The Ultimate NOLA Night 1 Surprise Songs Recap: 4 Tracks, 2 Mashups, And A Jaw-Dropping Debut
The Eras Tour stop in New Orleans, Louisiana, was instantly legendary, and Night 1 on Friday, October 25, 2024, set an impossibly high bar. Swifties in the Caesars Superdome were treated to a masterclass in musical mashups, blending four distinct tracks from four different eras into two unforgettable surprise songs. The night was a perfect storm of nostalgic country throwbacks and a thrilling live debut from her newest album, making it one of the most talked-about acoustic sets of the tour.
The energy in the Big Easy was palpable as Taylor Swift graced the stage for the first of her three nights, delivering a performance that not only honored her extensive catalog but also introduced a brand-new, highly-anticipated song to the live audience. This deep dive uncovers the full surprise song setlist, the significance of the mashups, and the key moments that defined NOLA Night 1.
The Complete Taylor Swift NOLA Night 1 Surprise Song Setlist (October 25, 2024)
The New Orleans run of The Eras Tour, which took place from October 25–27, 2024, was a pivotal moment in the tour’s itinerary. Night 1, specifically, was a showcase of Taylor Swift’s lyrical genius, demonstrating how seamlessly she can weave together songs from vastly different chapters of her career. Here is the full breakdown of the two surprise song mashups performed on Friday, October 25, 2024:
- Acoustic Guitar Mashup: "Our Song" ($\textit{Taylor Swift}$, 2006) x "Call It What You Want" ($\textit{reputation}$, 2017)
- Piano Mashup: "The Black Dog" ($\textit{The Tortured Poets Department}$, 2024) x "Haunted" ($\textit{Speak Now}$, 2010)
This four-song combination touched on her debut country roots, a fan-favorite track from her darker reputation era, a dramatic rock anthem from Speak Now, and a deep-cut debut from her most recent, critically acclaimed album. The selection was a true testament to her topical authority across multiple genres and eras.
The Guitar Mashup: Country Throwback Meets Dark Romance
The acoustic guitar performance was a delightful juxtaposition that thrilled long-time fans. Taylor, often sporting a new outfit for the surprise set, chose a mashup that perfectly balanced her past and her present.
"Our Song" x "Call It What You Want"
Kicking off the acoustic set with "Our Song" was a nod to her country era and a perfect fit for the Southern setting of New Orleans. The track, from her 2006 self-titled debut album, is a sweet, youthful, and iconic piece of her early career.
The transition to "Call It What You Want" from the 2017 reputation album was a masterstroke. This song, known for its intimate and romantic lyrics, provided a mature contrast to the debut track. By blending the two, Taylor created a narrative that connected her earliest dreams of love with a more recent, secure, and grounded relationship.
The mashup was a thematic bridge, showing that while her sound has evolved, the core themes of love, storytelling, and authenticity have remained consistent throughout her journey. Fans celebrated the return of the country twang mixed with the raw, emotional depth of the reputation era.
The Piano Mashup: A Live Debut and a Rock Anthem
The piano performance provided the most shocking moment of NOLA Night 1, featuring a highly-anticipated live debut that sent shockwaves through the fandom and social media. Taylor Swift sat down at the moss-covered piano to deliver a mashup that was both emotionally devastating and dramatically powerful.
"The Black Dog" x "Haunted"
The first song in the piano set was "The Black Dog," a standout track from her 2024 album, $\textit{The Tortured Poets Department}$ (TTPD). This performance marked the song's live debut on The Eras Tour, a moment fans had been waiting for since the album's release.
The track is a deeply personal and lyrically dense exploration of betrayal and discovery, and its inclusion signaled Taylor's continued commitment to rotating the TTPD songs into the surprise set. The dramatic, somber tone of "The Black Dog" was then flawlessly merged with the explosive energy of "Haunted."
"Haunted," from the 2010 Speak Now album, is one of her most intense and rock-influenced tracks. The combination of the two created a powerhouse of emotional turmoil, with the TTPD track providing the quiet, brooding pain, and the Speak Now track delivering the dramatic, desperate crescendo. This selection perfectly highlighted the emotional range of her discography.
The Significance of the NOLA Night 1 Selection
The surprise songs for NOLA Night 1 were not arbitrary; they were a meticulously crafted set that offered deep fan service and a significant tour moment. This selection demonstrated several key elements of Taylor Swift's approach to The Eras Tour:
Topical Authority and Lyrical Depth
By pairing "Our Song" with "Call It What You Want," Taylor showed her mastery of lyrical continuity. Both songs, though separated by over a decade, speak to finding happiness and security in a relationship, whether it's the innocent joy of a new crush or the defiant peace found amidst public scrutiny. The mashup elevated both tracks by giving them a shared, mature context.
The Live Debut of "The Black Dog"
The inclusion of "The Black Dog" as a live debut was the night's biggest headline. As the tour progresses, every TTPD song's first live performance becomes a major event. By debuting it in New Orleans, Taylor ensured that the city's stop would be forever etched into the lore of The Eras Tour. The song’s intricate storytelling about tracking a lover's location to "The Black Dog" pub resonated immediately with the audience, who recognized the emotional weight of the performance.
A Shift in Surprise Song Strategy
The use of four songs across two mashups is a strategic move that allows Taylor to cycle through her massive catalog more quickly. This approach keeps the acoustic set fresh, exciting, and unpredictable for fans attending later legs of the tour. The NOLA Night 1 setlist, in particular, was praised for its bold combinations, proving that any two songs, no matter the era, can be harmoniously connected by her narrative thread.
The New Orleans Night 1 surprise songs—"Our Song," "Call It What You Want," "The Black Dog," and "Haunted"—created a legendary moment in The Eras Tour. The combination of a cherished country classic, a reputation deep cut, a dramatic Speak Now anthem, and a major TTPD live debut solidified the show as a must-see event. The brilliance of the mashups ensured that even four songs were not enough to satisfy the crowd, who left the Superdome buzzing about the four-track, two-mashup masterpiece.
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