Taylor Swift: Fans snap up first available tickets for Eras UK tour dates
- Published
The first batch of tickets for Taylor Swift's 2024 UK tour have gone on sale, with thousands of people scrambling to secure their seats.
Fans who pre-ordered the star's latest album, Midnights, were given early access, with tickets for London and Edinburgh on sale from 11:00 BST.
More than 40,000 people joined an online queue, with none of the major problems that blighted Swift's US sale.
But some fans reported being kicked out after reaching the front of the queue.
"I was first in the queue for Taylor Swift tickets and Ticketmaster kicked me out of the queue for literally no reason," wrote one on Twitter. "There goes my chance at tickets."
Scottish National Party MP Gavin Newlands said he suffered a similar fate, external while trying to secure tickets for his daughter.
"Just as I got in, you kicked me out with an error," he wrote. "Now back in queue at 18,000 odd, with no chance of a ticket. Super."
Ticket prices revealed
Those who made it through found that tickets were priced between £58 and £194. General admission was £110, with standing tickets at the front of the concert priced at £172.25.
There were also VIP packages, which come with bonus merchandise and other perks, including early entry, which ranged in price from £196 to £662.
Swift's 13 UK concerts next summer are among the most in-demand the country has ever seen, with millions registering for the chance to see the pop superstar's first shows since 2018.
Although Ticketmaster hasn't revealed how many people signed up, the numbers are thought to be similar to Australia - where four million people enrolled for the chance to get one of 450,000 tickets.
The lucky fans who were successful on Monday were overwhelmed with relief. "I am fully sobbing in my room," wrote Zoe on Twitter., external
"Housemate Lucy got Taylor Swift tickets, so everything is now alright in the world and there is no tension in the living quarters," added singer Grace Davies., external
Further pre-sales on Monday afternoon also appeared to proceed smoothly, with fans rejoicing at their success by quoting one of Swift's lyrics: "We survived the great war."
However, the fan pre-sales are merely a trial run for the general sale, which takes place next week. With more tickets available, and more people trying to get hold of them, the chances of disappointment will increase.
Tips and hints on how to maximise your chance for success are below.
When is Taylor Swift playing in the UK?
Friday 7 June - Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium
Saturday 8 June - Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium
Sunday 9 June - Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium [new date]
Thursday 13 June - Liverpool, Anfield Stadium [new date]
Friday 14 June - Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
Saturday 15 June - Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
Tuesday 18 June - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
Friday 21 June - London, Wembley Stadium
Saturday 22 June - London, Wembley Stadium
Sunday 23 June - London, Wembley Stadium [new date]
Thursday 15 August - London, Wembley Stadium
Friday 16 August - London, Wembley Stadium
Saturday 17 August - London, Wembley Stadium
When do tickets go on sale?
The times have been staggered to make sure that ticketing systems don't get overwhelmed.
Here's how the tickets will be released for people who registered last month:
Monday 17 July 2023
11:00 - London, 21 June & Edinburgh, 7 June
13:00 - London, 15 August & Edinburgh, 8 June
15:00 - Edinburgh, 9 June
Tuesday 18 July 2023
11:00 - London, 22 June & Liverpool, 13 June
13:00 - London, 16 August & Liverpool, 14 June
15:00 - Liverpool, 15 June
Wednesday 19 July 2023
11:00 - London, 23 June
13:00 - London, 17 August
15:00 - Cardiff, 18 June
Is there any pre-sale?
If you pre-ordered Midnights from Taylor's official store, you should have received a pre-sale code by email. Bear in mind that it may have landed in your spam folder.
The pre-sales take place at the following times:
Monday 10 July 2023
11:00 - London, 21 June & Edinburgh, 7 June
13:00 - London, 15 August & Edinburgh, 8 June
15:00 - Edinburgh, 9 June
Tuesday 11 July 2023
11:00 BST - London, 22 June & Liverpool, 13 June
13:00 BST - London, 16 August & Liverpool, 14 June
15:00 BST - Liverpool, 15 June
Wednesday 12 July 2023
11:00 BST - London, 23 June
13:00 BST - London, 17 August
15:00 BST - Cardiff, 18 June
However, a pre-sale code does not guarantee you a ticket, and only a percentage of the total number of tickets will be reserved for the fan pre-sale.
What if I didn't pre-register for tickets?
Unfortunately, you're out of luck. Only fans who registered with Ticketmaster within three days after the dates were announced on 20 June can access the general sale.
Even then, they're not guaranteed tickets. Some will receive an on-sale code the afternoon before tickets go on sale. Others will be placed on a waiting list.
If you don't get a code immediately, don't panic. Taylor has already added an extra date in London, and there could be more to come.
How do I improve my chances of getting a ticket?
If you do get an access code, here are a few key pieces of advice.
Tickets will be sold via both Ticketmaster and AXS. Fans will be told in advance which site their code gives them access to.
Make sure your Ticketmaster or AXS account is up-to-date before the sale. Most importantly, add your credit card details in advance - more than one, if possible - to speed up the checkout.
Check that you know your login details. You don't want to lose your tickets at the checkout because you're dealing with password reset emails.
Log in early - at least five to 10 minutes before the sale starts. If you're late, tens of thousands of people will already be in front of you.
Don't use multiple devices or browser tabs. In the US pre-sale, Ticketmaster only allowed one device and one open page per account. Any extras may result in errors, which you definitely don't want.
Decide in advance what seats you want, and how much you're prepared to spend. Prices haven't been confirmed but based on Taylor's US and Australia dates, tickets are likely to start at around £49 for nosebleed seats, £95 for floor standing, with the top tier VIP packages valued at around £650.
Once you're in the queue, do not refresh your browser. That will put you to the back of the queue again. The page will refresh automatically.
Don't give up hope. I was number 389,831 in the queue for Beyoncé tickets earlier this year but, after two-and-a-half hours, the page came to life and I got pretty good seats.
Finally, keep checking back. Sometimes failed payments and website crashes mean other people lose their tickets after initially reserving them. Sometimes, you can find seats hours after the tour appears to have sold out.
How many tickets can I buy?
Customers are limited to four tickets each.
If you have access codes for more than one city, you will need to go through the process for each separate date.
What if I don't get in?
Don't panic buy tickets from unofficial websites. Scammers prey on fans' desperation, and there have been many cases of people listing fake tickets on dubious websites.
Secondly, keep an eye out for last-minute ticket releases. Often, a few seats become available in the days before a show, once the production has loaded into the venue. Keep checking Ticketmaster as the gigs get closer.
Last of all, trust in the power of Swifties. There are several accounts on Facebook, external and Twitter, external where fans trade tickets they can't use at face value, making sure the seats don't go to waste.
Again, however, keep an eye out for scammers. Immediately after the first batch of tickets went on sale, brand new Twitter accounts with no followers were offering seats at face value. They were almost undoubtedly fake.
What will the shows be like?
If you do manage to secure a seat, you're in for a treat. Taylor's latest tour is a three-hour extravaganza that looks back over each of her 10 studio albums.
The 44-song concert also incorporates a "one-off" acoustic set every night, with Taylor promising to play a different track at every venue.
So far, the acoustic section has included fan favourites like Mirrorball, Snow On The Beach and Getaway Car alongside more mainstream hits like Welcome To New York and her debut single Tim McGraw.
She's also been joined by special guests including country star Maren Morris, rapper Ice Spice, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and British singer Marcus Mumford.
Follow us on Facebook, external or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, external. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk, external.
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