Swifties Flock to London After Vienna Concerts Get Canceled

LONDON (AP) — For Herve Tram, being a Taylor Swift fan isn’t just about the music.

The 28-year-old computer network engineer from Paris considers himself part of a community, known as the Swifties. When Taylor Swift’s shows in Vienna were canceled due to a terror threat, Tram took a notable step: He gave away two extra tickets to her upcoming shows in London to fans who missed out in Austria.

“That’s the power of this fandom,’’ said Tram. “We look out for each other.’’

The community of Swift fans, who have attended stadium shows worldwide to enjoy her 3 1/2-hour concerts, have been shaken.

First, a tragic incident in northern England saw three young girls murdered at a Swift-themed dance class, leading to a week of anti-immigrant unrest in the UK fueled by misinformation. Then, Vienna shows were canceled after police arrested Islamic State-inspired extremists planning to attack the concert.

Yet, this hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for Swift’s five shows from Thursday to Tuesday at London’s Wembley Stadium, marking the end of the European leg of her Eras Tour. Fans are eager to don Swift-inspired outfits, swap handmade friendship bracelets, and, of course, dance.

Take Meagan Berneaud, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, a Swift fan since age 13.

Despite past trauma from a 2016 terror attack at Ohio State University, Berneaud set aside her fears. She even created a thread on X (formerly known as Twitter) connecting Vienna fans with tickets for the London concerts, receiving over 3,000 views.

“I just have to tell myself not to live in fear,’’ she said. “I trust that law enforcement will do their best to keep us safe.’’

Some fans, initially set to attend the Vienna show, were willing to face their fears, taking encouragement from Swift’s song “Fearless.”

“And I don’t know why.

But with you, I’d dance in a storm.

In my best dress.

Fearless.”

Presila Koleva, 26, a design engineer from Cambridge, England, had looked forward to seeing Swift in Vienna, buying a green dress identical to one Swift wears during the Folklore set of the Eras tour, and making 30 bracelets to trade. She was heartbroken when the shows were canceled.

Koleva then connected with Tram, who gave her one of his tickets, ensuring her dress would be worn.

“There are good people who will do something nice for someone they don’t know because they’ve been through a really awful situation,’’ she said.

The passion of Swift’s fans and a set list featuring over 40 songs from her career have made the Eras Tour the largest revenue earner ever, amassing over $1 billion in ticket sales last year. The tour is expected to exceed $2 billion before ending later this year in Indianapolis.

London concert demand remains high, with ticket prices reaching thousands of pounds on resale sites.

Rafi Mohammed, an expert on pricing strategies, noted that the end of the tour and the canceled Vienna shows are likely to boost demand for London tickets.

“If anything, you have three sold-out concerts in Vienna that were canceled. This, coupled with the end of the tour, means you’ll likely see extra demand,” he said.

Nevertheless, security is a key concern.

London’s Metropolitan Police Service has promised heightened security, taking lessons from the 2017 attack at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena that killed 22 and injured hundreds.

Organizers assured additional ticket checks at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium, which limits the size of bags allowed. Those without tickets will be moved away from the stadium.

“London is a big city. We’re used to putting on these events,’’ said Tracy Halliwell, head of tourism for Visit London. “There will be a higher police presence to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

Tram emphasized the resilience of fans, citing Parisians’ response to the 2015 Bataclan theater attack.

“We saw hundreds of thousands of people go into the streets to show they are not afraid. I think we’ll see that in London, too,” he said. “Fans will show they are not afraid. And like Taylor said, we are fearless.”