In this moment now, capture it, remember it. That was certainly the thought running through my head as I realised I was having a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the first night of Taylor Swift's three Eras Tour gigs in Dublin. I'm no die-hard Swiftie, nor do I claim to be, but it's difficult to put into words the overwhelming feeling of anticipation that rushed over me as Lady Gaga's 'Applause' faded into cheers and the countdown clock appeared on screen, signifying the singer's impending arrival. Today's top videos Though I knew how the evening was going to pan out because it's become such a viral phenomenon, it's safe to say I was totally starstruck as Taylor showcased her 18-year legacy with the utmost grace and decorum. Swiftmania well and truly took over the Aviva Stadium on Friday as Taylor emerged from a haze of colourful dancers, opening the show in her Lover Era with Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince. It's been a long time coming as the last time the songstress performed for a Dublin crowd was in Croke Park in 2018, but she certainly hasn't forgotten that the Irish can do it better than anyone else! 'Dublin, we've arrived,' she said, met with cheers from over 50,000 fans. 'Dublin, that was wild. You guys are making me feel so good, it's gone straight to my head. I feel very, very powerful.' 'It's been over five years since I've played a gig in Dublin and you know this already, but nobody does it like you,' Taylor continued to tell the audience. '18 years of music, one era at a time. You're about to hear a lot of songs! These songs are my life and my imagination.' Shifting from a beautiful baby pink hue into soft gold, Taylor introduced her Fearless Era with the album's namesake track. She then graced us with a performance of two of her most renowned songs, You Belong With Me and Love Story, during which one fan got down on bended knee and popped the question- aw! Transporting us back in time to 2012, Taylor then emerged in her recognisable white T-shirt, black shorts, and 22 hat, which she bestowed upon one lucky fan for her Red Era. I can't lie, my highlight of the night was Taylor's dancer Kam who has made a name for himself on the Eras Tour during We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. During the international shows, he's been changing up the 'Like, ever' lyric and replacing it with something local to each country. 'Póg mo thóin' is iconic, and that's a hill I'll die on! After a beautiful rendition of Enchanted from her Speak Now Era, bad b*tch Taylor got a look in during her Reputation Era and we were beyond Ready For It! We then journeyed into an enchanting forest as Taylor combined her two sister albums Folklore and Evermore for one magical Era experience and as Taylor said herself, there's no better place to play her Folklore tracks than in the land of lore itself, Ireland. A mystical performance of Willow concluded this portion of the evening and naturally the crowd erupted in applause, feet stomping and screams as the songstress stood in awe at just how many decibels an Irish crowd can produce. Taylor had that red lip, classic thing that we like as she strutted her stuff to Style during her 1989 Era. The singer gave a sweet nod to her Irish audience in a tricolour-themed outfit which she paired with one orange and one green Louboutin boot. We had the best time shaking it off like Prince William and writing Taylor's name on a Blank Space, but never in our wildest dreams did we think that we were just over two hours into the singer's three and a half hour pilgrimage. Voyaging into her newest Era, the Tortured Poets Department, Miss Swift graced us with But Daddy I Love Him, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived and I Can Do It With a Broken Heart to name but a few. We do have to admit, however, that we were disappointed that Taylor's guy on the Chiefs Travis didn't make an appearance as we didn't get to experience the full version of So High School. Oh well, guess we just have to keep living vicariously through people's viral videos. Taylor fittingly closed the evening in her Midnights Era, and what a conclusion it was! I'm a bit biased as the Midnights tracks are some of my favourites, but there was something so special about this part of the night as the light had faded to black and the Aviva Stadium was lit up by thousands of Swifties. We were in a Lavender Haze, rooting for the Anti-Hero and soaking up the Midnight Rain (thankfully the weather held up for the evening that was in it). I watched on in awe - mouth open, jaw on the floor - as Taylor wowed with her performance of Vigilante Sh*t. As the evening drew to a close, the singer performed her fan-favourite song Karma. I can't even put into words how electrifying an experience it was to bop along and scream my heart out with the rest of the stadium in that moment. The nearly two-decade-long legacy Taylor has established for herself is truly incredible, and laying it out for her fans in the emotional odyssey that it was is something so special that Swifties will remember for years to come.
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