Taylor Swift announced a second leg of her North American tour today, and yet again, DC has been snubbed. Yes, Swift will perform the Eras Tour in places as far as Singapore and as dismal as Indiana (sorry, Indianapolis) before she plays a single surprise song in the DC area. In fact, the closest show of the newly-released dates requires a passport to attend: Rogers Centre in Toronto, 479 miles away from Washington.
To quote Swift’s timely song “August,” there was a moment where I, like many local Swifties, “was livin’ for the hope of it all,” anticipating another wave of shows in 2024. When the singer-songwriter first announced her journey across America’s NFL stadiums in November, FedEx Field was still mired in the miasma of Dan Snyder. However, the Commanders have since been sold to Josh Harris, who also owns teams in Philadelphia and New Jersey—locations where Swift has already performed this year. Was Swift just waiting for new management before gifting us Washington, DC (Taylor’s Version)? It appears not to be the case. And if it was ever a question of whether FedEx Field could handle such an event, another blockbuster concert, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, is swinging through the stadium this weekend, proof there’s capacity for a massive production with hordes of singing fans.
So, we have to ask: Blondie, why have you forsaken us? Washington fans have proven their dedication. Many local Swifties made the pilgrimage to Lincoln Financial Field in Philly, the concert nearest to DC, carting friendship bracelets and bedazzled cowboy boots on the Amtrak. Fans have celebrated the releases of her re-recordings with crowded listening parties at H Street bar the Pug, and even high-profile Washingtonians have pleaded our case, including humanitarian chef José Andrés, who offered to cook for the songstress if she brought her tour to the area. If not even the promise of a Nobel Peace Prize nominee’s paella can lure Swift to our region, what more do we have to offer? Until it’s figured out, it looks like we’re stuck booting up the TikTok livestream again, searching for a classic Taylor Easter egg that indicates maybe—maybe!—her next era will include DC.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
