Taylor Swift kicked off her United Kingdom adventure with three sold-out performances at Scotland’s Gas Murrayfield Stadium.
“It’s been almost 10 years since I was last here,” she said, holding her sky blue “Lover” guitar in front of nearly 73,000 ecstatic fans. Her last performance in Scotland was during the “1989 World Tour” in Glasgow in 2015.
“I was pulled aside and told, ‘Hey, we’ve checked this 20 times, and it’s absolutely accurate: this is the highest attended concert in Scottish history,'” she added. “What a way to welcome a lass to Scotland.”
Harry Styles previously held the record with 65,000 fans at his Love on Tour show in 2023, according to The National. The Eras Tour saw the stadium’s capacity increased by 8% to accommodate the massive turnout.
In a heartwarming gesture, the First Minister of Scotland hosted a renaming ceremony at Loch Tay, a freshwater lake two hours north of Edinburgh, to celebrate Swift’s arrival.
“First and foremost, I want to say to Taylor and all her Swifties that they’re incredibly welcome here in Scotland,” said Scottish First Minister John Swinney at the lake on Wednesday. “I’m thrilled that Loch Tay is being renamed Loch Tay Tay. It’s just fabulous.”
Swift’s extensive tour is set to visit 22 countries over two years, including 18 cities across Europe. While she’s performed in familiar locations like London, Paris, and Madrid, she’ll also be visiting new cities such as Lyon, France, and Stockholm, Sweden.
During her performance of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” Swift expressed her love for how the Eras Tour showcases her wide-ranging discography. She also shared a personal reflection with her Scottish audience.
“My one regret regarding past tours is that I should have come to play in Scotland more often,” she said. “Look at what you’ve done. You’ve made us feel so welcome and been so beautifully generous.”
Swift’s three-plus hour show resonated beyond the open-roofed stadium, with fans outside the Murrayfield walls enjoying the music. Known as “Taylor”gating, fans sat on the grass, attempting to watch livestreams on their phones while listening to the live music. Unlike other cities, however, the livestreams from inside the stadium were spotty and unreliable.
Next, the Eras Tour heads to Liverpool, England, where Swift will perform her 100th show on June 13.
