If you ever spend a minute or two on Twitter, you’ll see the classic “RT this is if you’re a real Taylor fan” kind of post. You might also hear someone speak about how many stuff they have, or know about the Outspoken One.
I know it’s all part of the usual fan-bragging but I’ve met quite a few people that know exactly, for real, what it means to be a hardcore fan. They know it’s not what you get, but how much you had to go through to get there.
In my post for Taylor’s birthday, Have an Outspoken, Fearless, Enchanted and Sparkly 22nd Birthday, Taylor Swift!, I wrote the following paragraph:
For Taylor we stay late, lose sleep, ride halfway around the country, spend more than we can afford, be judged as a crazy person by people that walk by and it’s all to catch a glimpse, hear her voice and all of that ends up in us not being the person who gets a hug nor a chance to meet her. Why do we do it then? Still all worthwhile to see her smile. (source)
If I might add a bit to that, I’d like to say sometimes it hardly seems worth it, right? Sometimes getting to a concert has meant more than just the money. Sometimes you’ve had your entire family mad at you. Sometimes you lose your best friend over it, or even all of them. After all that effort, you probably even realize you did some growing up during the entire experience. Unfortunately for the true fan, it’s never simple, never easy. By miracle or luck, we achieve it but getting there requires determination.
For a casual fan, this will be ridiculous. You just get a ticket and show up. All what I said didn’t make any sense. But a few people know there’s a few dragons to fight and a lot of walls to break through when you want that one more, that one last concert. It was that way for me.
After the last Speak Now concerts in Madison Square Garden, I was headed back to Canada via an eleven-hour train ride. When we stopped at the US-Canadian border, officers from the Canadian border boarded the train to check on everyone’s papers.
Out of all passengers in that train, they asked one person to step out: me.
I know that this probably applies to only a very few of us, but if this ever happens to you don’t get nervous, don’t get mad. Just stay calm, smile and be truthful. I was asked to take all my belongings and follow the officer. They helped me get off the train out into the snow and inside the Canadian border patrol office.
I was calm. You see, when asked what I was doing in the US, I had said that I had gone to a Taylor Swift concert. What I was asked when we were in private was simply put, why. They said, it’s a bit peculiar for me, being a guy and a grown-up to be a Taylor Swift fan. They were going through my luggage at this point.
The Canadian border patrol was very polite and very professional. The officers I was talking to were all female. They said it was just “uncommon for someone of my age and gender” to follow someone that they group with Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.
I explained a few things. I told them that we’re talking about a 21-year old female singer that has four grammies to her name, as well as being the ACM and CMA reigning Entertainer of the Year and the AMA Artist of the Year. No offense, but she is not Hannah Montana (I was not making a comparison to Miley Cyrus but to a fictional singer for kids).
I showed them the notes that I had been writing in the train for the blog that would later become Inside Speak Now: The New York Experience. I explained that I own a blog where a post news for her and the band. I showed them pictures of the concert that were in my laptop. I explained it wasn’t as uncommon to see adults at a Taylor Swift concert as the media makes it appear. I explained that I just didn’t understand how many more awards Taylor has to win for her to be considered a real performer and not a kid singer.
“Sir, I am not a fan of hers, but at this time I have no doubt in my mind that you are a fan of Taylor Swift,” said the officer who was questioning me.
After that we went into light conversation, and I explained a bit about my blog and they asked how many hits I get. I told them and they were impressed. I said that at least I had a story for my blog. They said about how I was treated very kindly and politely, correct? I agree. They were nice and professional (and not bad looking but I was not going to flirt with the border patrol). Yes, sorry, I’m a guy.
The passengers on the train never knew why I was brought off the train, and I did not to tell them. A few wanted to know where my passport was from (Canada), and an annoying woman would not leave me alone first wanting to know what questions they asked and second, asking me to take some religious literature. I told her thank you but no thank you. Please note you don’t want to take anything from anyone while you are in a train that’s crossing an international border. Of all the experience, going back to the train and facing the passengers was the worst part of it.
The only good thing is that the noisy kids and their even noisier parents were very quiet for the rest of the trip.
I’ve had mix feelings about the experience. On a certain level, I thought perhaps this is a sign that I should just stop being a fan. Perhaps I should just do something else. But I’ve had those doubts before, and when that happens I always, always get some kind of sign that I should keep being part of the Taylor Nation.
I got my sign a few weeks later. You wouldn’t consider it much, but to me it was mind-blowing. Sorry, I can’t tell you what it is.
Don’t worry, I’ve got bills to pay, walls to break through and dragons to fight – ok, mostly bills to pay actually – but I’m still here. Luckily, God forbid, fate has not stepped in yet.
