We at Inspire the Mind would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by the tragedy at Southport.
Trigger warning: This article mentions violence and terrorism, which might be distressing to some readers.
Taylor Swift has been a household name for quite some time now. But ever since she embarked on her world-famous, record-breaking Eras Tour in March last year, not a day goes by without mention of her. I wrote part one of this series in June when she performed at Wembley for 3 nights, which you can read here. After having the incredible opportunity of getting tickets to see the show live on the 16th of August, I am back with a new addition to my ‘Swiftie series’ as I playfully call it, this time focussing on the concert experience.
Before I proceed to talk about the concert, I’m mindful of the events that have transpired over the past month, relating to the Eras Tour in general, and Taylor Swift herself. On the 29th of July, a knifeman attacked a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance event in Southport, England. Very sadly, three young girls, aged 6,7, and 9 lost their lives, with many others being injured. As a Taylor Swift fan, it makes me extremely upset to think that an event designed to bring joy, fun, and excitement had such a horrifying ending, especially since music is something meant to unite people of all ages. My heart goes out to all the families and loved ones affected, and I extend my deepest condolences.
Further, on the 7th of August, the day before Taylor Swift was set to perform in Vienna for three nights, her shows were cancelled, due to confirmation from the Austrian government of a planned terror attack. The details that emerged about this thwarted attack were rather grim, with the suspect planning to “kill as many people as possible.” This news brought to mind the horrific bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017, which led to the deaths of 22 people, including children.
In fact, the news from Vienna and Southport instilled such a sense of fear in me, that I stopped looking for tickets for the second leg of performances in London, which I had made my mission for the past year. I was incredibly lucky to find tickets the morning of the show on the 16th of August, which I decided to purchase after learning about Wembley Stadium’s safety precautions. Even then, every loud sound and every commotion in my peripheral vision made me anxious. As the show drew to a close and we began to exit the stadium, I was quite anxious as I could not shake the thoughts of the horrific Ariana Grande concert bombing. It made me quite upset to think that an event which I had been waiting for, for such a long time had a sense of anxiety and fear surrounding it. When I finally reached home that night, I thanked my stars that I made it safe and sound. I wouldn’t have imagined that those would be the thoughts in my head after the concert, instead of the positive memories I’d made that day.
Amid the negativity and fear surrounding large concerts, I constantly remind myself that these places bring people together, for a common, shared hobby: a love for music. That being said, I’d like to shift focus to something more positive. Numerous media outlets have spoken about the Eras including a BBC article I recently came across talking about fans experiencing “post-concert amnesia”. The power of social media introduced me to Laura and Anum, both avid Swifties who went to concerts in different cities. I sat down to chat with them about their experiences of watching the Eras Tour live. (For context, these conversations were before the events at Southport and Vienna took place, and before I secured tickets myself).
A little bit of background:
First, I spoke with Laura, a researcher who has been working in the field of neuroimaging for 5 years, with a special interest in psychosis and cognition. Outside of work, she enjoys live music and going to concerts. She’s been a fan ever since the beginning of Swift’s 18-year-long career when her Debut Album was first released.
My next chat was with Anum, a Senior Research Manager at Wellcome in the Mental Health Field Building Team, with a background in psychiatric research. Anum has supported Taylor Swift since her famous song “Love Story”, from the Fearless Era. Whenever a new song or album was released, she’d listen to it, but she became a “really big Swiftie” around age 17 or 18.
What they both spoke about, which is a common sentiment shared by all three of us, is that there is a “Taylor Swift song for every mood”. Both talked about how they’ve grown up with her music, and as young girls, her lyrics spoke to them. I for one relate to this, with memories of singing “Our Song” as an 8-year-old in my hometown to dancing to the song “22” on my 22nd birthday in London.
Experiencing the Eras Tour live- does post-concert amnesia exist?:
I was intrigued by the BBC article that spoke about post-concert amnesia because, to be honest, I didn’t experience it. I remember every little detail, both, from embedding them in my head, and recording key moments on my phone. But what about Laura and Anum?
Laura had the opportunity to attend the Eras tour more than once, and each day was a different experience, all very emotional. As she attended the concert in different cities, she spoke of how it was quite intense leading to her not remembering parts of the show. She referred to it as a “blackout type of excitement.” From a neuroscience perspective, she spoke about how the intensity of emotions experienced could lead to an amnesia-like feeling.
Anum’s experience was similar to mine. She tried to embed “every bit of it” in her brain so she wouldn’t forget the experience. She remembers all the details of the show she attended in June, and she too, attended more than one.
The common themes that emerged from these conversations relate largely to the pure joy of experiencing the show live. Since the concert film was released on Disney+, I have rewatched it countless times. Yet, when I saw her come out on stage for the first time in front of me, it was an entirely different experience. In fact, to remember the moment forever, I had my video camera on, to record my raw, immediate reaction. And that is something that brings a smile to my face every time I watch it. At that moment, I’d forgotten about the anxiety and fear leading up to the show that was at the back of my mind.
With the European leg of the Eras tour now wrapped up, I now reflect on everything I’ve spoken about in this article. Concerts and music-themed events are meant to spread joy, to bring people together, and be a place of positivity. They’re not meant to be a place of violence, of terror, of sadness and death. Especially for all of Swift’s youngest fans. A vast amount of literature talks about how experiences of childhood trauma have a negative impact on mental health and overall development across a person’s lifetime. It is my hope that concerts remain a safe place for fans, a place of joy, and a true appreciation of music.
