15 Best Tips For The Taylor Swift Concert

Jump to Taylor Swift Quotes

I recently attended the highly anticipated and much coveted Taylor Swift Eras tour for FREE. I know. I know. I can’t believe it myself and neither could my friends who tried, in vain, to get tickets. Here’s how it happened and my advice for others headed to this magnificent show.

“Hey, wanna be my plus one to the Taylor Swift concert?” the question came out of nowhere from my niece in Atlanta on the other end of my cell phone.

I tried to process the question as I balanced the phone while cooking dinner for my 4 kids and husband. Shouts of glee and then horror from the kids as they played with our 6-month-old puppy who is trying to grasp the concept that biting is not fun for anyone but her.

“YES!” I said. Wait, is my husband going to be home or gone with work, I thought. Wait, who will watch the kids? Wait, I have to do the morning show that weekend and get up at 3 a.m. to cover the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon! Wait, Atlanta is 6.5 hours away, can I get there in time and still work?

“YES!” I reiterated not knowing how I’d manage any of the issues that just popped into my head regarding logistics. “I’ll figure it out.”

How do you get the most out of your Taylor Swift experience?

First and foremost, if you get the chance to go, ENJOY it! She plays for a long while but the time does go quickly. Pick a fun and comfy outfit, get there early, and don’t forget to to sing your heart out loud and proud during the show.

In this blog post, I’ll list what I learned from my first time attending her show. Also, I share insights from a friend of mine who has been to numerous shows and a variety of cities and has been “doing the show right” down.

QUICK TIPS (Each is detailed further down in the post – #12 is my very fav)

My face got red embracing the good karma knowing the weekend would go all too well. All I knew was we were ready for it we just needed to figure out our style for the evening. Sorry for the cheesy song title insertions. Full disclosure – there will be more.

We decided we’d figure it out when I had more time and talk later.

“Oh,” she added almost as an afterthought. “We’ll be in the owner’s box at Mercedes Benz stadium with free food and drinks all night.”

I’ve died and gone to kid-free mom heaven. My niece works at Mercedes Benz Stadium so she had a major perk that weekend.

I ended up flying to Atlanta for the concert after I worked my morning shift so I’d been up since 3 a.m. I’m a newbie Swiftie. So here’s all I learned from my first experience at her show. By the way, spoiler alert. IT’S A FLIPPING BLAST AND A REMARKABLE SHOW.

1) STYLE – embrace it but be comfortable too!

Pick your outfit wisely This is one of the most fun parts of the experience. Seeing all the different outfits and wardrobe choices. There are sequins and glitter and boas and jumpers and dresses oh my! The audience embraces Taylor’s fun aesthetic and it’s incredible people watching from just a wardrobe perspective alone.

I loved seeing all the bright colors. I had my Facebook and Instagram friends vote on my outfit because those polls are always kind of fun to do. I labeled each choice with one of the names of her songs/albums. I was certain the purplish sequin dress I called “Lavender Haze” would be the obvious pick.

I was shocked when the most popular one was what I labeled as “Red.” It was a red sequin tank top with leather-looking shorts. It was also the most comfortable. Also, it had pockets and the dress did not. I highly recommend wearing something with pockets so you can have your phone close by for great pics and also have your ID and check card on your person.

Taylor plays usually more than 3 hours STRAIGHT so I say go with something comfortable and something that makes dancing easy. For us, she performed for 3 hours and 20 minutes. Also, I’d wear comfy shoes or at the very least, bring flip-flops to change into because I saw plenty of folks limping out of the stadium after dancing in less-than-ideal shoes.

Also, after our concert in Atlanta, Taylor Swift went to Nashville. The Sunday show encountered storms and had to be delayed. My friend who was there had to shelter in place in the walkways with a bunch of strangers for hours. I bet the folks who dressed comfortably there were thankful.

