Swifties Report 'Post-Concert Amnesia' After Eras Show
It's the concert of your dreams. Getting tickets wasn't easy, but you're now ready to sing as loudly as you can.
You're finally at the Eras Tour to see Taylor Swift perform, and it's magical. You sing, you laugh, you cry. It's one of the best nights of your life.
But the next day, you can't seem to remember it.
Many Swift fans — or Swifties — have said they can't remember parts of the concert, with some saying they can't remember it at all.
Psychologists are calling it "post-concert amnesia," and they say there could be several things causing it.
First, there's a lot happening at once: large crowds, loud noises, light effects, and a lot of different emotions. It can be difficult for our brains to process all of that information, which can have an effect on our brain's ability to store new memories.
Those heightened emotions can also cause the brain to respond in the same way it would in a very stressful situation — which can also stop new memories from forming.
Others say this memory inhibition could come from familiarity. Many people who go to the concert know all the songs by heart, making it more difficult to make new memories when they see those songs performed live.
Michelle Phillips, who teaches music psychology at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, told the BBC that post-concert amnesia isn't something to worry about.
She said people often focus on the things that are most important to them, and make memories based on these things. So, while some people may not remember all the songs from the concert, they may remember the happiness and excitement of being there.
The Eras Tour began in the US in March 2023, and is set to finish in Canada in December 2024.
