Photo: AFP
Are you a Swiftie with no tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts at the National Stadium? Try being an usher instead.
That is what a fan of the American superstar did when she could not secure tickets to any of Swift’s shows.
Farah (not her real name) landed a one-off gig as an usher for concert patrons on the first two days of Swift’s six-night run, on March 2 and 3.
The 49-year-old Singaporean, who has a full-time job as a communications executive, did not have time to camp for tickets when they went on sale in July 2023.
She offered up to S$1,700 for a resale ticket, but did not manage to find a suitable one from a trustworthy source.
Farah, who is single and celebrates her 50th birthday this month, had hoped to attend the concert as a gift to herself.
She tells The Straits Times: “As the concert dates drew nearer and my chances to secure a ticket got increasingly bleak, I changed tack and asked my network if anybody could introduce me to a job in the concert space.
“My friends immediately thought I would make a great usher, so they suggested that I apply through a proper job link.”
Farah secured a group interview with a recruitment agency just days before Swift’s opening show. She made it clear to the interviewers that she applied for the job because she is a fan of the star.
She recalls: “The other two candidates were students on vacation and they laughed when they heard this aunty’s story. They didn’t quite believe me, but it was the truth.”
After the interview, Farah had to complete an e-learning programme that taught her how to perform her role. She also passed an assessment before she was allowed to work.
She was assigned to the floor section for her shifts, which lasted from 3 to 11pm on both days.
Despite being a Swiftie like most of the enthusiastic 50,000-strong crowd, Farah said she stayed professional, and did not sing or dance along to the music. Moreover, she was often not facing the stage, since she had to watch the audience members.
“I was pretty busy the whole time. I was walking up and down, fans would come up to ask for directions to the toilet, I also had to nudge some people back to their seats when they left them. There was also no live-streaming allowed, so I had to keep an eye on that. I think I did a good job.”
Farah did not encounter any unruly or unreasonable patrons during her shifts.
She says: “I soaked in the atmosphere. I was assigned to a spot where a lot of the VIP ticket-holders would pass by, so I got a good view of all the effort people put into their outfits.
“When the crowd sang, the sound was just coming straight at me. If I had sat in the crowd, I would not have had this ‘surround sound’ experience.”
While Farah had a job to do, she still managed to experience a crucial part of The Eras Tour fan experience.
On both days, after her shift ended and she changed out of her uniform to head towards Stadium MRT station outside the National Stadium, teenage girls seated at the section where she was assigned approached her and gave her friendship bracelets.
Swifties exchange friendship bracelets due to lyrics from Swift’s 2022 song You’re On Your Own, Kid, which reference the accessory.
Farah found the overall experience interesting, but reckons she will not do it again for other artistes – not even Swift.
“Ushers get to enter the venue for free, but honestly, that’s not attractive to me because you do have to work. If I could have bought a ticket, I would,” she says.
“But I had more takeaways than I expected and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to do this.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
