LIVE: Taylor Swift marks end of an Era as tour finishes in Vancouver

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If you’re down bad crying at the gym because Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour ends tonight, you’re not alone.

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Swifties from around the world flocked to Vancouver’s B.C. Place over the weekend for the final three-night stand of Swift’s massive, industry-changing, nearly two-year tour and it’s bound to be a good time.

Weren’t lucky enough to snag tickets? Don’t worry. We were at N1 (see the highlights below or our review here) and are back tonight for N3 — the final night — of Taylor Swift’s Vancouver shows.

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Be sure to check back or hit the refresh button throughout the night to catch all the live updates on surprise songs, celebrity guests and farewells.

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10:47 p.m.: And the final surprise songs are …

• A Place in this World / New Romantics
• Long Live / New Year’s Day / The Manuscript

10:11 p.m.: Still on fire

Can confirm the Bad Blood flames have not been turned down since N1.

“That was insane!” a fan said. “It warmed me up.”

10:08 p.m.: Some more concert highlights

Here’s a collection of highlights shared on X this evening:

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9:52 p.m. The songs, the surprises?

By song 25 on the set list (Willow) the concert is sticking close to the Eras script. No major surprises … yet.

9:45 p.m. Happy Birthday Taylor, sing fans

Following Champagne Problems, fans had planned to sing Happy Birthday to Swift. It worked, kind of.

There was so much cheering it’s not certain if she heard it. Swift ended the moment noting the tour had been the “adventure of a lifetime.”

7:58 p.m. Let the show begin

Taylor Swift takes the stage. “It’s feeling like a pretty cool night to be in Vancouver,” Swift said with a smile following a long (long!) pause for cheers from the sold-out crowd.

7:52 p.m. Swift’s mom is in the house

Taylor Swift’s mom Andrea is in the building and could be seen chatting with fans.

7:38 p.m.: Sarah McLachlan is in the house

Among the celebs spotted in the VIP zone: Fellow singer Sarah McLachlan.

6:45 p.m. Here we go!

Promptly at 6:45 p.m., the lights go down to signal the start.

Pausing after her first song Risk, Gracie Abrams shared a speech she’d prepared for the final night of the tour.

“Can you believe this is the last night of the Eras Tour? I can’t,” she began. Acknowledging Swift as both a tour partner and a fan, she thanked her “from the bottom of our hearts.”

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6:25 p.m.: And, of course, the bracelets

Bracelet trading is in full force. A fan from Seattle shared her stack. She made 80 to trade at the concert.

5:40 p.m.: Merch selling out fast

Wait times for merchandise inside the stadium are about an hour long, according to fans near the front. Some items, including bracelets, water bottles and tote bags, are already listed as sold out at some booths.

5:15 p.m.: Long lines as gates open

Forty-five minutes after the gates opened, there are long lineups still waiting to get inside the stadium zone.

3:58 p.m.: Canucks fans out, Swift fans in

As Canucks fans file out, Swift fans file in. Only the latter will be in a celebratory mood as Vancouver lost 4-2 to Tampa Bay in the NHL matinee at neighbouring Rogers Arena.

While gates open at 4:30 p.m., a security guard shared that Swift fans started lining up around 1 p.m.

In the long lineups, concertgoers are reminded of some things that can slow entry: Oversize bags (they must be small or clear), no cameras, no umbrellas, and no outside food or drinks.

3:30 p.m.: Hey, there’s Lego Taylor!

A larger-than-life Swift made of Styrofoam and yoga mats by Vancouver-based artists and sisters Sorrel and Tarrin McDonaugh is on the street.

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“We made it a couple of years ago. It used to be Deadpool,” Tarrin said. “It’s been a Canuck, it’s been a CFL player … It’s been a couple characters. After we saw such amazing fans out here, we did an all nighter … to get it done.”

3:20 p.m.: Convoy leaves hotel to serenade from fans

Fans sing Happy Birthday as the convoy of SUVs, bookended by police, leaves the hotel.

