It’s been a very long time coming, Swifties.
Today is formally the final day you should purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Australia for February 2024 – and the general tickets for all 4 Sydney reveals have now bought out inside two hours of the sale going reside. Now, Melbourne Swifties are preventing for tickets after it went on-sale at 2pm, with some nights already practically exhausted.
This week has been an absolute slog for followers of the wildly well-liked pop star, who introduced she was touring Australia solely weeks earlier. The Frontier pre-sale was utter pandemonium on Wednesday as literal tens of millions of followers logged onto the web site to score tickets, with costs starting from $79 to $379.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift live performance ticket fail breaks Sydney mum
There’s nonetheless hope for those that’ve missed out on tickets for the Sydney reveals, with some tickets for the Melbourne reveals nonetheless accessible by way of the Ticketek web site.
Expect numerous tears, hair-pulling, nervous twitching and, in fact, passionate Taylor Swift lyric recitals. Here, we’re live-blogging the ticket battle because it occurs. All instances in AEST.
3.40pm: Melbourne is formally (practically) bought out
Around one hour and 40 minutes after the Melbourne general sale kicked off, Frontier Touring confirmed the Friday and Saturday reveals at the moment are all bought out.
There’s nonetheless “limited” tickets for Sunday, although. And for those who’re prepared to spend (and let’s be actual, most Swifties are) you may have the next likelihood of nabbing VIP and Hotel +Ticket packages.
Fans on Twitter aren’t too glad although, with some admitting to ready hours to discover themselves nonetheless caught in the purgatory of the Ticketek lounge.
Good luck to anybody nonetheless preventing for tickets!
3.17pm: Swifties are discovering tickets in probably the most distinctive locations
After lots of of followers realised they might score tickets on the Ticketek workplace in Penrith, a bunch of Melbourne Swifties realised their native newsagency was promoting tickets too.
Emily, a Nine worker and massive Swift fan, had associates from Bendigo in Victoria line up at a newsagent, which is affiliated with Ticketek.
The fortunate followers managed to score two tickets to the Sunday present in Melbourne after ready two hours!
“They are hardcopy tickets,” a delighted and bemused Emily tells 9Honey.
There are six official companies in Victoria which promote tickets, together with City Central Newsagency in Bendigo, the place Emily and her friends scored tickets.
There’s additionally affiliated companies in each state besides NT. The solely ones in NSW are Penrith Panthers Leagues Club, Albury Entertainment Centre, First Inland City Newsagency in Goulburn and the Orange Civic Theatre.
Who would have thought a ticket-buying system from the ’90s could be in the present day’s saving grace?
2.54pm: Melbourne is almost bought out
Sorry to be the bearers of dangerous information, however Frontier Touring has confirmed there’s now “very limited” availability for two out of three of the Melbourne reveals.
Friday and Saturday have virtually been exhausted, however followers can nonetheless score tickets to the Sunday present.
Don’t lose simply hope but!
2.25pm: Swifties are securing Melbourne general sale tickets
It’s solely been 25 minutes however some fortunate Swifties are already scoring nice seats to one among Melbourne’s three reveals in February 2024.
Fans are taking to Twitter to share their glee with Ticketek after efficiently logging on and beating the timer to purchase tickets.
2.15pm: Fans nonetheless queueing up at Ticketek’s Penrith workplace
Taylor Swift’s affect will not be to be underestimated.
Cluey followers who realised Ticketek really has a bodily field workplace in Penrith are nonetheless lining up in-person to safe tickets for Melbourne’s three reveals.
One fan tells 9Honey they’re at present 222 in line to obtain tickets for Melbourne.
“Honestly it’s quite muted. Most people are here with at least one device trying to get tickets online.”
“It is very very very tense down here,” one other fan explains. “It’s packed to the brim.”
9Honey understands Ticketek reserves a sure variety of tickets for the bodily workplace for followers each time an artist is touring.
