said:
“It felt so safe, even as we were leaving the MCG and thousands of us were crossing the bridge towards Yarra Park… no shoving and rushing, everyone just in a good mood and chatting or singing. It felt like a giant sleepover, and I love every single one of you… Sisterhood forever!”
“It was like actual real life BarbieLand, and how do you just go back to real life after knowing how that feels?!”
For me this past weekend serves as a shining beacon toward what the world might be more like if we had more women (even simply equal numbers to men) in powerful positions in entertainment, business, and government. Imagine always feeling safe, seen, heard – and being able to wear something glittery, dance, giggle and belt out a Taylor tune without judgment or ridicule!
Long live Taylor’s Reign!
