'Taylor Swift's Eras Tour' in cinemas - A cash grab or should more artists follow?

Taylor Swift, an unstoppable force in the music industry, has had an extraordinary year. In March, Swift unveiled her monumental ‘Eras Tour’ concert. Boasting a setlist of forty-four songs spanning her entire career and a runtime of almost three-and-a-half hours, it quickly became the ‘must-see’ event of the year.

Swift’s phenomenal success can be attributed to her evocative songwriting, PR and business acumen, and her close relationship with fans. Always at the forefront of music innovation, she is making waves in the film industry too. Her latest venture is the release of her Eras Tour movie in worldwide cinemas.

Like countless Swifties across the globe, I attended the opening night of Taylor Swift: the Eras Tour on the 13^th of October at my local cinema. The nearly three-hour spectacle is slick, beautifully produced, and stylishly edited. With everyone in the cinema singing along and dancing, it really is a joyous experience.

Some may argue that ticket and merchandise prices brand the Eras Tour film a ‘cash-grab’. An adult ticket will cost you a very specific £19.89  - a nod to Swift’s birth year and the next instalment in her re-recording endeavour. Yet, compared to Odeon Cinema's standard £12.50 ticket (plus booking fees) it’s not a huge leap in price, especially considering the lengthy runtime and unique experience it offers.

It is essential to see Swift’s approach here as more than a repackaging of her tour for financial gain. Rather, it is a thoughtful and meticulous attempt to capture the essence of the Eras Tour for fans to experience no matter where they are. And it is important to note that this is something the fans have been pleading for since the tour debuted.

The film has dominated the global box office, making over $123 million on its opening; it has already become the highest-grossing concert film in history. Legendary director Christopher Nolen has praised Swift for providing a much-needed boost to a struggling industry. Nolan states “Taylor Swift is about to show the studios, because her concert film is not being distributed by the studios, it’s being distributed by a theatre owner, AMC, and it’s going to make an enormous amount of money,” (via Variety).

Swift also ensured she met all requirements of the SAG-AFTRA union and was thus granted their permission before filming.

It seems other celebrities have noticed Swift’s phenomenal success this year. Beyoncé is following her lead with the US release of her Renaissance concert film in December.

All in all, the Eras Tour film is not just a cash-grab for monetary profit, which it is undoubtedly going to make a lot of; it’s about bringing the concert experience to fan’s doorsteps. It’s a chance for those who couldn’t attend the live tour to experience it for a fraction of the price and for the curious to see what all the excitement is about.

After all, Taylor Swift is the Music Industry.