For hundreds of thousands of Swifties, this past week and the one ahead represents nothing short of a transcendent experience. We’re halfway through the seven sold-out shows of the Australian leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and no one in attendance - from seasoned music journos and celebrities to tweens and their mums - has been immune to the transformative, wholesome magic of seeing Taylor live in concert.
Missy Higgins posted a video of herself crying with joy in the crowd. Zan Rowe and Virginia Trioli gushed about their nights in multi-slide posts. In an online world increasingly divided, one fact remains beyond contention: seeing the Eras Tour in concert is a spiritual experience.
For those who missed out on tickets however, the onslaught of concert content from tearful, ecstatic attendees has made it a particularly cruel summer. What really twists the knife, say those who didn’t manage to score a seat, is watching some concert goers attend multiple nights of the tour.
Several disappointed fans have taken to social media to air their heartbreak, labelling Swifties who attend multiple shows as "selfish".
Sydney mum-of-three Carey*, whose nine-year-old mega fan missed out on tickets, says that the practice of buying tickets to multiple shows is "hella selfish".
"What are they gaining from seeing the same show multiple times? If they don’t see the second, third and fourth nights, are they really missing out?" she asks.
"And is that anything compared to the little girl who is currently devastated and watching her friends make friendship bracelets and plan their outfits? They should have stopped at one show and let someone else enjoy the experience."