Molly Troup 
After months of anxiety and expectation, Argentine Swifties finally saw their dreams come true. Shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday night, Taylor Swift came on stage to begin the first of her three scheduled shows in Buenos Aires in front of 85,000 fans. The pop sensation kicked off the Argentine leg of her Eras Tour with a concert of over three hours. The extravaganza delighted local fans, who left the star amazed with their passion and support.
“I’m incredibly fortunate because this is the first time I’m visiting Argentina, and you’ve sold out three stadiums just like this one. This might be one of the most epic crowds I’ve ever seen. I’m very excited to play for you,” Swift said, addressing her fans at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium for the first time after completing the first part of the show.
Divided into 10 sections meant to cover the singer’s 20-year career, the show featured 45 songs and 18 wardrobe changes. From her days as a country singer with her second album, Fearless (2008), all the way to the songs that cemented her as a global pop icon in the album 1989 (2014), the show left no (musical) stone unturned.
But the cherry on the cake for local Swifties was their idol’s fascination with the crowd’s energy. At one point, the singer even took out her earpiece, seemingly to listen to all the screaming and chanting with her own ears. Standing in disbelief with her hands on her head, she said: “Where have you been my entire life?”
A passion like no other
The atmosphere around the Monumental Stadium leading up to Thursday’s concert was huge, part of the fan buildup that has been going on since the tickets went on sale. Friendship bracelets, a massive undertaking by local fans to exchange with other Swifties during the event, were on full display. Others donned elaborate make-overs to represent the many stages of the pop sensation’s career.
Emotion was at its peak when the gates opened. The stadium was already relatively full with eager Swifties by the time supporting acts LOUTA and Sabrina Carpenter reached the stage at 7 p.m. But all hell broke loose at 8.45 p.m. when the giant screens displayed a countdown clock. Taylor Swift appeared shortly afterwards, in the midst of deafening screams and a huge ovation, taking a moment to view the scene before starting the show.
The singer was not the only one to marvel at the crowd’s energy. Swift band member Amos Heller made a post on Instagram following the show saying “Argentina, you are everything everyone said you would be. You bathed us in love, screams, and joy all night.”
