In honor of Throwback Thursday this week, Taylor Swift posted a photo to Instagram showing an early concert of hers that — unlike her current shows — seemed to be missing something rather important: audience members. Within the caption, Swift marveled at the fact that now, just a few years later, she's set to play five sold-out shows at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Oh, how the times have changed!
In addition to making me feel extremely old — since I'm 27 while Swift's 25, and I don't have even a fraction of the success she enjoys — her #TBT got me thinking about what else was true back in the days she was playing shows in empty venues. Today, it's difficult to imagine a world where people wouldn't sell their most valuable possessions for a front row ticket to the 1989 tour — but back then, it looks like anyone could just walk right up to the stage and all but give her a high five during a set (as long as they reached over the single plastic banner with just her name on it, of course). I can't even fathom it.
Swift didn't put a date on the photo, but using my pop culture detective skills, I'm placing it sometime between 2004 and 2007, when she was just getting her start, but before she'd made it really big. And just to give you an idea of how much the world has changed not just for Swift, but for all of us since then, here are 12 forgotten truths from back before Swift started playing sold-out shows at major arenas.
1. Your Phones Used To Be Just For Making Calls
No iPhones existed until 2007, which means before then, we were all still printing out MapQuest directions or — gasp! — using real maps to find out way around.
2. We Still Had More Harry Potter Books To Look Forward To
Because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out in 2007, on the day my heart sang and died in the same moment.
3. Blockbuster Was Still In Business
Those were the days, right? (JK, love you forever, Netflix.) But seriously, R.I.P.
4. Pluto Was Still A Planet
R.I.P. again.
5. We Still Had A Healthy Economy, LOL
R.I.P. for the third time.
6. Michael Phelps Had A Measly Six Olympic Gold Medals
He didn't take home the additional eight until the Beijing Olympics in Summer 2008.
7. Modern Social Media Presence Was Basically Zero
Facebook launched in 2004, Twitter was two years behind it in 2006, and Instagram was four years behind that in 2010. So I guess we...sent up smoke signals to tell people what we had for brunch?! I don't remember.
8. We Could Still Take Tom Cruise Seriously
He didn't jump on the couch until 2005! Up until that moment, he was still just a handsome leading man!
9. There Was No Brangelina
On account of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie didn't even know each other until they met in 2004 on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. In fact, Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston!
10. Beyoncé Was Still Just The Most Famous Member Of Destiny's Child
We weren't ready for the world domination that followed their breakup in 2005.
11. We Hadn't Met Kristen Wiig Yet
She made her debut on Saturday Night Live in 2005, and nothing has been the same since.
12. Leonardo DiCaprio Didn't Have An Oscar Yet
Oh wait, sorry — this one is still true. My bad.
Hard to believe that these things were all true just 10 or so years ago, but you know what they say — time flies when Swift is getting famous!
Images: Giphy (12)