2:58 p.m.: Fans staking out Taylor’s hotel

Fans have gathered outside the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in hopes of spotting Taylor Swift. The superstar is rumoured to be staying at the downtown Vancouver hotel.

“She is staying here,” a security officer posted outside the hotel confirmed. “I think everybody knows that.”

“When all the action happens, I need you to stay on the sidewalk,” A VPD officer told the crowd.

At 3:08 p.m., a VPD truck blocked traffic on Dunsmuir.

2:57 p.m.: Traffic alert — it’s getting busy out there!

Are you making your way to B.C. Place for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour finale? The roads are getting busier. A snapshot of a Google traffic map for downtown Vancouver is showing multiple stretches of red slowdown areas:

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Here’s a reminder of road closures in effect, as well as other ways to get to tonight’s concert.

12:53 p.m.: Michael Bublé is a #SwiftieForever

B.C.-born crooner Michael Bublé and his family took in Saturday’s show and declared Swift “an incredible entertainer.”

The Bublés were guests of Swift’s “kind-hearted” parents, and Michael wrote on Instagram that “it’s clear how she became the woman she is today,” while saying his daughters had a blast and were “in awe.”

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9:38 a.m.: Flavor Flav’s on a flight full of Swifties

Rapper Flavor Flav is among the celebrities sharing their excitement online for tonight’s final Eras Tour date:

8 a.m.: End of an era, as fans prepare for final show on Taylor Swift’s career-spanning tour

It’s finally here. Tonight marks the final time (as far as we know) that international superstar Taylor Swift will take the stage on her record-breaking Eras Tour and it’s happening right here in Vancouver at B.C. Place.

Sunday’s show caps off a three-night stand here in Vancouver at the tail end of what’s been nearly two years of touring that has criss-crossed the globe.

Among the celebrities spotted at the Eras Tour in Vancouver so far are Michael Bublé and Sarah Paulsen at Friday’s show, and Gordon Ramsay on Saturday. Swift’s parents were also backstage waiting to greet the singer following her Night 1 performance.

Saturday, Dec. 7: Night 2

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Night 2 Outfits and Surprise Songs:

On Night 2 of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Vancouver, she repeated all the same outfits from Night 1. A camera crew could be seen filming Swift while she was performing on stage, leading fans to believe that the outfit choices were repeated for continuity of a speculated behind-the-scenes tour documentary soon to be released. Swift herself has not yet confirmed whether that is true.

• Lover: Blue and gold body suit.
• The Man: Black and silver/gold jacket.
• Fearless: Black and silver/gold flapper dress.
• Speak Now: Blush pink/beige and silver sequined gown.
• Reputation: Black and gold body suit.
• Folklore: Burnt orange/red dress.
• 1989: Yellow and orange skirt set.
• The Tortured Poets Department: White dress with cropped blazer.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart: White and silver jacket set.
• Surprise: Blue/purple dress.
• Midnights: Silver / pink sequined tshirt dress; navy blue body sequined body suit; Karma jacket.

Surprise songs: Guitar: I Love You, I’m Sorry x Last Kiss (with Gracie Abrams); Piano: The Tortured Poets Department x Maroon.

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12 p.m.: Here’s what Swift had to say about why Vancouver is the last stop of the tour

Superstar Taylor Swift cozied up to her B.C. fans at the start of Friday night’s highly anticipated performance, saying Canada is full of welcoming and warm-hearted fans.

It was the first of three shows on her final stop of her worldwide Eras Tour.

“Vancouver is actually the very last city we will play on the Eras Tour, did you know that?” Swift asked the packed stadium.

Fans screamed and then Swift explained why her team chooses certain destinations as their final stop.

“We spent the entire year of 2024 travelling the world,” she said.

