Taylor Swift And The Live Music Slump

I’ll never forget my first big concert—Pearl Jam, Madison Square Garden, 1999—and, with similar fondness, I’ll always remember my initial show after the Covid-19 lockdowns during the “Hot Vax Summer” of 2021. The artist was Brandi Carlile, the venue was Forest Hills Stadium, the afterparty was near the pool in the back. By the end of the night, just about every remaining reveler ended up in the warm, generously chlorinated water.

The next couple of years resulted in record numbers for the live mu...