It’s the question on every Swiftie’s mind – will Taylor Swift be bringing her Eras Tour to New Orleans in 2023? As one of the most popular musical artists in the world, Taylor’s tours are always highly anticipated events that sell out stadiums and arenas across the globe. With her 10th studio album Midnights dropping in October 2022, fans are eager to know if Taylor will be touring in support of her new music and if a stop in the Big Easy is in the cards.
Taylor’s Touring History
Looking back on Taylor’s touring career provides some clues into her potential 2023 touring plans. She has hit the road for massive tours supporting every new album release since her second studio album Fearless in 2008. Her tours have only gotten bigger, longer, and more elaborate over the years as her stardom has skyrocketed.
Some key stats on Taylor’s touring history:
- She has completed 6 world tours to date – Fearless Tour (2009-2010), Speak Now Tour (2011-2012), Red Tour (2013-2014), 1989 World Tour (2015), Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), Lover Fest (cancelled due to Covid-19)
- Her tours have visited North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and South America
- Over her career she has performed over 400 shows in 40 countries
- Her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 was the highest grossing tour in US history by a female artist at the time, grossing $266.1 million
Given her extensive touring history and penchant for putting on a spectacular live show, it’s expected that Taylor will tour in 2023 in support of Midnights. But will one of those tour stops be in New Orleans?
Taylor Swift’s History in New Orleans
New Orleans has actually hosted Taylor Swift multiple times over the years, both for tours and special performances. Here’s an overview of her history in the Big Easy:
Speak Now Tour – 2011
Taylor’s first tour stop in New Orleans was on her Speak Now Tour in 2011. She performed at the New Orleans Arena (now known as the Smoothie King Center) on November 13, 2011. This was in support of her 3rd studio album Speak Now which came out in 2010.
Voodoo Festival – 2013
In 2013, Taylor was a headliner at the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience festival held every year in City Park. She performed on the main Ritual Stage on Friday November 1, 2013 alongside bands like Pearl Jam, Paramore, The Cure, and more.
1989 World Tour – 2015
Taylor returned to New Orleans in 2015 as part of her massive 1989 World Tour. She once again played the Smoothie King Center, selling out the venue on September 12, 2015. This tour supported her pop crossover album 1989 featuring hits like “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.”
Jazz Fest – 2016
In 2016, Taylor got the honor of headlining the iconic New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. She played the Acura Stage on the final Saturday night of Jazz Fest on April 9, 2016. This performance marked Taylor’s first time playing the famous festival.
So in summary, Taylor has made 4 major appearances in New Orleans since 2011. She has established a history of making tour stops in the city and has experience playing some of its major festivals and venues. This is a good sign that New Orleans could be on the list for the Eras Tour.
Taylor’s 2023 Eras Tour
In early November 2022, Taylor officially announced her Eras Tour for 2023 in support of her Midnights album. Here are some key details about the tour so far:
- It will kick off on March 17, 2023 in Glendale, AZ
- It currently includes 52 show dates across the US
- So far it is scheduled to run through August 2023
- Taylor described it as a “journey through all of my musical eras” spanning her entire career
- No international dates have been announced yet
The tour announcement has whipped Swifties into a frenzy wondering if their city will get a coveted tour stop. Fans are lobbying hard on social media for Taylor to add more shows in new cities like New Orleans.
Eras Tour Potential New Orleans Stop
Analyzing the current Eras Tour route, there is a conspicuous gap in between the Houston, TX show on May 6 and the Atlanta, GA show on May 20. This gap in the Southern US leg of the tour leaves room for Taylor to potentially add a New Orleans show.
Scheduling a performance at the Smoothie King Center or even Jazz Fest in that window of May 6-20 would make perfect sense geographically and fill in that gap nicely. Additionally, her history of playing New Orleans and its major festivals bolsters the odds of her returning on the Eras Tour.
The Case For and Against a New Orleans Stop
Now let’s examine the case for and against Taylor bringing the Eras Tour to New Orleans in 2023:
Reasons For
- She has played New Orleans 4 times before and has an established fanbase demanding her return
- It fits cleanly in the current Southern leg route with an open gap
- Jazz Fest takes place April 28-May 7, 2023 if she wanted to headline again
- The Smoothie King Center is a prime venue she has booked before
- Her team knows New Orleans is a top music city that expects big tours
- She could sample more of New Orleans’ vibrant food during her stay!
Reasons Against
- Her tour schedule is already packed and may not have room to add more cities
- Other major markets like Chicago currently don’t have dates, so she may prioritize those first
- She could do more shows in larger venues like Dallas/Houston instead
- New Orleans fans may have to travel to Atlanta or Houston shows if she skips it
- She could wait and return on a future world tour after Eras
Fan Demand Analysis
One clear indicator of demand for a Taylor Swift New Orleans show is her volume of digital and social media fans based in Louisiana. Here is a breakdown of her fan footprint:
| Platform | Louisiana-Based Fans |
|---|---|
| Spotify | 247,800 monthly listeners (LA is her 6th top state) |
| 101,700 followers with LA listed as location | |
| 204,000 followers with LA listed as location | |
| TikTok | 285,500 followers with LA listed as location |
With nearly 300k fans just on TikTok in Louisiana plus hundreds of thousands more across other platforms like Spotify, the social media data shows a sizable fanbase in New Orleans. This analytics information supports the case for Taylor to add a tour stop there.
Setlist Prediction
If Taylor Swift were to announce a New Orleans stop for the Eras Tour in 2023, what would the potential setlist look like? Given the tour’s premise of highlighting all eras of her career, we can predict she would aim to perform hits spanning her entire discography.
Here is a hypothetical 25-song setlist Taylor could perform in New Orleans:
| Song | Era |
|---|---|
| Cardigan | Folklore |
| Love Story | Fearless |
| I Knew You Were Trouble | Red |
| Style | 1989 |
| Blank Space | 1989 |
| Look What You Made Me Do | Reputation |
| I Did Something Bad | Reputation |
| Cruel Summer | Lover |
| The Man | Lover |
| Exile | Folklore |
| betty | Folklore |
| gold rush | Evermore |
| Willow | Evermore |
| Anti-Hero | Midnights |
| Lavender Haze | Midnights |
| Karma | Midnights |
| Bejeweled | Midnights |
| Question…? | Midnights |
| You Belong With Me | Fearless |
| We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together | Red |
| Shake It Off | 1989 |
| …Ready For It? | Reputation |
| ME! | Lover |
| All Too Well | Red |
This dream setlist has something for all eras of Swifties attending the concert. Of course the actual setlist may vary, but these songs represent what fans may reasonably expect her to perform in New Orleans.
Conclusion
In summary, while not guaranteed, there is a strong likelihood that Taylor Swift will bring her Eras Tour to New Orleans in 2023 based on her history in the city, current tour route, and local fan demand. The Smoothie King Center or Jazz Fest would be prime venues for a show. It would be a massive event with fans traveling from all over the region to see Taylor live. Her show would inject energy into New Orleans’ concert scene and provide a major economic boost. Swifties will eagerly await an announcement from Taylor’s team to see if their New Orleans dreams come true!
