By: Erin Yudt
With the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, a journey through the musical eras of Swift’s career, set to hit Acrisure Stadium in two days, fans are preparing their friendship bracelets and perfectly themed outfits.
Francesca Dabecco, newsletter editor at City Cast Pittsburgh, is no different, but her connection with the country turned pop singer might be.
“I, like many people, got the verified fan presale code for the tour but was not able to get through the first or second sales,” Dabecco said. “But then randomly one day, I got a text that I was able to get two tickets for me and my best friend.”
Dabecco and her friend have been fans since Swift’s debut in 2006.
“I saw Taylor open for Rascal Flatts during her debut and again on her ‘Red’ tour 10 years ago,” Dabecco said. “She has just felt like a friend to me for so long… her music has gotten me through so much.”
Dabecco was actually able to meet Swift on her “Red” tour after some “people pulled some strings.” The origin of their meeting was not under the best circumstances, as Dabecco was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor during this time.
“I was not sure if I was going to make it to tomorrow,” Dabecco said. “But thankfully, I responded to treatment well.’
Dabecco said Swfit was “so sweet and kind” and that Swift “wished her well” after listening “very closely” to her story.
“The Eras Tour marks a decade since I was diagnosed, so it is kind of a celebration for me too,” Dabecco said.
Like many Swifties, Dabecco and her friend have been carefully crafting their eras themed outfits, calling it a “Cowboy Like ME EE EE” in reference to her sone “Cowboy Like Me” and “Me!,” a crossoover between Swift’s country-cowboy of her debut and bright colors in “Lover.”
While Dabecco finds it hard to “pick one era or sond,” she does enjoy Swift’s pandemic era music.
“‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ were comfort albums during such a difficult time for everyone,” Dabecco said. “But I feel like I could connect to a different song or album at different times in my life.”
Dabecco said she “feels connected” to the song “Seven” from “Folklore” right now.
“I connect with the lyric ‘Pennsylvania under me,’” Dabecco said. “I hope it is the surprise song, and given my milestone, the lyrics ‘long story short, I survived’ feels fitting too.”
Attending the concert in lieu of Swfit’s recent connections to Matt Healy, lead singer and songwriter of the band The 1975, has made her “struggle” as a Swiftie, as Healy has come under fire for racist and mysoginistic associations and language.
“I want to make it clear that I am not endorsing an artist without understanding the situation,” Dabecco said. “I struggle because I do not want to throw away all the years of being a fan and help she [Swift] has given me… I think I just make it clear to others that I do not support it [Healy’s actions] and that we [Swifties] hold Taylor accountable, call her out on it… but at the end of the day we still don’t know her.”
Dabecco said that she would rather “hate watch” Swift than sell her tickets to someone else,as she “spent too much money” on tickets and concert attire.
“I don’t adhere to the white feminism narrative either,” Dabecco said. “It’s a tricky world with parisocial relationships with artists… I think that we can respect a piece of art while understanding that the artist is imperfect and maybe even problematic.”
Dabecco said that she still is going to “enjoy” Swfit’s music going forward.
“Hey Pittsburgh” is a daily newsletter with a roundup of the most important news, unique features, and events that Dabecco directs. Plus, you can sometimes hear her sharing news and recommendations on the daily podcast, City Cast Pittsburgh. Check it out here.
Swift will have back-to-back sold out headlining shows this Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