Taylor Swift didn’t go on until 10:09 p.m. because of the storm. She played her full set though and finished at 1:36 a.m. If there’s a possible threat of rain, get a poncho beforehand. My friend said they were $10 at the Nashville show and that’s if they don’t sell out. Also, she suggested a head-to-toe poncho as it keeps you drier than the pull-over-your-head kind.

Also, check the bag policy as they’re pretty strict. Most venues don’t allow bags inside the stadium that are bigger than a clutch (4×6 inches) and they typically need to be clear. Also, no cameras with a detachable lens. At Mercedes Benz stadium you could only bring in a small transparent bag. I read that, but forgot it so my niece took my ID and check card and put them in her pocket.

I put my phone in my pocket so didn’t end up even having a bag. If you have a lanyard it might be a good idea to bring or order one online. I suggest getting one that has a shoulder strap. You want to be as hands-free as possible while dancing and it also makes carrying food and drinks easier.

2) OUT OF THE WOODS and into the merch line

The line for merchandise before the show started was long. The vendors suggested returning after Taylor came on stage but we didn’t want to miss a minute of the show. Honestly, I’d suggest skipping the long merchandise line and buying online on Taylor Swift’s website.

Most of the items the vendors were selling are on that website and there are even a few extra shirts and pants that weren’t offered at the concert. The clothing line isn’t individualized by city so the online options are fine in my opinion.

I do believe you can get individual posters in each city. Another good reason to wait, Taylor’s team often sends out an online code for 15% off for 24 hours and it can be shipped straight to your house.

If you insist on buying merchandise at the concert because you NEED it right then, don’t wait until the end of the show to get it. A lot of stuff sells out relatively quickly so if you wait, it might be gone.

3) 22 lanes of standstill traffic

Get there early. The traffic approaching the concert can be atrocious, although my niece and I had great luck in Atlanta. Plan on being stuck in traffic for at least an hour so however early you think you should go, go earlier. I

‘d say between 90 minutes and 2 hours earlier than you think you should. The openers are really good and the crowd is a fun one so allow plenty of time to hang before the show.

Also, one of the coolest parts of the Atlanta show happened when the crowd first spotted her dancers walking to their positions behind the stage. Then a large container with cleaning supplies was rolled by backstage and the place just erupted in cheers. Assuming Taylor is in that container? The excitement was electric. Believe me, you don’t want to miss a minute of it.

4) The one thing I needed ALL TOO WELL

The one thing I wish I had brought was a portable phone charger. I was low on a phone battery to begin with because I’d worked the morning show that day. I flew into Atlanta for the Taylor Swift show and just hadn’t made enough time to charge my phone.

I also think about my friend to had to shelter in place the Sunday evening of Taylor Swift’s Nashville show for more than 3 hours before the show finally got the all-clear to begin at 10:09 p.m. You don’t want to miss out on taking fun videos and pictures because you’re worried about conserving your battery.

If it’s possible, get one that can charge 2 phones. Someone else in your party may need a charge too. Also, a few stadiums require that it be no bigger than a credit card like Lincoln Field in Philly. Make sure it’s small.

5) DON’T BLAME ME if you get dehydrated

One thing I wish I’d have done differently is drink a ton of water early in the morning, many hours before attending the show. Hydration is important especially when we’re talking about jumping and dancing for three hours. Buying bottled water at the show can get expensive, although you should get at least one bottle.

If you drink the daily suggested amount of water early in the day, it better prepares you for the evening and you can take the majority of your bathroom breaks in the comfort of your own home. Prepare ahead of time and drink plenty of water in the morning.

Also, you could consider bringing Liquid I.V. to put in your water for an added hydration boost at the show.

6) This empty water bottle is OURS

Sticking with the theme of staying hydrated, consider bringing in your own empty water bottle. At several of the shows my friend attended recently, the stadiums ran out of food AND water. Imagine you’re there for hours dancing and singing your heart out and there’s no water for you to drink.

Most venues won’t allow you to bring your drinks in but they will allow for an empty bottle. That way you can fill it up on your own from a fountain or bathroom sink- not ideal but better than nothing, the venue runs out of water.

