The economic and cultural impacts of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

ARTS & CULTURE

Muskaan Adeel of Los Medanos College
30 Aug. 2023

the AUGUST newsletter

Taylor Swift, the global superstar, has left an indelible mark on the music industry with her talent, versatility, and innovation. Starting as a country singer-songwriter, she seamlessly transitioned into the world of many genres from pop to indie music. 

One of the defining moments in her career was the ongoing Eras Tour, a groundbreaking musical journey that captivated fans globally. The Eras Tour encapsulated all of her discography into different eras, each representing a distinct phase of her artistic development. 

This evolution showcased her versatility and appealed to a broader audience, making the tour relevant to fans old and new. Unlike any of her past tours, her performances across the United States brought substantial benefits to each city she visited. 

The tour shattered records across the United States as it became one of the highest-grossing concert tours in history, with sold-out stadiums and arenas in cities from coast to coast. Significant economic boosts were brought to each city as concertgoers spent money on tickets, merchandise, dining, transportation, and accommodations. Local businesses, especially those near the concert venues, experienced increased sales, leading to a surge in revenue and job opportunities. 

“The Eras Tour, which started in March and ends in the U.S. on Aug. 9, is on track to become the biggest in concert history, potentially grossing $1 billion,” said an article published on July 23, 2023, in the Walls Street Journal. 

From the host city to surrounding areas, the influx of visitors boosted the tourism industry as fans explored the host city, stayed in hotels, and dined in local restaurants. It effectively turned each city into a temporary hub for Swifties, generating tourism revenue. In Santa Clara, CA, the whole city renamed it “Swiftie Clara” for the two days Swift was in town. 

In some cases, hosting a massive concert like the Eras Tour required cities to invest in infrastructure upgrades, such as improving transportation options or renovating concert venues. These upgrades often had lasting benefits for the city’s residents long after the tour had concluded. Some cities may have had venues that were not widely known on a national scale.

“Her Chicago dates resulted in record-breaking demand for hotel accommodations with an average of over 44,000 hotel rooms occupied each night, resulting in an unprecedented occupancy rate of 97%,” reported the Camoin Associates, an Economic Development and Business Lead Generation Firm. 

Hosting the Eras Tour allowed these venues to gain exposure and recognition, potentially attracting more events and artists in the future, and further benefiting the local entertainment industry. 

Swift brought a visual spectacle to each area as her attention to detail in stage design, costumes, and choreography was unparalleled. The extravagant sets and costume changes immersed the audience in the themes of each era, creating a captivating and immersive experience. 

This production level set a new standard for live performances in the United States and inspired countless artists to elevate their stage shows. The Eras Tour took fan engagement to a new level. Swift made an effort to connect with her audience through heartfelt speeches and personal stories, making every fan feel seen and heard, along with giving one of her fans her hat during her song “22.”

As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour continues its way around the world, the indelible mark it left on the United States will mark the first of any musical artist. The tour showcased the power of music to unite and inspire through its celebration of Swift’s evolution, visual spectacles, inclusivity, impact on pop culture, charitable initiatives, and record-breaking success. It will be remembered as a pivotal moment in American music history and a testament to Taylor Swift’s immense influence.

Local artists showcase their artwork for National Art Day

ARTS & CULTURE

Jayden Lawrence of Antioch High School
30 Apr. 2023

DISCOVER OAKLEY’S ‘art in the park’ HERE!

the APRIL newsletter

The Oakley Art Show was held on National Art Day, April 15, and was a roaring success as it featured artists from Antioch, Brentwood and Oakley areas. The event was advertised with a youth ballet performance and then the East County Performing Center doing a final act. 

Performances at the event included a Stepz show by a San Francisco dance club and then a community service dance club known as Be Exceptional, which appeared on stage and gave the children an opportunity to have fun. The event’s itinerary was filled and there was never a dull moment.