2.00pm: It’s Melbourne’s flip now
Are you prepared for it, Melbourne? After Sydney’s general sale tickets bought out in simply over two hours, Melbourne followers are logging onto Ticketek as soon as once more to score tickets to one among three reveals in Victoria.
After watching Sydney followers wrestle to get tickets as A-G choices have been exhausted shortly and solely VIP packages have been left on the finish, it stuffed numerous Melbourne followers with dread.
Twitter already is alight with followers desperately tagging Ticketek for updates whereas watching the blue line of doom on the Ticketek web site.
Nine worker Sindy tried to nab Sydney tickets throughout the pre-sale and in the present day with none luck, so she and her associates at the moment are desperately hoping for some luck in the Melbourne sale.
”After missing out on all Sydney tickets, we’re now trying for Melbourne (again). My three friends and our partners are all trying, plus my work pals have so kindly offered to sit in the lounge as well,” Sindy says. “Manifesting good vibes.”
1.44pm: ‘I did not even realize it was an possibility’
There’s a lot to be mentioned for the wonders of the web, nevertheless it appears the old-school technique can typically be the easiest way.
That appears to have been the case for some Swifties in the present day, with many forgoing the Ticketek web site in favour of queuing on the bricks-and-mortar field places of work – and we perceive there was loads of ticket-buying success to be had.
9Honey’s Georgia Weir “absolutely flew down” to the Ticketek workplace in Penrith together with her sister-in-law after sitting in the net ready room for hours, and was impressed by the graceful course of.
”We had no idea that this was still a thing,” she admits.
“There was only 50 people there. The line was moving quite quickly. Even though it was saying it was sold out online, everyone was still getting tickets here.
“I had one other buddy in Melbourne go down [to the Ticketek office] and he or she acquired two ground tickets, which is exceptional as a result of, principally, on-line … the prospect of you getting ground tickets could be zero to none. But she acquired them inside a minute, she mentioned there was noone [at the box office] in Melbourne.”
Georgia says she loves that Aussie fans have access to “old-school field places of work”: “It’s truthful, you’ll be able to get in line, you recognize precisely the place you might be and you’ll see everybody transferring by way of. It’s superb.”
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1.15pm: Happy ending for a 9Honey Swiftie
Some 9Honey teamwork has made the Eras dream work.
Associate producer Georgia is now the happy owner of a Taylor Swift ticket, thanks to her colleague Suzy, who managed to get through the Ticketek labyrinth on her behalf.
“When my work bestie referred to as me up I knew she had gotten by way of! Having a piece bestie has its perks!!” Georgia says.
“Being somebody who did not need tickets for myself, even a glimpse into the desperation felt by followers watching that blue line stream throughout the Ticketek display was disturbing,” Suzy provides.
“Although Swifties might benefit from the thrill of getting by way of and securing a ticket, I acquired the additional enjoyable of being the bearer of fine information, and telling my work bestie she was going to see Taylor in the flesh!”
Before hearing of Suzy’s success, Georgia had hotfooted it to the Ticketek office in Penrith, Sydney, in a last-ditch effort to score a ticket. ”I’m crying in panthers rn,” she said, sending through the photo above to the rest of us on Slack.
1.10pm: Huge side effect of Aussie Eras tours
For many fans, getting a concert ticket is only half the battle won.
Given the Bad Blood singer is only performing in two cities, hoards of ‘Swifties’ have already set their sights on the next task – securing hotels and flights to get them there.
The surge in demand (+9400 per cent for some properties!) has seen a host of hotels already fully booked, and flights selling fast. Read more about the huge uptick in demand at 9Honey Travel.
12.50pm: Haunting levels of dedication
Nothing screams ‘dedication’ like trying to nab a Taylor Swift ticket while on a ghost tour in New Orleans:
That was the reality for 9Entertainment’s Nicole Douglas, a dedicated Swiftie who’s on holiday in the US right now.
“This is scarier than any ghost,” she said of the dreaded blue line flashing across Ticketek’s lounge.