7) It’s a CRUEL SUMMER when you are hungry so eat beforehand

Because my friend told me several of the stadiums ran out of food and water in several cities, I’d advise you to eat beforehand. It’s not fun singing, dancing, and possibly drinking on an empty stomach and it’s no good for anyone who tries. You can always hit Whataburger on the way home but don’t show up to the show hungry.

8) Preserve your BEJEWELED bracelet

I also wish I’d known you could save the plastic tab on your light-up wristband and reinsert it at the end of the night. I heard you could do this after I let me die- which took a really long time. My kids loved seeing the bracelet light up with different colors when I brought it home the next day.

It ended up continuing to blink and show different colors a full 52 hours after the show before it finally died. If I’d have known to reinsert the tab, my girls would have loved playing with that for days.

9) LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO to my hearing

I recommended bringing earplugs. That makes me sound old I know, but I just would. It’s loud, and although I wasn’t uncomfortable, I wondered about the kids around me or those with sensitive ears. Sometimes the sound is even better with earplugs because it softens the shrieks of other concertgoers and lets you focus on the music.

There’s a company called Loops that makes earbuds specifically for concerts and I’ve seen a lot of showgoers recommending them. Also, if you can get some with strings attached that might help you keep better track of them if you decide to take them out for a time.

10) Find a good BLANK SPACE to park

Bring cash for parking and pay close attention to where you leave your car. Take a picture of where it is in the lot of put a pin of its location in your maps. The last thing you want to be doing after a long night of dancing and singing is walking around looking for your vehicle.

I’ve also heard people have had good luck hiring a black car to take them home afterward if you can afford it. Many venues are cashless but I’d bring cash for parking and be prepared to pay. This concert experience is a splurge for most people so might as well do it right and just pay for decent parking.

11) READY FOR IT... the bathroom that is

Go to the bathroom and get food and drinks BEFORE the show begins as there is NO Intermission and no breaks. She’ll disappear for a minute here and there to change outfits in record-breaking time, but other than that she’s onstage pretty much the entire time.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine she would play for over 3 hours with no breaks. Her stamina is remarkable.

12) SHAKE IT OFF and then save the confetti

A really fun idea my friend gave me, is to bring a few ziplock bags. That can protect your phone if you get caught in the rain like the Nashville crew. Also, and I LOVE this idea, you can gather up some of the confetti at the end. I thought it would be so special to then put some in a clear Christmas tree ornament and have a sweet reminder of the show that you take out every year when you go back to December.

Also, you could glue some of it to a picture frame and have fun memento from the concert up in your house. I’m mad I didn’t think of this before because this would be a fun thank-you gift for my niece for taking me with her.

If you get enough of it you could make a cool wall art piece. Zao Necklaces is an Etsy shop that takes leftover concert confetti and makes jewelry out of it. There are several pieces listed there – rings, necklaces, and decorative pieces from the Eras tour. You can also send in your own confetti that you collected and they’ll make a custom piece for you.

I like this idea for other occasions too. Maybe if you have confetti from a special New Year’s Eve celebration or engagement party or something. Below is a confetti necklace I ordered for my niece as a thank-you for taking me to the Taylor Swift show. It was $28 plus $4.30 for shipping. I think that’s a great price.

Lastly, relax and enjoy it! Most people went to a great amount of effort and spent a lot of money for this epic show so soak every moment of it in and enjoy!! Below I’ve listed some of my favorite quotes from Taylor Swift.

I’ve got an even more comprehensive list of more than 150 quotes from the star. To read them all click here.

13) YOU BELONG WITH ME burn free

Wear sunscreen especially if you get there early for merchandise or opening acts. You don’t want to get burned enjoying the show.

14) THIS IS MY TRYING to no avail to get tickets

Just because you don’t have tickets to the show, doesn’t mean you should consider still going. I’ve heard of plenty of people going to the show, tailgating in the parking lot, and sitting in lawn chairs outside to the venue to hear the music.

