Taylor Swift takes Toronto | National Post

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Taylor Swift’s first Eras Tour concert in Toronto is just days away. By the time her six-concert stint in comes to an end, the city expects a $282-million economic boost, $152 million of that in direct spending.

Swift will be playing the Rogers Centre from Nov. 14 to 16 and Nov. 21 to 23 — becoming the first artist to perform six consecutive shows at the Rogers Centre. “The Eras Tour is coming to you in 2024 with (opening act) @gracieabrams!” says an August 3 posting on Swift’s official X account.

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Many concertgoers are expected to be visitors from outside the city. Up to 500,000 visitors are expected during the nearly two-week period, says the city on its website as of Oct. 31. That includes parents and chaperones “accompanying concertgoers to Toronto but not attending the shows themselves.”

Toronto renamed the path from Nathan Phillips Square to the Rogers Centre “Taylor Swift Way.” After Swift’s stint at the Rogers Centre, the street signs, erected on Nov. 4, will be “auctioned in support of emergency food programs in Toronto,” the food bank posted on X. Rogers will be making matching donations up to $113,000.

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Stage covering most of Rogers Centre baseball field

Swift’s shows tend be three-plus hours, with her taking the stage early and entertaining her fans for the duration. She usually has a squad of dancers and backup singers. This time they will be traversing a stage covering almost the entire length of the Rogers Centre baseball field, while she performs songs from her 2019 Lover LP, including The Man, You Need to Calm Down and Cruel Summer.

Her expected setlist

Toronto fans are also expected to hear songs from The Tortured Poets Department, including Fortnight and I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.

Followers of Swift’s tour on social media platforms will know that her shows are full of surprises when it comes to her lengthy concert setlist. Some fans are expecting Swift to announce the release of the re-recording of her 2017 album, Reputation. (As Swifties know, she has been slowly countering a move made by record executive Scooter Braun, who obtained the master recordings of her first six albums in 2019. She is reclaiming that music in her re-recordings.)

Often, Swift will slip in a few surprise songs that she plays alone on stage, with an acoustic guitar or piano. During the 2023 leg of the Eras Tour, she never repeated the surprise songs from concert to concert.

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Souvenir merchandise

Taylor Swift merch will be available inside Rogers Centre and at select locations outside the stadium. Rogers and the Blue Jays have posted on X that “merchandise shopping takes place at Rogers Centre on November 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 & 20 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is open to all!” So even fans who didn’t manage to score a ticket can pick up a coveted item.

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Still need a ticket?

For fans still longing to secure a ticket, StubHub and Seat Geek show seats are still available from resellers, but they aren’t cheap. Even obstructed-view tickets behind the stage are selling for more than $3,000 each. Other tickets are selling online through social media, but police warn buyers to beware of possible scammers.

Meanwhile, updates for ticketholders will be shared on the Rogers Centre website.

What can you bring into the concert?

Fans are allowed to bring in one small bag, either a clear bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ or a non-clear bag no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5.” There is no bag storage on site.

All friendship bracelets must be worn. They can’t be carried in separately.

Face coverings except for medical masks and religious garments are prohibited.

One factory-sealed plastic water bottle that is 500 millilitres or less is permitted, but glass and metal containers are not allowed. No outside food is allowed.

Fans planning to bring a sign should know that it must be smaller than 11 by 17 inches.

Selfie sticks aren’t allowed.

Listening outside the venue? Not in Toronto

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At some of Swift’s concerts in open air stadiums, fans without tickets gather outside the venue, but in Toronto that will be discouraged. The Rogers Centre has confirmed that the stadium roof will be closed for all six shows. A ticketholder perimeter around Rogers Centre will be in effect on all show days. People without tickets “will not be permitted to stand outside the stadium,” Rogers states on its website.

Taylgate

One big fan event is open to all: Toronto’s Version: Taylgate ‘24. It’s happening next door at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Organizers of Taylor Swift Dance Party Canada have also planned after-parties for all six nights at the Antler Room at The Loose Moose on Front Street at 11 p.m.

Toronto’s own ‘tortured poets’

The city’s Poet Laureate, Lillian Allen, and the city’s Youth Poet Laureate, Shahaddah Jack, will present poetry-inspired programming prior to The Eras Tour concerts. The inspiration for the poetry events is Swift’s love of language, in particular her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Some of the events include:

• Roaming Pop-Up Poets featuring Toronto poets reciting poetry, while roaming ‘Taylor Swift Way’ near the Rogers Centre from 1 to 4 p.m. on concert dates.
• City Block Poetry featuring Toronto poets inviting the public to interact with large-scale blocks with a different word taken from Taylor Swift lyrics on each side of each block, to compose original poetic phrases. Blocks will be placed at Nathan Phillips Square, Campbell House and David Pecaut Square along ‘Taylor Swift Way’ on concert dates from 1 to 5 p.m.
• Street Talk Stencils will feature poetry by six established, new career and youth Toronto poets stencilled along sidewalks in select areas of ‘Taylor Swift Way’ for the duration of the Eras Tour. Via QR codes, passersby will be able to digitally experience the poetry in animated form and learn about the poets.

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Getting there

Transportation to and from the concerts is a concern for many folks. The TTC and Bike Share are beefing up their services, with the TTC planning for additional service. More information is available here, on the TTC website.

Transit riders are also encouraged to consider subway stations other than Union Station, such as St. Andrew, Osgoode or King, when going to and from the concerts.

Bike Share Toronto bike stations near the Rogers Centre will add extra bikes and valets to assist with docking near the concert venue. More information is available on Bike Share Toronto’s website.

Drop-off zone

The city is establishing dedicated drop-off and pick-up zone for parents, caregivers, taxis and ride-sharing services.

They include:

• Front Street West between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue (south side)
• Bay Street between Richmond and Wellington Streets (west side)
• York Street between Wellington and Adelaide Streets (west side)
• Queens Quay between Bay and Freeland Streets (south side)
• Lake Shore Boulevard at Rees Street (north side)

Parking

More than 2,000 parking spaces will be available at Green P parking garages at 40 York Street and 2 Church Street. Limited parking will be available at Exhibition Place at 6 Saskatchewan Road and 20 British Columbia Road.

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On LinkedIn, the Toronto parking authority and Bike Share Toronto posted pricing for the concerts: “A special event parking price of $19.89 at 3 car parks close to the Rogers Centre – 40 York Street (York/University and Front), 2 Church Street (St. Lawrence Market), and 10 Portland Street. (And a) $19.89 3-day “Swiftie Pass” for cyclists, valid from November 13th – November 24th for 3 days upon purchase.”

Several road closures will be in effect on concert days. For detailed information, see the city website.

From Nov. 14 to Nov. 23, the city is implementing a Limited Activity Zone between King, Jarvis and Bathurst Streets and Queens Quay. Within the zone, construction work will not be allowed on concert dates.

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