Coldplay offers comfort to Vienna-based Swift fan with a Swift-inspired tune
At their initial performance in Vienna, Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, had an unexpected treat for the sad Swifties who missed Taylor Swift's shows due to a potential terror threat. He planned to perform a cover of a Taylor Swift song as a form of solace.
Just over a fortnight after three successful gigs by Swift in Vienna got cancelled due to terror concerns, Coldplay took to the stage in the Austrian capital. Martin and his bandmates were aware of the situation in Vienna beforehand. The singer admired the Swifties' unity, who had peacefully demonstrated in the city center for three days, supporting each other by singing Taylor Swift songs together. Videos of these fans spread across the globe.
Martin spotted some Swifties in the Coldplay crowd as well. He invited two of them up on stage and joined them for a rendition of Taylor Swift's popular tune "Love Story", with Maggie Rogers serving as the guest musician, who had warmed up the audience with her performance earlier. Rogers shared their joint performance on her Instagram account, captioning it, "With love from Vienna."
Taylor Swift finally breaks her silence
Perhaps a small comfort for the nearly 200,000 fans who had been disappointed by the early August cancellations. Despite the Austrian authorities arresting two suspects and averting a planned terrorist attack on Swift's shows, the concert organizers cancelled all three events scheduled for August 8, 9, and 10.
A day after wrapping up her European "The Eras Tour" concert in London, Swift addressed the Vienna incident for the first time via a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday evening. "The cancellation of our shows in Vienna was heartbreaking. The fear and guilt that arose from the incident was overwhelming since many had planned to attend these concerts", she wrote. However, she also expressed gratitude towards the authorities, stating, "I am thankful because, due to their intervention, we grieved the loss of concerts, not lives."
The Coldplay concerts in Vienna are taking place under heightened security measures in light of the attempted attack - even though no particular threat was reported by the Viennese authorities. Fans attending the Coldplay shows can expect strict security measures, including thorough checks at entry points, large security zones, and stringent access control systems. A substantial number of police officers, along with specialized units, are expected to be present at the venue.
The scheduled concerts in Vienna are part of Coldplay's extensive, more than two-year-long world tour. Apart from performing in Vienna on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of August, they will also play shows in Ireland. In late October, they are scheduled to play several concerts in Australia, concluding their tour in New Zealand on November 16.
After the cancellation of Taylor Swift's concerts due to a terror threat, Coldplay acknowledged the situation and performed under heightened security measures during their shows in Vienna. The terrorism threat continued to loom over the city, leading to stringent security measures at the Coldplay concerts.
