After an exhilarating journey across the United States that raked in billions of dollars and set records for both crowd size and seismic activity, Taylor Swift is now extending her Eras tour to South America, where dedicated fans have been queuing up for an astonishing five months.
In Buenos Aires, a devoted group of Swifties has established a makeshift camp outside the River Plate Stadium, which will serve as the opening venue for her Latin American leg, hosting three shows from November 9 to 11.
According to a report from Pitchfork, this makeshift community comprises four tents and hundreds of fans, each adhering to a meticulously planned rotation schedule to ensure the tents remain occupied at all times. The majority of fans have secured general admission tickets, with the primary goal of getting as close to the stage as possible once the doors swing open.
Pitchfork revealed that an internal spreadsheet, managed by two organizers and maintained by assigned administrators, tracks the activities of roughly 60 individuals per tent. Although most campers are young women, no one under 18 is allowed to participate.
The established system includes a set of rules that leaked online when the camping phenomenon began in June. Members are obligated to spend at least one overnight shift in the tents and commit a minimum of 60 hours per month. While no one is compelled to abandon their daily responsibilities entirely to manage the tents, those who dedicate the most time have a better chance of securing prime spots at the show.
“We’ve been in this tent for five months,” a 21-year-old Swiftie shared with the music publication. “I usually tell my dad I’m at a park… or visiting a friend of mine who lives near the stadium.” She chose to remain anonymous to avoid detection by her father.
Another fan disclosed to Pitchfork that her mother was aware of her camping endeavor and permitted her to participate on the condition that she performed well in her college exams. “The fact that there are so many people makes things easier,” she remarked. “We all have different schedules, and you fit yours amongst them.”
Unfortunately, the dedicated group has had to endure harassment and criticism from passersby. “People are very upset with us camping for some reason,” one fan 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… aren’t you supposed to work tomorrow?’”
Swifties are renowned for their meticulous organization as a fanbase. Last December, a faction of American fans filed a class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster, alleging a “disastrous” experience while attempting to secure tickets for the Eras tour. The fanbase has also initiated campaigns against fashion brands, music critics, and Swift’s former partners.
The Eras tour commenced in March of this year and is set to continue until 2024 following the conclusion of its Latin American leg this year. In October, a concert film, pieced together from three live recordings of Swift’s Los Angeles shows, swiftly became the highest-grossing concert film in the US after just one weekend.
