Tears streamed down Montrealer Anna Gentile’s face when she found out she’s among the tens of thousands of Swifties in Vienna whose Eras Tour dreams were crushed.
“I’ve been looking forward to this and counting down for a whole year. So you could imagine the disappointment when I woke up this morning and read my e-mail,” she said.
On Wednesday, Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Austria were cancelled after an alleged planned terrorist attack. Officials announced arrests over an apparent plot to use knives and explosives at one of the concerts and made two arrests.
Swift was scheduled to play the Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Gentile bought tickets for the Saturday show last year.
She described the moment she found out the concerts were called off as being in shock and in disbelief.
#WATCH: “Devastating,” is how Montrealer Anna Gentile describes the news of hearing that Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, Austria were cancelled due to an alleged planned terrorist attack. She bought tickets for the show a year ago.
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— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) August 8, 2024
“I went through so many phases and then I had this moment of like, ‘Okay, this is divine protection. The universe is protecting me like I wasn’t meant to be at that show. Something terrible could have happened,’” she said.
“I’m just like sad. I’m sad for all the other Swifties,” she said.
Montrealer Anna Gentile travelled to Vienna, Austria to see Taylor Swift. The three shows were cancelled on Agu. 7, 2024, due to a planned terrorist plot. (Courtesy: Anna Gentile)
Gentile described meeting several people that had travelled like she did. Some from the U.S. and some from Italy.
“There are so many people in this hotel alone that I was just crying this morning, I felt so bad,” she said. “I was just going around giving people hugs.”
Swifties in Vienna were determined to look on the bright side on Thursday – gathering in the streets to sing, dance and exchange iconic Taylor Swift friendship bracelets.
Gentile says she came out to see Swift not only for her show, but what she described as a sisterhood at the concerts.
Montrealer Anna Gentile travelled to Vienna, Austria to see Taylor Swift. The three shows were cancelled on Agu. 7, 2024, due to a planned terrorist plot. (Courtesy: Anna Gentile)
Friendship bracelets for Taylor Swift concert made by Anna Gentile. (Courtesy: Anna Gentile)
“I made bracelets to hand out to like people and trade them with. I bedazzled my own shoes. Like I was hunting for an outfit for months and months just trying to find the perfect fit for wear. So there was like a lot of planning that went into this and I honestly just feel sad that no one’s going to get to see it.”
Travelling to Europe for Gentile was the more affordable way to see Swift – instead of spending thousands of dollars for tickets to a North American tour date.
“We started looking at other places and Vienna is somewhere I always wanted to visit,” she said, “I’m a musician, I played at orchestra so being here is very meaningful for me, and I thought it would be the perfect place to see her.”
Montrealer Anna Gentile travelled to Vienna, Austria to see Taylor Swift. The three shows were cancelled on Agu. 7, 2024, due to a planned terrorist plot. (Courtesy: Anna Gentile)
But like other Swifties in Vienna, Gentile will try to “Shake It Off” and continue her European travels, as she waits for her ticket to be refunded and looks to find another way to catch an Eras Tour concert.
“I’m going to make it happen, somehow, some way I don’t know,” she said. “But obviously it wasn’t meant to happen here.
“My heart goes out to everyone and like I’m just glad that yeah the government caught it in time and we all are safe at the end of the day that is what’s important. So hopefully we can all find a way to see her.”