“And we thought to ourselves, ‘Where have the fans been so generous, so welcoming, so warm-hearted, where they know every single word, they not only sing them, but they scream them? Oh, we’ve got to go back to Canada.’ And so now here we are in beautiful Vancouver.”

Read the story here.

1:05 a.m.: Read our review of the ‘spectacular’ first concert

What can the thousands of fans who will head into downtown Vancouver on Saturday for Taylor Swift’s second Eras Tour show expect? Here’s an excerpt from Aleesha Harris’s review from the first concert:

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Was it worth the hype? One thousand times, yes. Swift is an entertainer. Always with a smile, she carried that stadium (with the help of her amazing dancers and backing musicians) through her music catalogue. And she did it with energy.

Ending song No. 35 in her set list, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, lying on the floor, I’m not sure how she mustered the energy to get up. Swift’s superhuman stamina nearly two hours into her set is incredible.

Read Aleesha’s full review here.

Friday, Dec. 6: Night 1

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Night 1 Outfits and Surprise Songs:

• Lover: Blue and gold body suit.
• The Man: Black and silver/gold jacket.
• Fearless: Black and silver/gold flapper dress.
• Speak Now: Blush pink/beige and silver sequined gown.
• Reputation: Black and gold body suit.
• Folklore: Burnt orange/red dress.
• 1989: Yellow and orange skirt set.
• The Tortured Poets Department: White dress with cropped blazer.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart: White and silver jacket set.
• Surprise: Blue/purple dress.
• Midnights: Silver / pink sequined tshirt dress; navy blue body sequined body suit; Karma jacket.

Surprise songs: Guitar – Haunted x Wonderland; Piano – Never Grow Up x The Best Day

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11:13 p.m.: And that’s a wrap for Night 1

“Vancouver, I love you so very much,” Swift said immediately before launching into the final song, Karma.

The final strains of the song played just before 11:15 p.m. As Swift waved and walked offstage, fans cheered.

And the lights came on. Immediately.

10:55 p.m.: Concert hits three-hour mark

Exactly three hours into her performance, Swift kicked off the 41st song of the Eras set list, Midnight Rain. Four more songs to the finish line of the first night in Vancouver.

10:44 p.m.: ‘I get kind of nervous about it’

“It’s kind of the thing that I like,” Swift said of the acoustic section of the show, where she picks different songs to play each show. “I get kind of nervous about it.”

Dressed in a purple dress — sparkly, of course — Swift played the guitar while presenting a mash-up of Haunted and Wonderland.

Switching to the piano, the crowd went wild as Swift sang Never Grow Up and then mixed it with The Best Day.

10:09 p.m.: Bad Blood heats up the crowd

The flames during the finale of Bad Blood were so powerful the heat could be felt.

9:58 p.m.: Fans still snagging Swift gear

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By the 1989 era, the merch lines had thinned slightly but were still surprisingly busy with fans hoping to snag some Swift gear. If you don’t want to miss the concert, visiting one of the off-site pop ups before the concert may be the best bet.

9:33 p.m.: Vancouver is ‘the best’

Extended cheers for Swift following Champagne Problems. The cheers were soon joined by foot stomping.

“This last city is bound to be filled with so many mixed emotions,” Swift said. “Right now, honestly, I’m just feeling overjoyed that we decided to spend our last couple of shows in Vancouver …

“You guys are the best.”

9:20 p.m.: A cabin in B.C. Place

“We have brought the Folklore cabin all the way to Vancouver. And it doesn’t really feel out of place,” Swift said of the wood structure at centre stage.

9:09 p.m.: Don’t blame her

“Take us to church Taylor!” a fan yelled during the song Don’t Blame Me, Swift singing from atop a stacked riser. We’re nearly through the Reputation era now.

8:48 p.m.: End of the Red era

A fine dusting of faux snow falls during the final few moments of All Too Well to round out the Red era.

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And then a brief break for Swift as dancers take to the stage. Very brief. Wow. She’s a machine. On to the next era.

