Scottdale’s Lexi Levendosky missed out on Taylor Swift’s hugely popular Eras Tour when the singer came to Pittsburgh earlier this year.
Despite her and her family’s best efforts, and even a trip to stand outside the stadium, tickets remained elusively out of reach.
Levendosky, 14, got lucky Thursday night, managing to nab tickets to the early showing of Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert film just before 6 p.m. Her mom, Danielle Ferree, accompanied her to AMC CLASSIC Westmoreland 15 in Hempfield to see the megastar Swift, a Pennsylvania native, on the big screen.
“I didn’t get to see the concert, so I want to see it (here),” Levendosky said.
Levendosky and Ferree were a few of the many Swifties who made it to theaters on Thursday night for early showings of the concert film. The film premiers officially on Friday, but Swift herself announced a cluster of advance showings at American and Canadian theaters on her Instagram account.
“When we went to get the tickets before, it was (sold out,)” Ferree said. “We weren’t able to get it this weekend, so when she said that today, I was like, that’s perfect, we’ll just go tonight.”
At AMC CLASSIC Westmoreland 15, some fans and their families arrived early to score exclusive merchandise. Greensburg’s Christina Paxinos picked up Taylor Swift-patterned popcorn buckets from the theater after dropping off her daughter Olivia, 13, and her friend to see the movie.
“She’s a huge fan,” Paxinos said of her daughter.
The family was fortunate enough to snag some tickets to one of the Eras Tour concerts in Pittsburgh earlier this year, getting them at the last minute after driving around Acrisure Stadium.
Swift fans Belle Joles, 19, and Bella Bryer, 16, found out about the early showing on Instagram. Bryer didn’t make it to either of the Pittsburgh concerts earlier this year, but Joles did. Joles and Bryer said they both have been listening to Swift since they were little.
“I’m just really excited to see the movie, and what all I missed, and all of the different eras,” Bryer said. “Lover, Red, all of that, is what I am really excited to see.”
Staff at some movie theaters sprang into action when they got word of the early movie release and began decorating their lobbies with Swift-themed decor.
Those at Waterworks Cinemas in Pittsburgh near Aspinwall made a “1989” photo booth with light-blue fringe tinsel. They also used balloons and lights and more tinsel to create a festive atmosphere.
“We’re hoping for a par-Tay,” said general manager Emily Ramsey. “We do expect big turnouts, happy faces, a lot of costumes and bracelet trading. We’re expecting a fun time at the movies provided by Taylor Swift.
“We want it to have that kind of concerty vibe where you’re not just coming and seeing a movie. It’s like an event instead of just a film,” Ramsey said. “We were supposed to have 24 more hours, but we’re in crunch time now.”
Assistant manager Noah Gustafson said he went to Eras shows in Tampa, Fla., and Pittsburgh.
“It was amazing. I loved all of it,” he said of the shows. “I’m expecting a lot (from the movie). It’s high energy (and) high production. I think it will translate really well (in the theater). Everything is so big, so it will be exciting to see it on the big screen.”
Gustafson wore his tour T-shirt to work on Thursday to celebrate the movie release.
He called Swift’s music very relatable and full of emotional exploration. His favorite song is “State of Grace” and favorite album is “evermore.”
No Swifties were lined up at Waterworks Cinemas as of 6:30 p.m. in advance of the 7 p.m. show there Thursday night. Waterworks Cinemas also was offering an 8 p.m. showing.
Ramsey said there were hundreds and hundreds of presale tickets for the weekend and the next few weeks.
She called Thursday “the calm before the storm.”
Plum High School senior Mia Slifer and Plum grad Jennifer Ayers were the first two people in line for Taylor Swift at the GQT Pittsburgh Mills Cinemas. It offered one Thursday showing.
“It’s exciting,” Slifer said.
The pair attended the first of Swift’s two concerts in Pittsburgh.
“She really relates what she’s going through and what her fans are going through (in her music),” Ayers said.
For Devyn Shaffer of Upper Burrell, the movie was a chance for her whole family to experience a Swift concert.
Featured Local Businesses
She made it to one of the Pittsburgh concerts with friends and some family members.
Shaffer, who was dressed in a Taylor Swift sweatshirt, was accompanied Thursday at the GQT theater by her husband Brandon, son Aedan, 6, and daughters Ellie, 10, and Emilee, 8.
“My son was really upset that he didn’t get to go to the concert, so I’m really excited he gets to see it (in the theater),” Shaffer said.
Aedan said his favorite songs are “Paper Rings” and “Love Story,” and he hoped to hear those songs in the movie.
Pittsburgh Mills screenings of The Eras Tour film were moved to its largest rooms, the 300-seat theaters, according to GQT manager Dominic Ferra of Lower Burrell.
“Over the past week, we’ve gotten a good bit of presale (tickets),” Ferra said. “I feel like it’s going to be good for theater as a whole because of the heavy amount of people coming in here. We anticipated we were getting a crowd for the movie. We wanted to give the people as much room as possible.”
GQT shift manager Amber Eddy of Leechburg said she plans to see the movie with a couple of coworkers this month.
She saw Swift’s Fearless tour stop in Pittsburgh in 2009 and is ready for another concert experience.
“It’s a smaller environment, so I’m a little bit more excited,” Eddy said. “It has a lot to do with the crowd, too. There’s a few of us going (to the show).”
The movie is about 2 hours and 45 minutes long. It is projected to make about $200 million on opening weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.