“ I’ve been going to concerts for 20 years, but I’ve never experienced this before.

These are crucial days for fans of pop star Taylor Swift, aka Swifties. To be able to buy another ticket you almost have to plan your days off and take your friends. also the morningJournalist Katherine Swartenbrooks is lining up for such a coveted ticket.

Hey Catherine, may I call you our editor Swiftie?

Katherine Swartenbrooks: “You can definitely call me one of my Swifties. (He laughs) In my case it started with her album 1989, although some fans think that makes me not a real Swiftie. Because I like famous albums like red So I found out later.

“but 1989 It was really a turning point for me in my appreciation of her music. It was around that time that I got to know her better as a person, because she knows how to play the internet well. For example, she’s very good with memes, is active on Reddit, writes a lot of her music herself, and now that she’s getting her masters back by re-recording, she also appeals to the imagination. Now that I know the person next to the artist better, I’ve also learned to put her music in a better context.

“It seems a bit duplicitous now because of the fuss over ticket sales, but she’s very committed to her fans.”

For the Non-Swiftie: What’s all the fuss about?

“So you had to register in advance for the presentation on June 20 or June 21. Then you had to decide which shows you wanted to go to, for example London and Amsterdam (Belgium skips them, Kuala Lumpur). On July 5, you’ll find out if you’ve been selected for this week’s presale and received the link to the sales, or if you’ve been put on a waiting list. Finally, ticket sales will be fully open on Monday, but the question is whether there will still be tickets.

Today the pre-sale started in Lyon, Paris, Vienna and some English cities etc. It went well in Vienna, but in Paris – where Ticketmaster is used – the pre-sale was stopped. I didn’t get a sales link myself, but a friend of mine was on the waiting list For both of us since this morning. There’s a theory that things went wrong in Paris because people with a sales link – for whatever reason – spread it further, so a lot of people ended up on the pre-show waiting list. But we don’t know that for sure. On Anyway, things are going terribly wrong, and there is little or no communication about it, and he feels very bitter.”

Why are you bitter?

“Not to fall into the language of TikTok, but I really was delulu (or delusion, if you have unrealistic expectations, KL). I really thought I could get to the pre-sale. I’ve been going to concerts and festivals for twenty years. I actually had to queue and it was embarrassing, but I’ve never experienced this. I can also imagine that many Europeans are now shocked and worried about whether this is the future of major pop concerts.

Because that takes a lot out of you. At first I jokingly said I’d take the day off of the pre-show. It wasn’t necessary now because I didn’t get a link, but it should be if you want to be able to keep an eye on your laptop all the time. That’s it. The method would be something for the happy few, and I don’t think that was the intention.”

What are the steps you have already taken to get a ticket?

“I signed up for the preshow for Paris, Amsterdam, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, and Vienna. Unfortunately, I was put on a waiting list at all of those places, so I didn’t get the sales link. That friend in the queue ahead of us got codes for Gelsenkirchen, Amsterdam, and Paris. But there’s also People entered the pre-sale list in six different cities.

Why does everyone suddenly want to go to Taylor Swift’s concert?

Of course there’s already a lot to do with the ticket sales process, but she’s also released a number of records with which she has yet to tour. In addition, her style is so diverse that many new fans have been added. Seven years ago, for example, it didn’t feel good. Really like saying you’re a Swiftie.

“Now I’m also ready to go the extra mile because it’s a great show. If you look at the pictures of the concerts I’ve already given in the US, you can see how much effort went into those concerts. How colossal and what atmosphere there is.

“Concerts are always great CommunityThe feeling and it’s very healing in a way to experience those big lyrical moments, for example. This is a huge check for being a fan and you get so much in return at such a time that it’s really worth it to me.

However, there is now a slightly toxic atmosphere due to ticket problems. For example, I’ve already read online reactions to ticket sales that some fans don’t deserve a ticket, because they only know about two CDs, for example. We’d still be sad if We were going to try to make music because of this Gate guard. ”

Do you expect him to score another ticket?

Yes, I’m still on vacation Lake Dilolo.” (Laughs)