It all started in 2023 when I entered the Ticketek waiting lounge room (along with just about everyone else in Australia) with hopes of being one of the lucky ones, who squeeze past the lounge and onto the purchase page to be allowed to buy tickets to the ever so popular, singer-songwriter, Taylor Swifts Eras Tour Concert.

With every hour that passed, the pressure was real, knowing just how so disappointed my daughter would be if we were to miss out.

As days went on, and I continued to miss out on tickets even for interstate shows, I had to think outside the box. This was the last Sydney show and last chance for tickets, so off I went to do some old-school lining up at Ticketek, amongst a sea of people who had the same idea.

Here we go!  I was up next in line, with the only person in front of me at the desk making their purchase when a dreaded announcement is made.

Sorry folks, tickets have now been exhausted, and only single seats remaining

The cruelty of it all.

I was next in line, this was torture! As the lines of people behind me broke as they walked away deflated, I decided to stay in hopes of a little swiftie miracle.

As I pleaded with the customer service team that I simply couldn’t sit away from my daughter, she called her boss over and they whispered to each other and pointed at the screen. Before I knew it, she was telling me the amount for two tickets seated together with restricted views and pointed at the Eftpos machine for me to pay. I didn’t even bother to ask what a restricted view meant and with a swipe of my card, It was done.

As I walked away, with a strong coffee in one hand and a ‘’Mum of the Year’ Tiara placed firmly on my head, I was so glad it was over. My daughter was going to be over the moon.

Here we are in 2024 and TayTay has touched down in Oz. She knocks it out of the park for her Melbourne Shows and we can’t wait for our turn in Sydney. The excitement just continues to grow as her Boyfriend, Travis Kelce lands in Sydney and they head to the zoo for an afternoon with a kangaroo or two.

What amazed me, is the preparation required for this event. The clothing, the beads, the bracelets, the makeup, the boots…This is serious business and requires meticulous planning.

The day arrives and we board the TayTay Express Train. The singing starts almost immediately from the crowd and the mood is set. As we arrive at the station and into Sydney Olympic Park, I’m genuinely blown away at the effort that everyone has gone to with their outfits. These outfits haven’t been slapped together overnight. There have been hours of hand sewing and glitter gluing going on here and my daughter and I are loving seeing it all.

As we approach the stadium closer, you move through what feels like a festival with an array of food vendors and an outdoor stage with performers singing.

Closer to the doors, the Merch Stands appear. As I approached the front of the queue and examined the prices of everything, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a once-in-a-lifetime concert with my teen and that somehow made my purchases feel a little more justified.

As we passed many desperate little faces holding signs that read, ‘Can you help, we want to buy tickets?’, you can’t help but feel so disappointed for them and a little guilty that you get to walk past them and into the show.

Remember earlier when I said I bought restricted view tickets? Well, that essentially meant the nosebleed section. Whilst walking up the gazillion stairs to reach the top had me gasping for air, I was pleasantly surprised as the view was pretty decent and the only real restriction to my view were the two cowgirls in front whose hats weren’t particularly kind to my eyeline.

The Opening act was Sabrina Carpenter. I didn’t know much about her beforehand, but what a fabulous voice, and the crowd just loved her!

As the sun goes down, a clock appears on the screen and a countdown has begun. Everyone around us was ready to lose their mind and as the beautiful pop star made her way onto the stage under a façade of purple and orange whimsical waves, the crowd roared with pure excitement.

As the singer journeys her way through hits from her albums, you can’t help but be swept away in it all. After all, her songs tell stories about times in her life. Things like love, heartache, friendships, and self-discovery.  All the relatable stuff that forms part of everyone’s life.

How did she sound? She sounded fabulous, or at least I think she did because the crowd was singing every word along with her. She probably could have taken a break and let the crowd take over for a while if she wanted too!

Her energy and outfit changes were incredible and the visual effects on the stage were amazing!

As soon as Love Story began to play, you could feel the intensity as people around you began searching the crowd for someone dropping to one knee for the inevitable wedding proposal that has become quite the tradition during this song.

There was a moment where Taylor was talking to the crowd and the crowd cheered so loudly and so intensely for her, she was overcome with emotion. It was a really beautiful moment.

As the stadium was lit with the colour-synced bracelets we were handed upon entry, the show was coming to an end. As we left the stadium, we walked out to a crowd that was overwhelming in size. They were all fans who missed out on the show and instead, sat outside and listened in the distance at the songs playing. I had a mother quite literally run to me and beg me for the Eros Tour freebie bracelet. I told her there was no begging required, it was all hers.

One thing I will always remember about this concert is the absolute pure joy that Taylor Swift brought to everyone in that stadium that night and the dedication of her fans. If someone has the power to bring that amount of happiness to people, then who could say a bad word about it?