celebrity

The ethics of going to more than one Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert.

For hundreds of thousands of Swifties, this past week and the one ahead represents nothing short of a transcendent experience. We’re halfway through the seven sold-out shows of the Australian leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and no one in attendance - from seasoned music journos and celebrities to tweens and their mums - has been immune to the transformative, wholesome magic of seeing Taylor live in concert

Missy Higgins posted a video of herself crying with joy in the crowd. Zan Rowe and Virginia Trioli gushed about their nights in multi-slide posts. In an online world increasingly divided, one fact remains beyond contention: seeing the Eras Tour in concert is a spiritual experience.

For those who missed out on tickets however, the onslaught of concert content from tearful, ecstatic attendees has made it a particularly cruel summer. What really twists the knife, say those who didn’t manage to score a seat, is watching some concert goers attend multiple nights of the tour. 

Several disappointed fans have taken to social media to air their heartbreak, labelling Swifties who attend multiple shows as "selfish".

Sydney mum-of-three Carey*, whose nine-year-old mega fan missed out on tickets, says that the practice of buying tickets to multiple shows is "hella selfish".

"What are they gaining from seeing the same show multiple times? If they don’t see the second, third and fourth nights, are they really missing out?" she asks. 

"And is that anything compared to the little girl who is currently devastated and watching her friends make friendship bracelets and plan their outfits? They should have stopped at one show and let someone else enjoy the experience."

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Cameron 'Lingy' Ling, who co-hosts the breakfast show at Geelong's K Rock 95.5, added his voice to the criticism on Monday, labelling those who bought tickets to more than one show in the star’s Australian Eras Tour as "the biggest flogs in the world."

Watch: Swiftie Dad. Post continues after video.


Video via Mamamia.

"I have one observation from the Taylor Swift concerts, and it's the new biggest flogs in the world. It's those people that went to more than one Taylor Swift concert," he said. 

"Now, I'm talking about the person who went to more than one concert and decided to flaunt it out there and put it everywhere. There were [many] who were desperate to get a ticket," he continued.

Co-host Lauren 'Loggy' Temuskos agreed: "I did see someone who is a family member, and I love," she explained, "I saw that they went twice... and I was gutted. Because I really wanted to go."

Emotions are so high that it’s not just multiple-ticket holders being policed on the way they enjoy the superstar’s tour either. 

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Stylist Caitlin Marwaha - who appears to have only attended one show - was on the receiving end of some FOMO-fuelled hate over the weekend, after posting a sweet video of her family at the concert, in which her husband was seated during Cruel Summer as his wife kids danced next to him. 

Posting a screenshot of the exchange, Marwaha revealed that a follower had sent a DM accusing her husband of not being a worthy enough Swiftie. 

"I liked seeing your videos from Taylor Swift over the weekend, looks like you had lots of fun," began the disgruntled missive.

"I do have to say though, it was a bit disappointing to see your husband sit down for most of it. People would have loved his ticket. No offence, just had to say something."

The digital creator clapped back in a message, explaining that her husband was simply trying to be respectful because of his height. 

"Glad you enjoyed the videos, we had an amazing time," she wrote back. "My husband is 6 foot 5. He was simply sitting down because he knew there was a row of young girls behind him and he didn’t want to impact their experience by obstructing their view. If you did see the videos, you would see he was enjoying it just as much as us."

The Spill hosts explain the Taylor Swift ticket backlash and debate who deserves to go. Article continues. 

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Sydney woman Felicity*, who has tickets to all four Sydney shows of the Eras tour, refuses to be made to feel guilty about her decision in spite of being on the receiving end of a few 'weird DMs'. 

"I find it a little weird that this has become a big ethical conversation," she explains. "No one cared that I went to every Red tour show in Auckland, or that I planned my three-month Europe trip around when I would be able to fit in 1989 tour stops. People have always followed tours around or gone to as many shows as they can. And at the end of the day, people can and should spend their money and their time however they like. I seriously don't begrudge anyone for seeing a concert, ever ever, whether it's their first time or 100th."

"I know a lot of people going to the shows and have plans to see friends in and around the stadium etc, but I will be sitting solo every night," she continues. 

"I only purchased one ticket to each show. And I made that choice because I knew that buying one ticket would be easier when you are racing against a Ticketek-clock and hundreds of others also adding to cart - and I also knew that Swifties are really nice - you're not ever REALLY solo at a Taylor show."

"I don't feel any guilt about my one ticket each night,” says Felicity, "I'm a huge long time fan. And ultimately, I am barely a drop in that stadium-sized sea of people."

Feature Image: Instagram.

*names have been changed.