12.41pm: Sydney tickets dwindle further
The Monday show in Sydney is the only one left with any VIP and Hotel + Ticket packages available now.
12.19pm: MAFS‘ Dom is ‘screaming, crying’
There are brokenhearted Swifties all over Australia and NZ right now, but MAFS‘ Domenica isn’t one of them.
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Yep, Dom is one of the lucky ones, sharing her overjoyed reaction on TikTok after nabbing a ticket to see Swift – on her birthday, no less:
“SCREAMING, CRYING. The artist of my life, I lastly get to see Taylor Swift in live performance ON MY BIRTHDAY!!! 26/02/2024!!!!!” she wrote.
11.59am: Reminder: watch out for scalpers
Social media is already flooded with posts from individuals claiming to have tickets for sale, however Ticketek is reminding followers there is not any method to validate tickets that are not bought from the corporate straight.
11.51am: ‘Allocation exhausted’
Just underneath two hours into the general public sale, there’s some dangerous information for these vying for Sydney tickets. Unless, that’s, you are open to getting your mitts on VIP and Hotel + Ticket packages, that are nonetheless accessible for all 4 reveals:
Here’s what the ticket shopping for web page seemingly appears like for those that get by way of the lounge now.
The lodge packages are all $1000-plus.
11.49am: All gadgets on the prepared
If the dedication of Aussie Swifties was ever in doubt, check out this photograph from Abby and Charlotte, who’re in Sydney making an attempt to nab tickets.
There are eight – rely ’em, eight – gadgets logged in.
(And now we have now Anti-Hero caught in our heads: ‘I shouldn’t be left to my very own gadgets/They include costs and vices/I find yourself in disaster…’)
11.37am: ‘Limited availability’ for three Sydney reveals
We’re not even two hours into the sale for Sydney tickets and already there’s restricted availability for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday reveals.
Frontier Touring is urging followers to maintain making an attempt for all seating classes for the Monday present, and for ticket packages for all 4.
11.31am: ‘Here we go once more’
Nine News and Weekend Today reporter Sophie Walsh is among the many hundreds of followers again in the ticketing trenches in the present day after lacking out in Wednesday’s pre-sale.
Almost two hours in, she says on Twitter that “hope is fading”.
If you were watching TODAY on Wednesday morning, you might have recalled seeing Sophie waiting anxiously in the newsroom as Richard Wilkins roamed around, showing viewers just how many of his colleagues had the Ticketek lounge ticking away on their screens.
“I’ve been on right here since 7am and I’ve acquired zip,” she told Wilkins at the time. Watch the video below:
11.18am: What to do if you get timed out
More than one friend of 9Honey has had the heartbreaking experience of getting through to the buying page on Ticketek’s website, only to be cruelly timed out before the transaction was processed.
In a tweet to a fan in the same situation, Ticketek explains the onsite timer is designed to deter bots and scalpers.
“If you’ve got been timed out, head again to the occasion web page and while you’re let by way of to the shopping for web page, transfer by way of your buy shortly,” they advise.
10.54: A message from Taylor Swift
Swift has been quiet online as her Aussie fanbase descends into chaos, but the singer has shared an update on Twitter today.
…One entirely unrelated to the sale, but still, we’ll take what we can get.
It’s a trailer for the new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, featuring her music – including the very first snippet of Back to December (Taylor’s Version).
Swift’s caption ”Crying (Taylor’s Version)” does, nonetheless, sum up the expertise of many Aussie followers this week.
10.52: Important reside weblog replace
From 9Honey’s Jo Abi, who’s ready patiently in the Ticketek lounge:
10.47am: ‘Limited availability’ for Sydney’s Saturday present
Frontier Touring has issued a PSA for Swifties aiming to attend the Sydney reveals.
The Saturday evening live performance now has “restricted availability” for tickets, so you’re encouraged to try for Friday, Sunday or Monday instead.
