Suburban Swiftie Has Seen 'The Eras Tour' Movie 78 Times—And Counting

ORLAND PARK, IL — The staff at Marcus Theatres in Orland Park knows Kevin Lotz pretty well by now.

The Orland Park man has spent a lot of time there recently—more than 219 hours (13,182 minutes)—to be exact. And that's not counting previews.

Lotz, 42, is a big-time Swiftie, and has now notched 78 times seeing "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" movie in theaters. Nearly $2,000 invested now, he's not done yet, and hopes to hit 100 times before it's out of theaters.

"They all know me here," Lotz said warmly, gesturing toward staff after a showing Sunday evening at the theater.

With an Eras tour blanket draped over his shoulders and friendship bracelets stacked on his wrists, Lotz strolls as casually around the theater as if he were plodding to his living room. The movie—which takes the singer's 3-hour long concert from the stage to the screen—captures the show in almost its entirety. (They cut four songs, Lotz noted.) It debuted Oct. 13, and is expected to have a 13-week run.

Lotz was there with his friends on opening night, and saw it the first six times on the Ultra Screen. A small group of friends camped out in the theater hallway Oct. 13, popcorn in hand, eager to see the singer whose not-yet-completed world tour recently made the 33-year-old a billionaire, according to Vanity Fair.

Lotz has seen the movie 67 times alone and 11 times with a group of friends. The group comes for one showing and stays for the next, and the next—accumulating multiple hours at the movie theater. It's a bonding experience for them, Lotz said.

"We just go from theater to theater," he said. "We've spent nine hours here, sometimes 12."

The Carl Sandburg High School grad is unabashed about his adoration for the singer. He suffers from asthma, he said, and finds her music soothing when a bout hits. He's been a fan since her first CD, but it really set in with her album Red in 2012.

"Honestly, there's just something about her," Lotz said. "I could be in a down mood, and her music is so moving and beautiful, it cheers me up right away. Everyone sees it.

"There's just something moving about her. I find her beautiful, but her music just, it's something so relaxing and calming. It brings out the good in me."

Lotz said he has Autism, and Swift's music helped him through a difficult childhood.

"I never had any friends and was always bullied," he said."I was that angry person because I never bothered to learn about my ASD, and one thing that made me so aggressive was what I listened to, which was all the hardcore rap.

"Then when I did learn about it, I started listening to softer stuff like rock and country, but in 2006 when I heard 'Tim McGraw' by Taylor Swift, I just got so relaxed and calm. That's when I knew she was I needed to hear....

"People with ASD, when they find or hear something they like that's what they want all the time."

Fandom like that Lotz shows isn't rare when it comes to the fair-haired, red-lipped artist, who has inspired fans to spend exorbitant amounts—of money and time—for her shows. Her shows sell out instantly, creating a frenzy during ticket sales and even causing vendor Ticketmaster to crash. Fans dress for the occasion, designing their own versions of the singer's elaborate costumes, or planning themed outfits around their favorite albums of the singer's nearly 20-year career. They lovingly piece together friendship bracelets to exchange with other fans. Some even swore by wearing adult diapers to the shows, so they won't miss a single song.

Ticket prices soared into the thousands, making the purchase unattainable for many, but Lotz would spare no expense for a front-row spot at one of the singer's Soldier Field shows in Chicago. He paid $8,000 for the experience.

"It was a night I did not want to end," Lotz said. "She just lights up my face—she brings out the good in me. I just find her music so beautiful."

The Mariano's employee said prior to the Eras Tour, he'd only attended the singer's Reputation Tour in 2018.

"She's just so expensive on everything," Lotz said.

Captured in real-time at three shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the movie was intended to grab hold of the magic of the show from out of the reach of many, and into theaters globally. The movie smashed records in its debut weekend, bringing in just under $93 million in North America and $123 million globally, according to Forbes. Lotz's $2,000 seems like pennies in comparison.

Lotz isn't over it yet. Chatting with Patch Sunday night, he was in no hurry.

He still had the late show to see.