Iain Dale 10am - 1pm
Monster on the hill? 40,000 Taylor Swift fans gather on nearby mountain to watch Munich show from above, police estimate
28 July 2024, 10:20 | Updated: 28 July 2024, 10:42
It is thought around 40,000 Taylor Swift fans gathered on a hill near Olympiastadion to watch the pop superstar's sold out in Munich.
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On Saturday night, Swifties not lucky enough to secure tickets to the Eras Tour gathered on Olympia Berg Hill - a nearby grassy overlook - with a vantage of the stadium which welcomed around 74,000 attendees.
This phenomenon seen in other cities is known as 'Taylor-gating' and saw fans gathering with blankets, umbrellas and snacks to watch the show without tickets.
Local authorities even set up toilets and drinks station in the park on the hill in preparation for the event.
Fans were quick to point out the mass gathering mirrored one of Swift's lyrics in her song Anti-Hero where the singer grapples with the idea that fame has made her too large for life.
"Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby and I'm a monster on the hill
"Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city
"Pierced through the heart, but never killed."
🚨| The entire hill outside the stadium at tonight's show of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in Munich, Germany filled with thousands of swifties! #MunichTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/gJ9jE3OCFr
— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) July 27, 2024
Swift even thanked the fans who had gathered outside the stadium.
The megastar said: "So this is my very first show that I've ever played in Munich,"
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming out and hang out with us tonight, giving us your Saturday night."She referenced the thousands of fans listening outside.
"Also we have people in a park outside of the stadium," she said.
"It makes us feel so incredibly welcome. We're gonna spend all night trying to make it up to you."
OLYMPIABERG DURING MARJORIE #MunichTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/ieU0YnFELB
— Liz ★ (@AdoreBuckley) July 27, 2024
The amount of fans gathered was especially beautiful during 'Marjorie,' a song about Swift's grandmother - who was an opera singer and whose backing vocals are included in the track.
As per the Swiftie tradition, fans lit up the torches on their phones.
'Taylormania' has been sweeping the world since the musical juggernaut kicked off her record-breaking Eras Tour last year.
Fans in their millions have turned out in droves to watch the 'Fearless' star take to the stage for her 3.5 hour show.
Read more: Taylormania has taken over London - why is everyone so obsessed with Taylor Swift?