Taylor Swift is Headed to Pittsburgh: Here’s What You Need to Know

With excitement for the Pennsylvania native’s Pittsburgh shows reaching a fever pitch, here’s five things you should know about Taylor Swift’s two-night stand at Acrisure Stadium this weekend.

If you scored tickets to see Taylor Swift in Pittsburgh when they went on sale back in November, consider yourself lucky. It was a tough ticket to get in many ways, no thanks to Ticketmaster’s botched Verified Fan presale, an event that was so plagued with problems that state attorneys general, like our current Gov. Josh Shapiro, got involved.

But the worst is behind you, Swifties. The concert event of the spring and summer is almost upon us, as Swift plays Acrisure Stadium this Friday and Saturday.

Reviews of the sold-out “Eras” tour have been overwhelmingly positive, and the show is much more than just a regular concert experience. When the colossally huge trek arrived in Swift’s home state of Pennsylvania last month for three shows at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, it was a scene. Celebs like Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, and Swift’s then-boyfriend, 1975 singer Matt Healy, were in the house. And outside, thousands of ticketless fans turned up each night to enjoy the show from the parking lot. While officials at subsequent tour stops just outside of New York City and Boston discouraged fans from following suit, there’s been no such edict issued yet ahead of the Pittsburgh shows.

With excitement for Swift’s sort-of homecoming (her hometown of Wyomissing is a mere 260-ish miles from Pittsburgh) reaching a fever pitch, let’s take a look at five things you should know about her two-night stand at Acrisure Stadium, starting with the most important one…

1.You Can Still Buy Tickets!

But it will cost you. A lot. About a month’s rent/mortgage on the low end—and that’s for the nosebleeds.

The easiest way to get tickets is the costliest: ticket resellers like StubHub and Seatgeek. And to get the best deal, you should buy tickets in pairs. As of Tuesday morning, field seats purchased as a pair ranged from $2,076 each (before fees) to sit way in the back, all the way up to $30,000 per ticket to sit in the first row of the second section. Even obstructed view seats in the upper level run from about $1,200 each (in a pair) to $1,700.

But you may not have to drop thousands to get in. Without warning or any kind of apparent pattern, Ticketmaster has been randomly releasing tickets for some Swift shows at the last minute, sometimes even after the show has started. Got enough time on your hands to chain yourself to a computer or phone you’re constantly refreshing? You may end up seeing Swift this weekend in Pittsburgh just yet, and still have enough money left over to pay your rent. 

2. You’re in For a Long Night, With a Lot of Songs

According to setlist.fm, Swift’s shows on the “Eras” tour have been averaging 3 hours and 17 minutes. The set usually contains between 43-45 songs, with all the hits, and two “surprise” songs each night exclusive to that stop on the tour. Oh, and there’s two openers for each show: Girl in Red and Gracie Abrams (daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams and actress Katie McGrath) open on Friday. On Sunday, it’s Girl in Red and Owenn, who was once a backup dancer for Swift. Both shows start at 6:30 p.m. Bottom line: you’re not getting home until after midnight.

3. It’s an Elaborate Production

There’s more to this show than songs. There’s a giant catwalk that runs the length of the field. A mossy cabin where Swift performs songs from the “folklore” album. There’s stunts, dozens of costume changes, giant video screens, and lights. Lots and lots of lights.

4. You Have Pre-Game Options 

You can do better than listening to a playlist of your favorite Swift songs en route to the show. 

Prior to the Saturday show, Kingfly Spirits in the Strip District is hosting a Swift-themed drag brunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. Right next door to the stadium, the Carnegie Science Center is hosting a Taylor Swift Scavenger Hunt from Friday through Sunday, where fans can try to spot the mini Taylors scattered among displays. And on Saturday, the Ritual House will be serving up Swift-themed drinks such as the Meet Me at Midnight (featuring coconut rum, lychee, strawberry, lemon Prosecco, and activated charcoal, finished with a black sugar rim); Bad Blood (vodka pina-colada); Lavender Haze (purple gin and lychee), and Red Album (strawberry tequila).

5. Swift is Returning to the Scene of Her Pittsburgh Debut

Back in the days when Acrisure Stadium was known as Heinz Field, a 16-year-old Swift performed the national anthem, along with one of her own songs at halftime, at a Steelers game on Sept. 24, 2006. Swift would release her debut album one month later. Swift has returned to play Pittsburgh nine times since then, the last four times at Heinz Field.

For more Pennsylvania stories that matter to you, sign up for our FREE newsletter here.