The Monday, February 26 show was added to Swift’s Aussie concert lineup on Thursday after the pre-sale descended into chaos on Wednesday.
10.34am: ‘Unless you see Taylor live, you don’t get it’
While you wait in the Ticketek lounge (thoughts and prayers), why not watch Swiftie Jemima Skelley share her experience of attending eight Eras shows in the US?
“Every single individual there is having the time of their life,” she says.
As Jemima points out, even if you land tickets in ‘the nosebleed section’, Taylor will ensure you’ll still feel like you’re part of the show: “You nonetheless really feel so incorportated in the present … I can not let you know how magical the Eras tour is.”
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10.31am: Tickets reserved at box offices
We understand some fans have been successfully nabbing tickets in-person at Ticketek’s box offices – and that there are some tickets reserved there for patrons wanting to follow this approach to purchasing, rather than through the website.
10.17am: ‘I’m not expecting a lot of work to be done’
9Honey network editor Shauna Anderson has a bleak prediction for our productivity this morning.
“I’m glad the 9Honey readers are forgiving ones, as there will not be an terrible lot of content material produced for the following few hours,” she declares.
“I’m not likely anticipating an terrible lot of labor to be completed this morning, however as I sit right here making an attempt to get tickets myself… I perceive why.”
To show Shauna’s level, here is what one staffer’s setup at present appears like:
“I’m making an attempt on my telephone in the present day as effectively, however I’ve a brand new concept that I am unable to let my telephone display go away the Tiketek web page, so I am unable to even reply textual content messages!” Shauna adds.
“Let’s hope no faculty desires to discuss to me.”
10.14am: Fans see early success
Fans who waited fruitlessly for hours on end during Wednesday’s pre-sale might want to look away now.
It seems at least one Swiftie has scored tickets online within four minutes (yes, four) of the general sale opening:
Musician Brandon Woods shared his success on Twitter, adding in a comment, “Guys, the bottom line is to solely have one tab open on one gadget solely. Multiple tabs and a number of gadgets (even on completely different networks) will push you behind others; good luck!”
Ticketek has also confirmed via Twitter that the site is working as expected and fans are nabbing tickets:
We also understand some fans have been successful in securing tickets the “conventional method” by attending Ticketek field places of work in individual.
10.05am: Kicking it old-school
As we reported earlier, followers are usually not simply queuing on-line for Eras tickets, with many additionally hitting up Ticketek’s bricks-and-mortar places of work.
Penrith’s Western Weekender has simply proven us what that course of appears like, with queuing followers issued ‘wait listing’ tickets:
Is a bodily ticket stub preferable to that dreaded blue line on the web site?
Anyone who spent hours staring on the display on Wednesday to no avail would possibly suppose so…
10am: It’s go time!
The Sydney sale is formally underway, as this Slack standing noticed amongst 9Honey employees displays:
9.54am: ‘I used to be compelled to quit my tickets final time’
One Swift fan, who we’ll name Dorothea, tells 9Honey she’s decided to see the Eras tour after being compelled to miss out on seeing her final time she had tickets.
“For Taylor’s Reputation tour, I used to be compelled to quit my tickets once I instantly went in for coronary heart surgical procedure days out from the present. I used to be devastated,” she says.
“Years later, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by stunning individuals who have since promised that when Taylor returns they’ll rally alongside me to get me to the present.
“So today I have about 13 people who have sacrificed their time to get me, a diehard fan, to Taylor’s Eras Tour.”
9.27am: The Ticketek lounge fills up
It’s understood 800,000 followers are already ready in the Ticketek lounge forward of this morning’s sale for Sydney tickets.
9.33am: Reminder: Taylor loves us as a lot as we love her
This week has made one factor abundantly clear: Aussies bloody love Taylor Swift. And, as a resurfaced interview from 2014 proves, that love is reciprocal.
Nova has dug up an interview it did with the pop icon when she was Down Under selling her 1989 album, and in it, she declares Australia one among her “favourite places to be”.