The meet-the-artist portion of the show was a great opportunity for attendees to interact with the artists and learn more about their work. 

For some artists like Paige Cordova, showing her art at the show was the first time for her. Cordova says she has been doing art “ever since she could hold a pencil,” which she clarified was around the age of two. Art is her life’s passion and with the event, her work was exposed to a larger audience.  

Isabella’s artwork was also a big hit at the show, with one of her paintings, “Slave to Time,” which captured a group of prisoners shackled and walking towards a door that seemed too far to be reached. Showing that the prisoners were never ever going to be free, but instead, will be shackled throughout time.

Artist showcased their techniques using oil pastels, watercolor and digital paints, to capture personal experiences on collages, new designs and older artworks. 

The event included the National Artists Competition which had a diverse range of entries, at least 10, making it challenging for the judges to pick a winner. Ultimately, the contest resulted in Kaya Cooke winning first place, Adonis Ventoria winning second, and Ava M.R. winning third. 

In addition to a “Rock the Chalk” contest, where anyone could do artwork on the sidewalk and potentially win an award. A great opportunity for young artists to showcase their talent and creativity. 

Adonis Ventoria, one of the artists at the event, was impressed by the talent he saw saying “These children are now the artists,” and he explained that is what makes art eternal.

The Oakley Art Show was a memorable event to celebrate National Art Day. The event showcased the diversity and talent of artists in the area and left participants inspired and impressed with the high level of creativity displayed. The show was a success, thanks to the Oakley Recreational team, with plans to showcase more works of art in the future.

Meet me at Midnight

ARTS & CULTURE

Madison Bartel of Heritage High School
30 Nov. 2022

the NOVEMBER newsletter

Taylor Swift is a worldwide music sensation, with an average of 83.3 million listeners per day. Over the past 10 years, she has released over 10 different albums containing songs that range from pop music to country music. While Taylor Swift has a large fanbase of a variety of ages, the majority of her listeners are young girls.

Swift’s new album, Midnights, was released on Oct. 18, with 17 songs. While the songs appear cheerful and lighthearted, once you look deeper into her words you see how she intertwined her past traumas and struggles into poetic lyrics. Discussing the loss of her girlhood, insecurities, and simply what it’s like being a successful woman in a largely male-dominated business.

Heritage student Sophie Bowles (11), goes further into depth on how she interprets the lyrics in Midnights.

“I think Taylor’s new album, and all of her songs in general are really important for young girls to listen to as she breaks down struggles all women go through, especially highlights her insecurities,” said Bowles. “Although they can hear that from anyone, hearing it from someone they idolize and can be seen as ‘perfect’ really dissolves that barrier between young girls and Taylor simply with her lyrics.”

An example of highlighted insecurities can be heard in Swift’s song “Anti-Hero” when she says, “I’ll stare directly in the sun, but never in the mirror.”

This calls attention to a lack of self-confidence which many men and women battle with every day. Celebrities like Taylor Swift shining a spotlight on their inner struggles instead of basking in a false identity is vital for her listeners. Tearing down assumptions of celebrities being perfect and instead just normal people.

Not only does Swift sing about her insecurities, she includes many songs in her new album on her fight against the patriarchy. Longtime listener Ella Eustachy (11) dives further into Taylor Swift’s new album as she connects with the lyrics.

“People who hate Taylor Swift, especially her new Midnights album, simply want to be different and hate her because her music is basic, even when there is no problem with that,” said Eustachy. “I believe it’s all rooted in misogyny to hate Taylor Swift simply because she is an extremely popular and successful woman artist in a men-dominated industry.”

Taylor Swift is a major music phenomenon loved by many. Throughout her music career, she has overcome many obstacles and turned her struggles into poetic lyrics, as seen in her new album, Midnights.

Inspiring each generation to not be afraid to highlight struggles or insecurities, but to own them. Just as Taylor Swift said, “Don’t be afraid to shine, shine, shine.”