As the stage lights illuminate, the audience swells with anticipation. The world fades into the background as backup dancers pour onto the stage and the audience is swept into a whirlwind of electrifying melodies and rhythms.
Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Tour and Drake’s “It’s All a Blur” Tour made waves this past summer, attracting Portola High students and teachers for the opportunity to see their favorite artists perform live.
Swift’s long-awaited-for world tour was a dream for sophomore Aleena Advani, who has adored Swift since she was four, constantly listening to hits from Swift’s second studio album, “Fearless.” Advani spent hours handcrafting friendship bracelets before the concert which she traded with thousands of Swifties who created this trend based on a song lyric from her song, “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”
“The Taylor Swift concert was magical. I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Advani said. “She literally played all her eras in less than three hours, and it was the best concert I’ve ever been to. She’s a great performer, and it felt like a dream.”
Visual arts teacher Kearci Thompson took her concert going experience to the next level by attending three nights of the “Eras” Tour in Los Angeles. Zeroed in from floor seats and accompanied by her best friend from high school, Thompson even made eye contact with Swift on the first night.
As a fan of Swift since she was in junior high, Thompson believes her music can encapsulate emotions into words.
“It really felt like growing up,” Thompson said. “I’m getting to celebrate all these different versions of Kearci, who she was at different ages, which was so special to be able to experience that. It’s almost like a language that you can share with other people.”
While not for three nights, senior Arjit Singh attended his first concert with his older brother in Drake’s “It’s All a Blur” Tour. Experiencing Drake for the first time with his brother, the very person who introduced him to the artist, was surreal, according to Singh.
“It was the craziest thing I’ve ever felt in my life,” Singh said. “The vibe was immaculate and everyone’s there to jam out. And I think I fit into that crowd.”
Outrageous ticket prices often prevent music lovers from seeing concerts, but Thompson and Singh both consider the expensive costs justified.
“It’s almost like a language that you can share with other people that share their music,” Thompson said. “Even though it was so expensive, I would have paid it again in a heartbeat.”