8:35 p.m.: Film crew spotted taping Swift’s Vancouver concert

A fan social media account has posted a photo of Swift and a two-person film crew onstage with her capturing footage of the Vancouver show.

The photo lends fuel to online speculation that a behind-the-scenes Eras documentary might be in the works.

Swift had previously released a concert film of the Eras tour in theatres and on Disney+. It is the highest-grossing concert movie of all time, earning more than $267 million in the global box office.

Another fan account also spotted the film crew at work, filming opener Gracie Abrams, the band, and the audience.

The eagle-eyed fan also spotted a hot spot account at the stadium that potentially belongs to the film company.

8 p.m.: Taylor Swift ignites crowd at B.C. Place

Making her much-awaited appearance at B.C. Place a few minutes early, Taylor Swift was greeted with loud cheers and screams from fans as she took to the stage just before 8 p.m.

“Oh, hey!” she said with a smile. “It gives me great honour to say these words: Vancouver, welcome to the Eras Tour.”

The stadium got wild as Swift launched into her Fearless era, rife with nostalgia.

Dressed in a silver sequined dress, Swift invited the audience to go on a trip down memory lane with her.

“Vancouver, are you ready to go back to high school with me?” she asked before performing You Belong With Me, which was followed by Love Story. The singalong to both songs was massive.

6:45 p.m.: Gracie Abrams kicks off the show

Tour opener Gracie Abrams took to the stage promptly at 6:45 p.m. to raucous cheers from the crowd.

The 25-year-old singer kicked off her set with the single Risk. “Vancouver!” she says. “My name is Gracie Abrams. It’s so nice to meet you.”

Her set list:

• Risk
• I Love You, I’m Sorry
• 21
• I Told You Things
• Let It Happen
• Free Now
• us
• Close to You
• That’s So True

After the last song, a fan favourite, Abrams skipped off the stage at 7:22 p.m.

6:20 p.m.: Fans continue streaming into B.C. Place

Tens of thousands of Taylor Swift fans are pouring into B.C. Place starting 4:30 p.m. when the gates opened.

Lineups were long, but moved quickly, according to one attendee. Security was quick and efficient. Fans entering the stadium were given an Eras bracelet as a souvenir.

Though rain is in the forecast, local Swifties won’t be able to tote an umbrella inside the stadium. B.C. Place has set up donation bins at the entrances where concertgoers can donate their umbrellas to Big Brothers Vancouver.

Lineups were also long for the merchandise table, which appeared well-stocked early in the evening. Sales were brisk as fans waited patiently for their turn to snag a souvenir, such as an Eras Tour T-shirt, which are priced at $60, or an Eras Tour hoodie, going for $110.

B.C. Place has unveiled some Taylor-themed foods that’ll be offered at the stadium this weekend.

On the menu: A chai sugar cookie strewn with hearts and confetti; red velvet cupcakes with butter cream frosting; chicken tenders with “seemingly ranch” ketchup-ranch dipping sauce; a charcoal burger; and tater tots.

There are also two drink features: Go Viral, a non-alcoholic drink, and Love Spiral, an alcoholic cocktail.

5:45 p.m.: VPD horses flaunt bracelets

Vancouver Police Department horses have been spotted on Robson Street wearing horse-sized friendship bracelets.

Some of the bracelets were gifted from the Toronto Police Mounted Unit, which sent VPD several bracelets that decked their horses during Swift’s six-night concert run in Rogers Centre last month.

The VPD said it will have 700 officers deployed during Swift’s concerts in Vancouver.

More than 250,000 people are expected to be in the area of B.C. Place throughout the weekend.

5 p.m.: Taylor Swift fans are ready for historic final Eras concerts in Vancouver

Dressed in shimmering outfits, tasselled jackets, and cowboy boots inspired by their favourite pop star, crowds of mostly women from around the world gathered outside Vancouver’s B.C. Place on Friday — four hours before doors opened for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking The Eras Tour.

