On Thursday evening, Taylor Swift kicked off the final segment of the European leg of her Eras Tour at London’s Wembley Stadium, where she was joined by her “best friend” Ed Sheeran. The pair performed a medley of their collaborative hits, “Everything Has Changed” and “End Game,” to a sold-out crowd of 92,000 fans.
This concert marked Swift’s first performance since she had to cancel shows in Vienna due to a terror threat and was also her return to the UK following a tragic incident in Southport where three children lost their lives at a Swift-themed dance class. While Swift privately reached out to the affected families, she did not mention these events during her show.
The cancellation of the Vienna gigs followed an announcement by authorities that they had thwarted a terrorist plot targeting one of Swift’s sold-out performances at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
Although the 34-year-old singer has not publicly commented on the Vienna situation, she did express her profound shock and sorrow over the deaths of three young girls in Southport, stating that she was “completely in shock” by the “loss of life and innocence.”
The concert at Wembley Stadium proceeded with the usual high energy and organization characteristic of the Eras Tour, though Ed Sheeran’s appearance during the surprise acoustic segment elicited a massive cheer from the audience.
The acoustic set, which is kept secret until the performance, featured a mash-up of their 2012 collaboration “Everything Has Changed” and their 2017 hit “End Game.” Swift reciprocated by joining Sheeran for a duet of his popular ballad “Thinking Out Loud,” expressing her admiration for his dedication and friendship.
Swift’s performance, running over three hours, followed a well-rehearsed setlist, with minimal deviations from the planned show.
Her interactions with the crowd remained within the scope of her scripted remarks, though she took moments to express her gratitude and discuss the emotional impact of performing for such large audiences.
She mentioned feeling overwhelmed by the crowd size and hinted at missing these moments as the tour progresses.
In a manner similar to her response to a fan’s death in Rio de Janeiro last year, Swift did not directly address a recent incident involving a cardiac arrest at one of her concerts. Instead, she released a statement on social media.
During her Wembley performance, Swift chose to perform “King of My Heart” from the Reputation era and “The Alchemy” from her latest album “The Tortured Poets Department,” maintaining her pattern of letting her song choices subtly reflect her emotional state.
Enhanced security measures were in place for the Wembley shows, which run through Tuesday. Non-ticket holders were prohibited from standing outside the stadium—a practice known as “Tay-gating”—and fans were reminded of strict bag policies.
Swift’s run at Wembley, which includes performances on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, is set to help her set a venue record. She had previously performed three nights at the venue in June but will now play five nights to match a record set by Take That in 2011.
In addition to her Wembley shows, Swift has already performed in cities like Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Dublin as part of her UK and Ireland leg. Her setlist for the tour includes 46 songs, with 16 costume changes and a total runtime exceeding three hours.
The Eras Tour, which began in March last year, has taken Swift around the world, with performances in the US, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Australia, and Singapore. She will conclude the tour later this year with additional dates in the US and Canada.
