Longtime bassist Taylor Swift reflects on the “ride of a lifetime” as she bids farewell to the Eras tour.
Amos Heller, who has played with Swift for more than 15 years, shared a lengthy Instagram ode to his time on the road with the pop superstar, which ended in Vancouver on Sunday, December 8 after five continents, dozens of cities and 152 shows.
In his message, Heller, 47, offered a rare glimpse into what life was like behind the scenes of the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. He also shared a number of photos of himself performing on stage, including one of Swift, 34, leaning on his shoulder during Fearless part of the show.
“It’s over. No more early lobby calls. There are no more airports. No more dragging suitcases and Mono bags up the escalators, through the line, without baggage claim. No more warming, no more cooling,” he wrote. “No more looking at the clock 20 times to make sure I don’t miss a call. No more saying goodbye to your family, no more “How long does he sleep now?” No more jet lag. It’s over.”
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Amos Heller (centre) with Taylor Swift (right) on stage in London on August 15, 2024.
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty
The bassist went on to rattle off specific memories from various cities, including visiting a bass guitar shop in Australia, getting a tattoo in Ireland and visiting a watch factory in Switzerland.
“No more sliding into new languages, cultures, cuisines, emphasized pleasantness,” he wrote. “No more snow in Tokyo, watch factories in Switzerland, museums in Sweden, bass shops in Australia, steaks in Rio, tattoos in Ireland, running in Germany, flowers in Amsterdam.”
He wrote that walking into the “ringing stadium” every night made him feel “like a gladiator” and that he enjoyed “screaming lyrics with a perfect stranger who is now your best friend”.
“This is the best I can do now. It is a finished work. We watched it go from What If to How It Will Be to Here We Are to Almost Done to Done,” he wrote. “The record books have been closed with new ink on many pages. I came out changed. As a player, performer, person, partner. Backstage after the final curtain, I allowed myself to drop to my knees a bit, before laying on the floor gently reminiscing [dancer Tori Evans]. Spent. We lived a whole life. If you think he felt like a senior, he did.”
Taylor Swift at the opening night of the Eras Tour in March 2023.
John Shearer/Getty
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Heller wrote that he feels “so much love and gratitude” to be a part of the Swiftie community, and shared a special message for the star herself.
“You deserve so much respect and admiration from everyone who is lucky enough to add their efforts to yours,” Swift wrote. “Your blend of focus, heart, endurance and joy calls out the best in everyone around you. Thank you for entrusting me with my part of your vision. It was the ride of a lifetime. I love you.”
He concluded his message with the words “Cheers,” a nod to Swift’s fan-favorite song of the same name, featured on her 2010 album. Speak now.
Among the many commenters on Heller’s post was Kam Saunders, an Eras Tour dancer whose brother Khalen famously played for the Kansas City Chiefs with Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce.
“You are an absolute gem of a man! I’ll miss you singing with that guitar as I exit YNTCD!” Saunders wrote. “I had a great time with you on this! Your humor. Your mind. Your kindness to my mom!!!! Thank you for EVERYTHING.”
Taylor Swift performs in Madrid in May 2024.
Xavi Torrent/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
PEOPLE exclusively reported that Swift gave $197 million in bonuses to everyone who worked on her tour during her nearly two years on the road, including truck drivers, caterers, instrument technicians, the sales team, lighting, sound, production staff and assistants. carpenters, dancers, band, security, choreographers, pyrotechnicians, editors, hair, make-up, wardrobe, physiotherapists and video team.
The Eras Tour has sold more than $2 billion in tickets, which according to The New York Times is “twice the gross ticket sales of any other concert tour in history.” The tour was also inspiring Taylor Swift | Eras Tour bookwhich sold 814,000 copies in the first two days, making it the most successful publishing release of the year.
Up next, Swift — who a source recently told PEOPLE is “exhausted but obviously so, so grateful” for the successful tour — will be up for six Grammys, including album of the year.
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Source: HIS Education