Current:Home > FinanceTaylor Swift fans wait in 90-degree temperatures for doors to open in Madrid -AssetLink
Taylor Swift fans wait in 90-degree temperatures for doors to open in Madrid
View
Date:2025-04-20 16:59:05
MADRID — Temperatures in the mid-90s beat down on Taylor Swift fans waiting hours ahead of doors opening to her first night of the Eras Tour in the city. Luckily for many in line, the stadium's curvy upper lip provided shade.
"We've been here more than 24 hours," says Belen Falla, who sat at the very front of the VIP line in a purple "Speak Now" dress with butterfly wings. "I'm coming from Peru, and this is my dream. I've always dreamed of coming half my life to see Taylor Swift."
Falla brought a blanket to sit on, an umbrella to provide shade and friendship bracelets to trade.
"The shade is so nice," she says. "I've seen a lot of people pass out at concerts. I think we're quite lucky."
Behind Falla, Sofia Lopez wore a "Folklore" inspired green dress.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
"I am worried about the heat," Lopez says. "I brought a lot of gummies for the sugar to give me fuel. I've drank water this whole morning, and I'm going to try and finish before 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. so that I'm hydrated and then I'll just go to the bathroom before going in."
The Last Tour is the company tasked as the event producer for Madrid. Its website said opening act Paramore will take the stage at 6:45 p.m. with Swift performing at 8 p.m. Security on-site said portable chargers are not allowed inside. With the heat, fans can bring in a plastic bottle 50 cL's or less. There are a list of forbidden items on the Last Tour website.
Hayley Groff came from Washington, D.C., with her sister. You could see her custom friendship bracelet jacket shine in screaming color.
"It is every single song beaded in the different eras," she says, spinning around to show the hard work that took weeks. "I love friendship bracelets. 'You're On Your Own Kid' is my favorite song. I feel like she wrote it for me."
"Last night at dinner we had a family debate," her sister, Stephanie, chimes in. "I'm the planner, and I mentioned it was going to be in the 90s. I definitely want us to be safe. Somehow I convinced her to go with shorts."
Stephanie's bag contained water bottles and sunscreen among Swift merchandise.
"Health comes first," Stephanie says. "That's why I'm happy there's two of us, because if one needs to use the bathroom, the other can stay put and so on."
Swift sold out two nights at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, home of the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. She announced a second performance at the beginning of the year after Spanish Swifties pushed for an additional night. More than 450,000 requests to obtain a ticket flooded the Ticketmaster system last summer. The Santiago Bernabéu stadium sold 85,000 tickets each night, according to Seat Pick.
Madrid is nicknamed "el foro," which means the forum or a place where matters of economic, political and historical significance are discussed. Swift's tour has an interest in all three of those sectors. Swift will head next to Lyon, France, and perform on Sunday and Monday.
Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.
Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
veryGood! (9276)
Related
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Israel strikes in and around Gaza’s second largest city in an already bloody new phase of the war
- The Excerpt podcast: Retirees who volunteer in their communities can have a huge impact.
- MLB Winter Meetings: Live free agency updates, trade rumors, Shohei Ohtani news
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Virginia home explodes as police attempted to execute search warrant
- The crypto industry is in the dumps. So why is bitcoin suddenly flying high?
- At COP28 summit, activists and officials voice concern over Gaza’s environment, devastated by war
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Wisconsin pastor accused of exploiting children in Venezuela and Cuba gets 15 years
Ranking
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Germany and Brazil hope for swift finalization of a trade agreement between EU and Mercosur
- Governor rebukes Philadelphia protesters for chanting outside Israeli restaurant
- International Ice Hockey Federation to mandate neck guards after the death of a player by skate cut
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- Top players in the college football transfer portal? We’re tracking them all day long
- Brutal killings of women in Western Balkan countries trigger alarm and expose faults in the system
- Wisconsin pastor accused of exploiting children in Venezuela and Cuba gets 15 years
Recommendation
South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
From 'The Bear' to 'Jury Duty', here's a ranking of 2023's best TV shows
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly visits Rwanda to try to unblock controversial asylum plan
Judges reject call for near ban on Hague prison visits for 3 former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
Minnesota, Wisconsin wildlife officials capture 100s of invasive carp in Mississippi River
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Break Silence on Affair Allegations After Year of Hell”
UN agency cites worrying warming trend as COP28 summit grapples with curbing climate change