Many wore armfuls of friendship bracelets adorned with Swift’s lyrics, eagerly swapping them with one another as they waited.

“Taylor is closing out her 149-concert tour in our city. It’s such a big deal,” said Vancouver’s Alice Lo, who stood outside the stadium next to her daughters.

Lo’s eldest, Makaelyn, eagerly exclaimed that she was hoping to hear Swift perform the song, Betty. She then pointed to the Beatty Street sign across the road, eyes wide with excitement. “It looks like Betty,” she said.

Although the stadium grounds were fenced off and secured by 700 police officers, fans — many of whom had been waiting since early morning — teemed with excitement, their energy palpable as they anticipated the night’s performance.

Read more here.

— Sarah Grochowski

4 p.m.: Fans starting to gather outside B.C. Place

Sparkle-clad crowds are streaming down Robson and Georgia Streets toward B.C. Place stadium, where the doors are set to open in half an hour.

Outside the stadium, huge lineups have formed outside the lettered gates.

“Be patient,” a venue host advised some of the excited concertgoers.

3:15 p.m.: Eby welcomes Swift to B.C.

B.C. Premier David Eby is breaking out the friendship bracelets on X, issuing a warm welcome to Swift on Friday, hours before the pop star is expected to take the stage at B.C. Place for her first Vancouver show.

Last October, Eby made a social media plea on Instagram Stories for Swift to bring her tour to Vancouver.

When asked in a public Q&A whether he would invite Swift to bring her The Eras Tour to B.C., Eby said:

“Ms. Swift. It’s David Eby, premier of British Columbia. I’m not accustomed to begging, but for my own constituency of my loving and beautiful wife and my son, Ezra, please come to Vancouver, British Columbia. We’ll treat you well.”

At the time, Swift’s only Canadian dates were in Toronto.

“I guess I don’t have to tell you you’re going to sell the place out. And we’ll be thrilled to have you out here. Bring your Eras Tour to British Columbia. You won’t regret it,” he said.

2:15 p.m.: Last-minute tickets released for Verified Fans

Ticketmaster released a number of last-minute tickets for Swift’s Friday show in Vancouver.

“A few last-minute ticket releases have been made available to a number of fans who previously registered for and were screened by Verified Fan for this city,” read a message on the ticketing page for the Dec. 6 show.

Some fans online reported being able to get into the queue but were shown a screen that indicated there were at least 15,000 others queued ahead of them.

The tickets appeared to go on sale around 2:15 p.m. Friday and by 2:35 p.m., the ticket queue had closed.

It’s unknown if any last-minute tickets will be sold for Saturday and Sunday’s shows.

2 p.m.: Concert parking available at Pacific Centre for $19.89

A cheeky sign outside Pacific Centre on Friday afternoon advertised “blank spaces” for parking, all for the price of $19.89.

The rate is much lower than the reported $150 price tag spotted earlier in the week for privately owned lots near B.C. Place where Swift is performing.

Earlier in the week, transit authorities and officials had issued public messages to attendees to allow more time to travel to the stadium, or to consider taking transit. The roads in and around B.C. Place will see a number of closures and restrictions in place, between noon to concert end all three nights of Swift’s performances.

1:30 p.m.: Fans continue to line up for off-site merch sales

Even in the remaining hours leading up to Swift’s first show at B.C. Place, fans continued to her off-site merch pop-ups.

As of 1:30 p.m. on Friday, a staff at Canada Place said 2,800 people had lined up for the pop-up, with hundreds more still to be counted in the line extending outside Canada Place.