You might not be able to see much, but you can hear the magic. I’ve heard it’s still a really fun experience to go with some friends and dress up and people-watch. It’s also MUCH cheaper than actually getting into the venue.

15) YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN and check the setlist ahead of time

If you want to be prepared you can do what a lot of Swifties do and check the setlist before arrive. Taylor Swift sings 44 songs but she’ll change up two of them. Those surprise songs come towards the show’s end and the crowd goes nuts over them.

TAYLOR SWIFT QUOTES

• “I think the perfection of love is that it’s not perfect.”
• “At every table, I’ll save you a seat.”
• “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”
• “I think fearless is having fears but jumping anyway.”
• “And that’s romance. Let’s dance.” 
• “I’m intimidated by the fear of being average.”
• “How’d we end up on the floor anyway?”
• “Anytime someone tells me that I can’t do something, I want to do it more.”
• “People haven’t always been there for me, but music always has.”
• “We never go out of style.”
• “My imagination is a twisted place.”
• “And by the way, I’m going out tonight,” 
• “Words can break someone into a million pieces, but they can also put them back together. I hope you use yours for good because the only words you’ll regret more than the ones left unsaid are the ones you use to intentionally hurt someone.”
• “In my opinion, the only way to conquer stage fright is to get up on stage and play. Every time you play another show, it gets better and better.”
• “How evergreen, our group of friends.” 
• “I’ve never been shy or secretive with the fact that if you walk into my life, you may be walking into a record deal.”
• “Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes you’re just strong enough to let go.”
• “Today was a fairytale.” 
• “It’s been occurring to me I’d like to hang out with you for my whole life.”
• “I write a lot of songs about love and I think that’s because to me love seems like this huge complicated thing. But it seems like every once in a while, two people get it figured out, two people get it right. And so I think the rest of us, we walk around daydreaming about what that might be like. To find that one great love, where all of a sudden everything that seemed so complicated, became simple.”
• “I think the tiniest little thing can change the course of your day, which can change the course of your year, which can change who you are.”
• “I knew you were trouble when you walked in.” 
• “Grab your passport and my hand.” 
• “Love is a tricky business. But if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be so enthralled with it. Lately I’ve come to a wonderful realization that makes me even more fascinated by it; I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to love. No one does! There’s no patter to it, except that it happens to all of us, of course.
• “It’s you and me, that’s my whole world.”
• “People are going to judge you anyway so you might as well do what you want.”
• “I have to practice to be good at guitar. I have to write 100 songs before you write the first good one.”
• “If you’re horrible to me, I’m going to write a song about you and you are not going to like it. That’s how I operate.”
• “I always have to be writing”
• “My flight was awful, thanks for asking.” 
• “Sparks fly whenever you smile.” 
• “Too in love to think straight.”
• “I don’t know how it gets better than this.”
• I work on accepting my body every day.”
• “I’ve never felt like there’s just one way to be beautiful.”
• “I love you like I love sparkles and having the last word. And that’s real love.”
• “Nothing ruins your day more than getting a bad review”
• “Wind in my hair, I was there.”
• “If you’re yelling, you’re the one who’s lost control of the conversation”
• “So don’t you worry your pretty little mind, people throw rocks at things that shine, And life makes love look hard.”
• “The cool thing about reading is that when you read a short story or you read something that takes your mind and expands where your thoughts can go, that’s powerful.”
• “I think about food literally all day every day. It’s a thing.”
• Long story short, I survived Ticketmaster.
• “I never give advice unless someone asks me for it. One thing I’ve learned and possibly the only advice I have to give, is to not be that person giving out unsolicited advice based on your own personal experience.”
• “Privacy sign on the door.”
• “I want your midnights.”
• “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you keep thinking about yesterday”

Erica Fox

Hi I’m Erica! TV news anchor and mom to 4 littles. I’m obsessed with creating those “wow” moments in life through crafting at home, cool travel adventures and special celebrations with loved ones. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!