Swift's eight-year Maryland absence

Taylor Swift hasn't performed in Maryland in over eight years, and she skipped the entire Mid-Atlantic region during her record-breaking Eras Tour, leaving local Swifties to trek to Philadelphia for her closest show.

Tribute shows fill the void

Swift tribute artists have stepped in to meet demand from fans unable or unwilling to travel, offering affordable alternatives to the sold-out Eras Tour experience.

How tribute shows work legally

Live music venues have licenses allowing artists to perform others' works without direct permission from the original artist, as long as advertising makes clear these are tribute performances, not the original artist.

Enslow brings Swift to Baltimore

Baltimore pop singer Enslow performs Swift tributes around Maryland after being invited to star in a live Swift-themed concert series with radio station WTMD, incorporating her own original songs alongside the hits.

“I like to think of it as 'Taylor Swift (Enslow's Version).'”

Affordable entry point for families

Enslow's tribute shows skew younger and offer families a chance to take kids to their first concerts with far cheaper and more plentiful tickets than the sold-out Eras Tour.

Channeling Swift without impersonation

Enslow avoids impersonating Swift, instead channeling her performance energy and character while taking her own liberties and performing original songs, similar to how Swift incorporates surprise numbers into her own shows.

“She's so iconic, it would be a disservice if I tried to really impersonate her.”

Steve Hackman's symphonic fusion

Composer and conductor Steve Hackman brings an orchestral take to Swift's music, blending about 30 of her songs across all 12 albums with classical compositions in a two-act symphony performed at venues including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Classical composers would be Swifties

Hackman argues that classical composers have always incorporated popular music of their era, and he's reviving that tradition by weaving Swift's storytelling, melody and emotion into symphonic arrangements.

“Classical composers have always relied on and interpolated and incorporated popular music of their era.”

Introducing pop fans to orchestras

Hackman's show introduces many younger Swifties to live orchestras for the first time, deepening their connection to music they already love while exposing them to a new performance format.

Friendship bracelets and community

Hackman's shows include pre-show friendship bracelet trading sessions in the lobby, a tradition that began at the Eras Tour after Swift's 2022 song urged fans to make bracelets and connect with one another.

Let's Sing Taylor tours nationally

Let's Sing Taylor, a nationally touring tribute band starring singer Emily Victoria with dancers and musicians, has performed about 250 shows in two years and is coming to Frederick this month with Eras Tour-inspired costumes.

Swifties want community, not just music

Many audience members at Let's Sing Taylor attended the Eras Tour but came to the tribute show to be around other Swifties again, with founder Marcus Linial comparing the culture to Deadheads who gather to sing and dance together.

“They go see a tribute show because they just all want to be together, sing together and dance together.”