I thought about the girls and boys I saw around the Morumbi stadium on Monday (13), at 8am, for the Rebelde show that would start in at least 12 hours. The thermometers showed 35ºC, they were dressed in white shirts, ties, high boots and fishnet stockings.
Market bags with snacks, which would be the basic food for the adventure, and little water were a recipe for tragedy. The maternal impulse is to send everyone home — what does a fence matter when life is at stake? But it’s difficult to explain this to young people, that is.
At Taylor’s show the heat was greater and there was no possibility of traveling. Dozens of people fainted — one of them was Ana, who lost her life. It would be necessary to drink much more than a glass of water to survive and the bill is expensive for teenagers and young adults who are too happy to think rationally.
Okay, Taylor thought for them. The impact is immeasurable in terms of emotion and financial loss: most had already purchased tickets for the previous tour, which was canceled during the pandemic. They eagerly awaited the new opportunity — if I get anxious at the shows I attend, imagine Taylor’s fans.
They traveled, convinced their mothers to accompany them, paid for hotels, booked a return ticket. Such a change of route. Months ago, I interviewed more than a dozen Taylor fans for a story about the friendship bracelets they traditionally exchange at shows. Some of them had made more than 600 bracelets in August and looked forward to the concert date as the only really important thing in life.