New Orleans is not your ordinary tour stop. Days before Swift took the stage, locals and visitors were already dressed as various versions of the pop star, taking advantage of her appearance in the music video and the various outfits she had previously worn on stage. Creative, sophisticated looks abounded, but the most fitting tone for Swift’s look was a woman wearing a shirt reminding people that “There’s so much to vote for right now.”

“I had more fun on this tour than I’ve ever had in my life before. The main reason for this is that you make this tour completely unrecognizable from anything I’ve done before. You created the traditions. You created this huge movement of joy,” Swift said earlier in the evening. “I came in one day and you were making friendship bracelets, and I said, ‘This is great.’ “There is now a giant friendship bracelet outside the stadium.”

Swift was referring to the fact that a giant replica of the Swiftie friendship bracelet was hung in front of the Caesars Superdome. But that giant bracelet wasn’t flying alone: ​​Literally tens of thousands of friendship bracelets connecting Swift to NOLA were circulating around the city before she hit the stage.

New Orleans doesn’t seem as important to Swift’s lyrical lore as Nashville or New York, but the Big Easy has undoubtedly played a role in her recording history. three songs Chamber of Tortured Poets “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” Recorded at Esplanade Studios, including (some TTPD episode of the show). But Swift’s sweetest NOLA memory was her appearance during the concert. 1989 segment paired with a purple top, a yellow skirt, and green boots (i.e. Mardi Gras colors). Or King Cake colored if you’re hungry.

You’d think Swift’s closet would be bare at this point. But still, at her first show in New Orleans, the pop star introduced a new outfit before her surprise sing-alongs: a red, white and blue chiffon pleated dress. The roar of excitement that greeted the appearance made it clear that fans at N’Awlins were paying attention. Good thing too; she may need a tour guide to guide her through her wardrobe once the tour is over.

Swifties are still waiting (not so patiently) Taylor’s Version version of both his self-titled debut and his thematic breakthrough. Reputation. The wait continues, but lucky concertgoers in New Orleans were treated to a mashup of the former’s hit single “Our Song” and the latter’s “Call It What You Want.” While these albums may seem very different from each other, Swift has revealed that her early songs aren’t even a mile away from her recent reflective pop material.

As tens of thousands of Swifties flooded the streets following Friday night’s show, people couldn’t help but unleash the excitement of one of the surprise songs, “The Black Dog.” TTPD the tune was paired with “Haunted” Speak Now; Much like her debut mashup, it turns out that despite the leaps Swift has made in the genre throughout her career, there’s an effortless through line that ties everything she’s written together.

If the Kansas City Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl, you could say Swift has made it. Swift mimicked her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s bow-and-arrow shooting move during “So High School,” though she’s done this before. Later in the night, during “Midnight Rain,” Swift mimed throwing a football pass — obviously, the idea of ​​the Chiefs traveling all the way to Caesars Superdome for the 2025 Super Bowl was maybe on her mind a little bit.

Although open-air stadiums are visually the most romantic, there is also something to be said for stadiums with closed ceilings. Yes, the sound painfully pierces the eardrum. But more importantly, the lighting gives a more intimate feel. Despite the size of the venue, “It’s All So Good (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” – paired with warm lighting in an enclosed environment – landed even harder, and that’s saying something. When Swift sang about the refrigerator light, the pervasive yellow color spread throughout the stadium made you feel like you were in the kitchen with her.