On Wednesday evening, Swifties (as Taylor Swift fans are popularly known as) received ‘heartbreaking’ news. The influential pop star’s Eras Tour in Vienna had been cancelled after government officials confirmed a “planned terrorist attack”.
Fans from around the world, including Dubai residents Grace Ramos and Miguel Alcantara, had flown into Vienna to catch the sensation in concert this week. Ramos, 25, went to considerable lengths to attend the pop star’s concert tour.
Working in logistics at a company in Dubai, the Filipina pulled all the strings she could — even asking her employer for help with the visa — to be able to make it for the highest-grossing tour of all time. After spending nearly Dh10,000 — Dh8,000 on travel and almost Dh2,000 for her visa applications — Ramos finally made it to Vienna.
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After her visa applications were rejected twice, Ramos said she told her friend, “I think something is going to happen, that’s why God is redirecting me.” But she was overjoyed when her third attempt went through. KT earlier reported that UAE residents were struggling to secure Schengen visa appointments — with many forced to give up their dream of attending Swift’s concert tour altogether.
On reaching the airport, she said it felt “nothing short of a festival”, with children dressed to the nines and wearing sparkling outfits as the city celebrated Taylor Swift. However, soon after she reached her hotel, Ramos heard that the concert had been cancelled. “I was in shock and disbelief,” she said.
The heartbroken fan said she was “in denial” and double-checked all of the singer’s official accounts to confirm the news. She, however, consoled herself and those around her by saying cancelling the shows was “better than people getting hurt and traumatised if anything were to happen.”
Ramos later found out that 80 per cent of the occupants in the hotel she is staying at were visiting the city for the now-cancelled concert.
Miguel Alcantara, who accompanied Ramos to Vienna from Dubai, said that he felt terrible when the news came. Not a ‘Swiftie’ himself, he said that he had been “very excited for Grace to be a part of the concert”.
However, all is not lost. In a fan group she joined on social media, members are planning to host their own get-together while others intend to walk around Vienna in their Eras Tours outfits.
Nicole LeBlanc, a 26-year-old Dubai-based jewellery designer, landed in Vienna just after the announcement was made. “After having these tickets for a year, I am devastated. Landing in Vienna to this news was awful! The city will be full of thousands of sad Swifties.”
The British national’s “Eras dreams are over” as she doesn’t intend to fly to another city or attempt to make a grab at any other Eras tour tickets even though her refund has already been credited.
UK concerts in question?
Hundreds of Swifties are now taking to social media to question if the upcoming concerts in London will still be held after security concerns were raised in Vienna and with the ongoing riots in the UK.
Violence broke out in the UK after three girls aged nine, seven and six were killed and five more children critically injured during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England. The incident took place on July 30 and the country has been battling riots for over a week since.
Dubai resident Olivia Dale, who hopes to attend the concert on August 17, said that she and other attendees are worried that the event will get cancelled.
The 21-year-old said that she can see police “have come down from the West Midlands and are everywhere”, ramping security ahead of the major event.
Her mother Sarah, has said that while she is “concerned” because of the latest developments, she is “not freaking out”.
She said she completely trusts local police and emphasised that “everybody’s — and especially Taylor’s — safety is paramount”.