“There’s such amazing crowds and such amazing fans that I just want to thank them for making this a place that I come, and I feel very at ease here, very at home, because I feel like they understand what I’m trying to do,” she advised the radio station.
9.19am: ’People are going to miss out’
We have not heard the phrase “unprecedented” bandied round this a lot for the reason that pandemic started, however sure, there is not any denying the demand for Aussie Eras tickets has been huge.
Appearing on Today this morning, tech guru Trevor Long has issued an essential reminder: persons are going to miss out.
“If there’s 50,000 people that are lucky to buy four tickets today, there’s going to be a million people disappointed,” he mentioned.
Long reminded followers not to refresh their Ticketek browser, and never to open a number of tabs inside one browser or on one gadget.
“I think maybe running a sneaky mobile phone and laptop, [you’re good],” he added.
9.04am: There’s a bodily queue, too
Hands up for those who’ve heard some variation of this in the previous week: “Back in my day, we used to have to camp outside ticket offices for hours to get tickets. You kids don’t even understand! Bah humbug!”
Yeah, us too. Well, it appears followers are throwing it again to ye olden days by queuing up exterior Ticketek’s places of work! And in accordance to one fan, the “vibes are immaculate”:
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Some Melbourne followers revealed in a Facebook group that they’d been ready since 7pm on Thursday.
Now that is dedication:
It’s additionally understood that is the case in Sydney, too.
8.40am: Swifties put together for The Great War
After the frenzy of Wednesday’s pre-sale, followers who missed out on tickets are placing their newfound knowledge to use for in the present day’s scramble.
9Honey’s Jo Abi, who’s hoping to purchase tickets as a present for her daughter Kitty and felt “deflated” after Wednesday’s showdown, says she’s “playing a longer, calmer game” in the present day.
“There will be three of us trying for tickets for my daughter – me, my partner and my daughter is going to log on from school because a lot of her friends are too,” Jo says.
“If we get tickets, great, if not, we tried. I am just so over this stress. It has ruined my week. Never want to do this again, ever.”
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8.30am: ‘I’d go to each present if I might’
If you are questioning whether or not the stress of securing tickets is value it, Jemima Skelley is right here to reassure you it’s.
The Swift stan has been to eight of the Eras reveals to this point, having flown to the US because the history-making tour kicked off.
“I’ve been called a ticket hog and financially irresponsible, but honestly I don’t care,” Skelley wrote for 9Honey yesterday.
“Seeing the Eras tour was one of the most surreal, happy moments of my life, and I’d go every single night if I could.”
If you are not too burnt-up with jealousy, you’ll be able to learn Jemima Skelley’s full account right here.
8.25am: Tips from a Ticketek insider
If the sight of the Ticketek lounge (beneath) leaves you in a chilly sweat after gazing it fruitlessly for hours throughout Wednesday’s pre-sale, effectively, you are not alone.
We cannot ease your ache by handing over free tickets, however we did chat with a Ticketek insider to reply all of your burning questions on how the buying course of really works.
You can learn all of the solutions right here, however the cliffnotes are as follows:
- There is not a “queue” when you’re in the Ticketek lounge, however always refreshing your browser is not going to assist, both. The insider tells us, “Refreshing your browser does not increase your chances of getting tickets.”
– It is not definitely worth the stress to sit on Ticketek for hours earlier than the sale kicks off. The insider tells us: “The randomisation starts once the on-sale commences, so there is no advantage for fans to jump on hours before. We recommend that fans log on 15 minutes earlier just so they are ready once the on-sale kicks off.”
– Despite rumours that logging on the Ticketek web site at work as your colleagues do the identical will kill your probabilities of getting tickets, the insider says this is not a difficulty.
They clarify that you probably have already made your method into the web site’s lounge, you have got already been verified as a fan (and never as a bot). This means a number of individuals logging in from one workplace location may be verified as followers on the similar time.
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