3 Reasons Taylor Swift has a Systems Engineer on her Eras Tour Team
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is impressive on so many levels. Even those who don’t love her music can’t help but acknowledge how much talent and work it takes to pull off an international tour for a concert lasting over 3 hours. Musically, this concert would be impressive on even the plainest of stages. However, those in a stadium’s nosebleeds might not get to enjoy the show as much as other attendees. The Eras Tour team provided and designed an amazing stage to complement the grandiosity of the show and meet Taylor Swift’s goal of making all her fans feel special. So, let’s fangirl about this stage for a minute from the perspective of a systems engineer.
1. Stakeholders
The Eras Tour Stage met the needs of a large variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders include Taylor Swift, her supporting performers, security, lights & audio professionals, those who operate the stadiums and coordinate scheduling, and the most key of all, Taylor Swift’s fans. This stage had to come together show after show to make an unforgettable experience for everyone who attended as well as those who were only able to attend the recording in movie theaters.
2. Environment
Some of the most talked about moments of the Eras Tour came from nights when Taylor performed in the pouring rain. This clearly shows Taylor’s commitment, but it also highlights the types of environmental requirements on the stage. This stage needed to be able to function in most weather conditions including the rain while staying safe from electrical shorts and slippage for the performers.
3. Requirements & Verification
One of the key requirements of the Eras Tour Stage is that it must be transportable. That is, the massive stage must be disassembled, packed into standard semi-trucks, driven to a new location, and reassembled for each new leg of the tour. After assembly, the stage needs to meet all of its other requirements. This includes being safe for Taylor and all other people working on the stage and behind the scenes, as well as providing lights, sound, and movement on cue. Using good configuration management and verification planning, the team could easily run through a preset list of activities to ensure that the stage was assembled correctly and would meet the demands of all the stakeholders at each concert.
I have no way of knowing if Taylor Swift hired a professional systems engineer to help design, build, and verify her stage, but nonetheless, those who filled the role deserve to have their achievements acknowledged and should be proud.
References
AMC Theatres; Cinemark Theatres. (2023). Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour [Film]. USA.
Walden, D. D., Roedler, G. J., Forsberg, K., Hamelin, R. D., & Shortell, T. M. (2015). Systems engineering handbook: A guide for system life cycle processes and activities. Wiley.
