What was meant to be a perfect concert tour experience for Taylor Swift fans did not turn out all too well because of the behaviour of some concertgoers.
After the first night of the Eras Tour kicked off in Singapore on Saturday (Mar 2), some fans took to social media to lament about their experience, including TikTok user @linmaxin, Alina.
In her video, the 23-year-old shared how she had spent S$1,800 on a VIP 1 package and was seated in PD1 – one of the sections closest to the diamond stage, where Swift spends a large portion of the concert.
Despite each ticket having an assigned seat, Alina said that many fans from other sections left their seats and encroached into her section.
"Instead of telling them to go back to their sections, (the security guards) pushed the extra people into our seated rows, and it just caused even more crowding," Alina said in the video, adding that it got to the point where it was “hard to breathe”.
Another Swiftie, Calista Wong, who was seated in PD3 of the VIP section, shared a similar experience.
In her TikTok video, the 22-year-old shared that people from the back sections started rushing towards the front, where she was, during opening act Sabrina Carpenter’s set, and got rowdier as the concert went on.
“When security started to come to disperse them, they refused to move. They continued to stand like there and the pushing just got more aggressive,” she said in the video, adding that even Swift’s security team started to intervene.
“I was wondering if Taylor noticed because the entire security crew came over, including her head of security, whom I recognised from photos,” she told The Straits Times.
Calista added that the situation improved after the concert’s Evermore era, around one hour into the concert. She said: “But I do know it took longer to resolve for the rows behind me. It really took some time to push everyone back... They just refused to budge.”
Other fans have also raised complaints. In the comment section of both their videos, Swifties shared the sections they were in and how they also dealt with the issue of overcrowding and gatecrashing from fans from other sections.
When queried by CNA Lifestyle, Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM), which manages the National Stadium and other parts of the Singapore Sports Hub, said that they added resources and barriers for the Mar 3 show, Swift's second night, to enhance crowd control measures, and that there have been no further reports of such situations since.
“We are aware of an incident involving enthusiastic patrons who rushed from their seats to be closer to the stage during the (The Eras Tour) concert on 2 March. When this was observed, our ushers and security teams sought the assistance of patrons to return to their seats,” added the KASM spokesperson.
“We seek patrons’ cooperation to stay in their designated sections and seats, and to practise good concert etiquette. We are committed to ensure the experience is a safe and enjoyable one for everyone.”
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After the first night of the Eras Tour kicked off in Singapore on Saturday (Mar 2), some fans took to social media to lament about their experience, including TikTok user @linmaxin, Alina.
In her video, the 23-year-old shared how she had spent S$1,800 on a VIP 1 package and was seated in PD1 – one of the sections closest to the diamond stage, where Swift spends a large portion of the concert.
Despite each ticket having an assigned seat, Alina said that many fans from other sections left their seats and encroached into her section.
"Instead of telling them to go back to their sections, (the security guards) pushed the extra people into our seated rows, and it just caused even more crowding," Alina said in the video, adding that it got to the point where it was “hard to breathe”.
Another Swiftie, Calista Wong, who was seated in PD3 of the VIP section, shared a similar experience.
In her TikTok video, the 22-year-old shared that people from the back sections started rushing towards the front, where she was, during opening act Sabrina Carpenter’s set, and got rowdier as the concert went on.
“When security started to come to disperse them, they refused to move. They continued to stand like there and the pushing just got more aggressive,” she said in the video, adding that even Swift’s security team started to intervene.
“I was wondering if Taylor noticed because the entire security crew came over, including her head of security, whom I recognised from photos,” she told The Straits Times.
Calista added that the situation improved after the concert’s Evermore era, around one hour into the concert. She said: “But I do know it took longer to resolve for the rows behind me. It really took some time to push everyone back... They just refused to budge.”
Other fans have also raised complaints. In the comment section of both their videos, Swifties shared the sections they were in and how they also dealt with the issue of overcrowding and gatecrashing from fans from other sections.
When queried by CNA Lifestyle, Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM), which manages the National Stadium and other parts of the Singapore Sports Hub, said that they added resources and barriers for the Mar 3 show, Swift's second night, to enhance crowd control measures, and that there have been no further reports of such situations since.
“We are aware of an incident involving enthusiastic patrons who rushed from their seats to be closer to the stage during the (The Eras Tour) concert on 2 March. When this was observed, our ushers and security teams sought the assistance of patrons to return to their seats,” added the KASM spokesperson.
“We seek patrons’ cooperation to stay in their designated sections and seats, and to practise good concert etiquette. We are committed to ensure the experience is a safe and enjoyable one for everyone.”
Continue reading...