12 p.m.: Stadium zone road closures, restrictions in effect

Are you ready for it? Beginning at noon Friday, the following roads around B.C. Place will be closed until midnight:

• 700 and 800 blocks of Beatty Street between Smithe and West Georgia streets

• Pacific Boulevard from the Cambie Bridge off-ramp to Pat Quinn Way

• Northbound Cambie Bridge off-ramp

• 100 block of Robson Street between Cambie Street and Beatty Street

The following areas will be restricted to drivers, taxis and ride-shares dropping off passengers, with a three-minute stopping maximum in effect:

• Cambie and Hamilton streets from Smithe to West Georgia streets

• Pacific Boulevard between Pat Quinn Way and Quebec Street

Pay attention to all detours and temporary no-parking signs. To check on all Vancouver road closures before you travel, read our detailed Swift transportation and road closure guide here.

11:50 a.m.: Heavy rainfall warning issued but no umbrellas allowed inside concert

Environment Canada issued a heavy rainfall warning for the B.C. south coast on Friday morning, with up to 70 millimetres of rain expected between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

For those headed to the Eras Tour, keep in mind that umbrellas are not permitted inside B.C. Place for the concert, as it is listed as a banned item.

If you use an umbrella on the way to the concert, be prepared to ditch it before you reach security. For more details on what is or isn’t permitted inside the stadium, check out our Eras Tour concert guide here.

11 a.m.: Eras Tour merch pop-up shops open for business on first night of concerts

Two separate merch pop-ups selling Eras Tour swag are open for business on Friday.

The first pop-up, located at the Westin Bayshore (1601 Bayshore Dr., Vancouver), is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. This presale is for Marriot Bonvoy members only.

The second pop-up is located at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal (999 Canada Pl., Vancouver) and opens at noon on Friday and runs until 8 p.m. when Swift takes the stage. This pop-up is open to the general public, both ticketed and non-ticketed.

Read more: See inside the merch sales and find out how long the wait is here

10:50 a.m.: Could old DUIs stop American Taylor Swift fans from seeing the Eras Tour?

According to a Washington Post story this week, some American Swift fans are seeking guidance about whether they’ll be able to cross the border and see the Eras Tour in Vancouver if they have a DUI on their record.

“Canadian law says people who commit a crime involving impaired driving may not be allowed to enter the country, regardless of where the crime happened,” according to the Post story. Canada’s drunk-driving rules became stricter in 2018, to the surprise of many Americans.

9 a.m.: Gastown steam clock to play Shake It Off until Dec. 13

The famous — or infamous, depending on how you feel about it — Gastown steam clock will play Swift’s Shake It Off until Dec. 13.

Earlier this year in April, Destination Vancouver shared in an Instagram post that the clock would play a new but recognizable chime. It was later revealed the announcement was an April Fool’s prank, much to the disappointment of Vancouver Swifties.

This week, the tourism organization announced they would make good on their prank and the clock would in fact be playing Swift’s song for the duration of her three-night stop in Vancouver, until Dec. 13, the pop star’s birthday.

5:24 a.m.: Swift lands in Vancouver

The Swift has landed.

Swift’s private jet landed in Vancouver Friday morning at 5:24 a.m., before her three-night stand in Vancouver to cap off the career-spanning Eras Tour.

Swift was last spotted in New York City on Tuesday evening, stepping out for dinner with model Gigi Hadid.

According to public available flight records, a private plane believed to be registered to Swift left Nashville, where she has a home, on Thursday evening and landed in New Jersey just after 11 p.m. EST.

That same plane then left New Jersey just after midnight and arrived to YVR at 5:24 a.m. Friday.

What’s happening on social media

More on Taylor Swift

Stuck at home without a ticket? Read some of our Swift coverage from previous stops in Vancouver and more.

• Taylor Swift in Vancouver 2013 review: Giggling, winking Taylor Swift serves up red-hot entertainment
• Taylor Swift in Vancouver 2015: Taylor Swift delivers spectacle, intimacy in Vancouver concert
• The relatable billionaire: Why Taylor Swift’s lyrics resonate with so many
• Taylor Swift was B.C.’s most-streamed artist on Spotify in 2024. Here’s who else made the list
• Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour serving a big boost to local restaurants