Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour: A Glittery Blockbuster Spectacle
I REALISE that, to an outsider, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour might look slightly insane. Thousands of (mainly) women, old enough to know better, are flocking to these shows decked out in a worrying amount of glitter and freshly purchased cowboy boots.
The Fan Frenzy: Embracing Taylor Swift’s Era in Glitter and Friendship Bracelets
We’re digging out dusty bags of beads from the attic to make friendship bracelets. Groups of friends are planning themed costumes as if we’re in Year 7 coordinating for a school disco. And speculating what Tay’s “surprise songs” might be is like the top-mark question in an end-of-year exam. I’m going to the first night in Edinburgh today and the WhatsApp pals’ chat to organise our outfits has been in existence for almost a year.
Taylor Swift’s Ancestral Connection: A Scottish Sponsorship Twist
Buying the tickets was like a major military operation (a battalion of thousands of cowboy hat-wearing twentysomethings against the old guard of Ticketmaster). With tickets soaring to as much as £6,000, Swifties from around the world have spent a small fortune just to see the 34-year-old hitmaker live at Murrayfield Stadium. And it’s not just the fans going mad. The singer disclosed at a gig in 2015 that she has Scottish ancestry, so the stadium sponsorship signage has been changed from Scottish Gas to Scottish Lass to highlight her link.
‘A lot of fun’: Taylor’s Scottish Welcome and Endangered Baby Tamarins
Taylor Swift has even arrived at Edinburgh Zoo — or at least two of the superstar’s namesakes have. A pair of critically endangered cotton-top tamarins were born on Tuesday to first-time mum Elf and dad Zecca. And keepers at the wildlife conservation charity have named the tiny newborn monkeys Taylor and Swift ahead of the pop star’s highly anticipated performances in the capital. To give her a “Scottish welcome”, the Reel Time Band, an 11-piece group made up of eight highland bagpipers and three drummers, performed her song Love Story on the steps outside the venue, wearing “Era-fied” kilts. Pipe major Roddy Deans said: “Taylor’s tunes translate surprisingly well to traditional Scottish instruments. We’re all huge music fans, so we’re delighted to help welcome Taylor to Scotland in the best way we know how.”
The Economic Impact: Taylor Swift’s UK Tour Boost
The tour, which takes fans on a journey through the different musical stages of her career, has been a juggernaut and is predicted to provide a £997million boost to the UK economy as almost 1.2million fans will spend an average of £848 on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other costs to see the pop icon at one of her 15 UK tour dates. Cities are rolling out the red carpet for her arrival, with special artworks being installed around Liverpool on a “Taylor Trail” in celebration of her shows. Capital Radio has even launched a pop-up station dedicated to all things Taylor.
‘Such a lovely atmosphere, it’s so nice’: International Fans in Taylor Swift’s Edinburg Shows
AROUND 220,000 fans are expected to attend Taylor’s Edinburgh shows over the three nights – with many coming from abroad. We caught up with a few fans like Carolanne Dunn, Debra Allison, Kristina Karlsen, Susan Berry, and Molly Gilroy who are excited to attend the concerts and share their experiences.