As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour rolled back into the UK, I managed to score last-minute tickets at face value after months of waiting and constant disappointment. Despite initial concerns about the view, the experience was nothing short of great. Here’s a detailed account of my unexpected adventure and why it was worth every penny.
It happened. After months of disappointment and frantically sitting on ticket resale sites, an email dropped into my inbox from AXS ‘Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour – Wembley Stadium, London – More Tickets Released’
Getting last minute tickets for Taylor Swift at face value – yes, actually
“You’ve been selected from the waitlist to participate in the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour ticket sale, powered by AXS, for the on-sale for the following dates: 21st, 22nd, 23rd June – Wembley Stadium, London. A limited supply of production hold tickets for the dates above of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour have been released and are on sale NOW.”
I had signed up for the waiting list with absolutely no expectations over a year ago, and 4 days before I somehow got a chance for a golden ticket. “Production seats” is often code for seats that they previously thought were unsellable due to terrible views. As with anything Swiftie, they thought people would go for it – and they were right. I was so quick to get the tickets into my basket that I didn’t even pay attention to the seat and block numbers; I would have stood in the toilets inside Wembley stadium and listened through a cup on a string to be there. But as I excitedly shared with everyone I knew that I’d got one, people were quick to point out that as I’d only paid £65, it would inevitably be rubbish.
I looked up the seats on the AXS website and was slightly disappointed to see they were actually a little bit behind the stage. Fortunately a quick search of the hashtags showed that there were at least screens for my section so I got on with the business of spending an absolute fortune on trains and hotels and working on my outfit.
Getting to Wembley
As we got the tube to Wembley, every stop yielded more and more people clearly going to the same event, and the feel was incredibly festive by the time we pulled in; thoughts and prayers for the cleaners who would have been sweeping up glitter all night. On arrival at Wembley, the walk up to the stadium was worth the price alone. It was a festival of joy; glitter, friendship bracelets, mutual outfit appreciation and the surreal disbelief that we had all been the lucky ones who had got tickets.
It was a well oiled machine getting people into the stadium; QR codes at the ready, and it was a queue you didn’t mind being in, but it was less than 10 minutes even if you did. Pro tip, make sure you look out for venue staff as you get through the gate as they’ll be giving out bracelets that are not only a brilliant free keepsake, but they’re important later. I nearly walked past in my hurry to get in, but fortunately another fan stopped me and told me to turn back, noticing I didn’t have one (thank you, whoever you were).
The cons of the cheap seats
When we got to our seats, we were surprised and delighted with the view. The tiered seating gave us a panoramic vantage point and we could see (almost) the full run of the stage; everything except the bit under the covered hood- but the screens all over the stadium do have you covered for that. Admittedly you don’t get the full experience from the screen; the cameras typically focus on being tight to Taylor herself rather than the extravaganza of background dancers and staging so you do miss bits. But realistically there was probably 20 minutes across the 3 + hour show where you couldn’t see her with your own eyes.
The pros of the cheap seats
For one, you are in seats. The concert was a marathon and having somewhere to sit to appreciate the slower numbers was a dream, as was having my own square to put down drinks and popcorn (that did cost a fortune, unsurprisingly). And it really does feel like every person’s view was considered in the staging of the show. Taylor used every inch of the stage, and had dancers and activity for every angle, and a bonus for those in the high seats, the stage itself played a part in the show with graphics and colours throughout, that were exclusively for those with a more birds-eye view. Whilst we weren’t close enough to feel we could make eye contact, we had a thoughtful bit of the show that was just for us. The extra height also allowed you to keep an eye on the comings and goings in the VIP area – we spotted someone who looked like Paul McCartney and took to Twitter to confirm it was, in fact, him. If I had any doubts I had the hottest ticket in town, a quick look at who was on the guestlist firmly laid them to rest.
The noise level
One piece of advice; you will not be prepared for the walls of noise. The crowd response was like nothing I’ve ever experienced – the combination of a big, beautiful band, speakers everywhere and the decibel of the screaming at fever pitch. It was amazing, but it was overwhelming at times, so if you’re someone sensitive to noise or are taking a smaller child, it’s worth bringing along headphones, or investing in Loops. Both people I was with had them, and it allowed them to control and cut out background noise without losing any of the experience. I was skeptical about them until I had a turn.
Was it worth having the worst seats in the stadium for Taylor Swift Eras Tour?
I cannot recommend it enough. Whilst the tickets were £65, and it cost a few hundred to travel to London and stay overnight, and I still consider it a bargain for the night I had. And that is before you consider I would have paid a similar ticket price to see the 45 minute set from Paramore, the support act. Realistically, I would have paid a lot more for that exact experience. I had £400 in my head as my top of budget cost for any seat I could get my hands on, and if I had paid it, it would have still felt like value for money. The seats towards the roof are not an afterthought, and Taylor Swift delivered a masterclass in terms of staging, production values and somehow making you feel included in a stadium full of thousands.
Keep an eye on your emails if you were on the waiting list. It could still happen.
