If society had not already returned to normalcy post-pandemic, it definitely is now. The iconic American singer Taylor Swift is back on the road, following a five-year break. She began her “Eras Tour” on Mar. 17 in Glendale, Ariz., celebrating her 15-year career that spans across 13 albums, including two re-recordings. 

   This is her largest tour to date with 51 sold-out shows in the United States alone. For comparison, her previous tour, the “Reputation Stadium Tour,” had 53 dates across the entire globe. International dates have not yet been announced, but it can be expected that there will at least be another 20 shows. 

   To smash this record, Swift is performing multiple dates within the same stadium. Ranging from two nights in a row in Detroit, Mich. to a whopping five nights in Los Angeles, Calif. to finish off the U.S. leg, this truly is a feat of her success.

   Contrary to the traditional cycle artists take of releasing an album, touring to promote it, then rinse and repeat, Swift has released four albums since she last toured: Lover, Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights. That does not include Fearless and Red, which have received a new spike of fans after she re-recorded them to own her masters of them. 

   It is difficult to have conversations about this tour without mentioning the monumental Ticketmaster controversy. Without going too deep into what is already known, the difficulties fans dealt with to secure tickets for this highly sought-after tour have led the U.S. Congress to investigate the alleged monopoly the company has over the live music industry.

   As of writing this article, scalped tickets are continuing to be sold at insane prices. On SeatGeek, nosebleed seats are selling for over $600 and floor tickets are going for over $2,500. It is a shame that fans are unable to see their favorite artist for reasonable prices, so hopefully this issue of reselling can be addressed soon.

   Swift will be in Tampa from Thur. Apr. 13 to Sat. Apr. 15, performing at Raymond James Stadium.