Part 1:
Friday, June 16, 2023
there are still beautiful things
crazy, it is,
as
goosebumps surface on my arms
just thinking about the concert tonight
that I’m not even going to
but find myself excited for those who are.
I’m excited for the love energy that seems to surround this,
Taylor Swift, the Eras Tour:
a concert for the
ages
for every
one
of us, beings
celebrating our humanity
together
exchanging friendship bracelets
aligning hearts.
in 45 songs
in sidewalk chalk portrait photos
in glow sticks;
in Swiftsburgh
in Oakmont Bakery Taylor Cookies
in Miss Americano at Grant Avenue Coffee…et al.
all coming together for one pure, joy-
filled weekend
but what is it?
about this experience that is so good?
concerts come and go all the
time
and artists share their art
aplenty
but something about this special-humble-sparkle-spreader
singing for us
brings out our loveliness.
aren’t we lucky
for to
twirl the mirror-ball for one purpose, really
—to
spotlight our* innate kindheartedness—
is so good
indeed
shine on, my loves, shine on
*our = all 146,234 souls-strong, no less, inside the stadium— and let’s not forget the estimated 30,000+ eavesdroppers dancing, lounging, singing just outside the stadium walls; floating on boats in the Allegheny; sprinkled all around the North Shore, the Point and Mount Washington.
Update: 2 weeks later, they say the final number of folks who came to hear Taylor sing was 400,000.
Find Oakmont Bakery and Grant Avenue Coffee.
Part 2:
Saturday, June 17, 2023
there are even more beautiful things
wow – we are gifted 2 in one night:
Shaun.
Taylor.
2 singers of goodness
2 storytellers of life
and love
one performing in a stadium
another in a 125 year old concert hall
inside a magnificent library…
40 years after his last tour: a sold-out 55,000-souls-filled-stadium, no less
he sang;
we sang along.
we listened to his golden stories,
and honored loves.
we got to tell a living legend – Shirley Jones – how adored she
still is.
we remembered. and we
danced! damn he still sounded amazing
but…
couldn’t go home after that
no choice but to point the car
towards downtown Pittsburgh;
North Shore here we come!
it’s
9:47 p.m.
we know Taylor is still playing and
I want to be in that energy
too
and boy, we were
in it
there went my phone, video recording spinning
like a disco ball
popped out the sun roof, in awe of the every-where
and
I caught us
allllll thousands
singing— together
I saw the light in your eyes! as
a symphony of voices rang out
for no other reason than
joy.
filled up filled over with love, am I
as if heaven dropped in
this weekend
to remind us
our love lasts so long…
post-Shaun Cassidy concert at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
followed by a drive ‘round Acrisure Stadium just to hear Taylor Swift sing live during her 2nd, attendance record-breaking, sold-out show.
Photo was a screen-shot taken from the video I took, phone popped out of our car’s sun roof.
L.S. 2023
laurie sliben, writer 
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