Taylor Swift fans are known not only for their love of the singer but also for their close camaraderie with each other. And a group of women in Argentina proved recently that they do more than make friendship bracelets to trade at shows. They take care of each other, and will even hold each other’s spot in line for the Buenos Aires Eras Tour concerts, which started last night, for months.
Insider interviewed Swifties who anxiously awaited the Nov. 9, 10 and 11 concert dates at Monumental Stadium, also known as Estadio River Plate. These fans were so eager to get as close as possible to the stage that they had been camping outside the stadium for five months.
MORE: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ announces Taylor Swift night
Pit seating does not have assigned seats. Instead, the spots are given on a first-come, first-served basis. You might imagine this would mean that Swifties would get to the concert as early as possible the day of the concert, but that’s amateur stuff. Instead, these fans began to camp out outside the arena as early as June.
“I managed to snag my ticket with a bunch of fellow Swiftie fans,” one young woman told Insider. “Being close to Taylor now means the world to me; who knows when the next chance will come?”
This sentiment was repeated by others on social media, like Conz Preti at @conz on X, who explained that musical artists don’t always come to her country.
I hate that Argentines are being mocked for camping for months to see Taylor Swift.
We don't get 52 dates of the same concert. Artists come sparingly throughout their careers, so maybe you get to see your favorite one once in your life. https://t.co/lHMc8O9FUY
— Conz Preti (@conz) November 7, 2023
According to Insider, the campers were made up of five “Carpa” groups consisting of about 50 people per group. (“Carpa” means to pitch a tent or camp out in Spanish.) Crew members rotated turns in line so that there was always someone on hand to keep their position. The group had a general no-posting policy, although some media outlets were able to come in and take images.
These tents ran on an organized schedule that took work and school into account, but the campers — mostly middle-class women in their 20s — logged plenty of hours, including mandatory sleepovers, in their quest to be the first in line. There was a hierarchy, and those who spent the most time in the tent were given priority. Of course, these women also built a community while they were at it. Some have done this for other artists as well, so it’s becoming a cultural movement.
As mentioned in the tweet above, though, not everyone was happy about the campers. Since soccer games still took place at the stadium, the Swifties said that the footballers would call them “bad luck” if they lose — but would also credit them if their team won. Other women reported that they were mocked on social media or accused of not having a life.
There were also issues of safety in the face of bad weather and crowded conditions after games, although police were mostly helpful.
MORE: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour bonuses might surpass bankers’ bonuses this year
“People are very upset with us camping for some reason,” a Swiftie named Carmen told Pitchfork. “Sometimes you’re lying down, and you hear someone scream ‘Go to work!’ at 2 a.m. It’s like, ‘You’re the one who’s outside of a tent shouting at 2 in the morning — aren’t you supposed to work tomorrow? Does it really affect you that much? I’m the one who’s sleeping on the street, not you.’”
But these women are adults, students and busy professionals who simply happen to love Swift and were clever enough to come up with a cooperative and inclusive way to support each other. And it’s worth noting that gamers, football fans and Disney lovers have all been known to wait in line for hours and even days, too.
Now, the tour has finally made it to Argentina, and fans are showing up for the star and making it a great show.
There was a lot of energy and love in the stadium at last night’s concert, as noted by @Trusfrated_TSJK on Twitter.
Argentina Swifties didn't disappoint. I have not seen a single video where the crowd wasn't louder than anything I've ever heard! Even for the surprise song they were so loud!!! #TaylorSwiftTheErasTour #TheErasTourArgentina
— Augustð©µ| Golden
(@Trusfrated_TSJK) November 10, 2023
Swift even gave the campers a shout-out.
“The fact that we have a crowd this passionate, this generous,” Swift said while performing “Champagne Problems,” as reported by USA Today. “It’s magical. I heard that you guys were camping out, which that is so above and beyond. I actually didn’t believe it until I saw a video of you doing it.”
SIGN UP for the Simplemost weekly newsletter
Any products or services mentioned above were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