Coming up in the Calendar!
- December 29:Paul Sidoti, Amos Heller and Mike Meadows along with other musicians will perform at Tequila Sunrise – A Tribute to the Eagles at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio. I really wish I could go to this one, but it’s during the holiday season. Here’s the event on Facebook.
- January 11: People’s Choice Awards 2012. Taylor is nominated for Favorite Country Artist, Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Tour Headliner.
(Source: The Swift Agency)
The Swift Agency 
I’m glad you finally wrote about this. I saw your tweet when it happened and wondered what that was about. It’s crazy how people act like Taylor is only for teenage girls or at most people in their 20’s. I’m 48 and she’s become my favorite singer. After 40 years of listening to music. I’m a big Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen fan and have listened to them for 30 years yet Taylor has become my favorite. I’m still learning a lot about her. There’s nobody like her out there. I didn’t really know that the first year I listened to her, which started January 7, 2010. I saw her in the Hannah Montana movie. But the song Mean is what woke me up and got me to see more about her. I guess most people are too close minded to see anything though.
Like Taylor says, don’t ever change. To me the people who ignore her are the ones losing out. And I don’t care if any of them think I’m crazy for liking her either. That’s their problem.
Intressting Story. And your readers are all glad you still here.
I really enjoy your writing and website. I hope to meet you one day at a TSWIFT concert. Keep up the great work!- @LaurenKappy
aww I want to know about the sign! I love your blog!
When you said “I thought perhaps this is a sign that I should just stop being a fan” i thought you just don’t stop being a fan. I think that even if you wanted to stop, you love her so much, and you can’t let go of her world, at least that’s what happens to me. My friends love me, even if I am a Taylor Swift fan (sometimes it gets to the level of freak..) and even if I wanted to stop being her fan, i couldn’t do that, ’cause she means so much for me, it has become like a part of me. Don’t know if you understand me… I just think that you can’t let go something you love so much, because you will lose a part of you.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s almost out of my hands. Denying I’m a fan would be like denying a part of myself 🙂
“Seems like there’s always someone who disapproves …” Don’t let them get you down.
I’m now living in England, a man about Scott’s age, and I wouldn’t dare attend any of Taylor’s concerts on my own here. I could barely share the passion with most friends without getting some really weird looks.
However, I did fly all the way to Phoenix just to attend two fabulous, sensational, concerts, and it was so worth it. Every time I play the Blu-ray disc of Speak Now I am reminded of how blessed I am to have been there. Thanks, Taylor, for the best days ever.
Oh yeah, no problems with TSA and passport control; everyone I met in Arizona were genuinely friendly, even with my incessant, “I’m here to see Taylor…”.
You’re doing great with the website, seems like I check it daily, may your enthusiasm never fade.
P/S: You commented about Taylor not introducing the band in her concert a while back; at first I concurred but I think the way the Agency is presented in Fifteen makes it feel more like a family.
Strangely enough, I’ve said that to TSA officials and they just don’t care. I guess going by land they’re just less pressed by time and a lot more curious.
I agree on your comment with Fifteen. Taylor did introduce her band the very last concert in Madison Square Garden – it’s in my review 🙂
I am also not a young one, but i love reading your blog. Most people don’t say anything about me being a fan because i am taller and bigger than most people. Yes she has a lot of young fans but i think us older ones are loyal and understanding. I also went to the Phoenix ones, it was an experience because i mostly go to metal concerts, just seeing people singing along and being happy with their parents was very warming to the heart. I was able to purchase 3 Beautiful Eyes cd”s from walmart recently, i was so happy to get a hold of them. i hope that you continue to be a fan and it is hard to let her go, she hasn’t done anything to make me feel otherwise.
i’m so sorry all the stares on the way back to your seat made the experience that much worse. this might be your most beautiful entry yet, at least for me, because of how much it hits home. i have struggled with a broken friendship of many many years just because i have recently developed taylor swift superfandom. the more you read about her, find out about her, and get to know about her (well, if you can call it that, for all the news you can gather without actually knowing her personally at all and never having had met her), one can’t help but fall in love with the person she is, the role model and example she is. that’s why i love her so much, and i don’t even think about the cost to go see her whenever i might get the chance, even if it means flying to another state to do so. it makes it just a little bit better, a little bit easier, to know i’m not alone and i’m not crazy.
a few of my friends have even become bigger fans of taylor swift after going to her concert with me because i’m so excited they can’t help but become infected and have a good time themselves. but most people just label me for loving her so much, which i also don’t understand why everyone and their banana associates her with little kids. yes, younger people love her too, but does a 10 year old really have experience with a break up? can a 12 year old relate to moving out on her own for the first time? can an eight year old relate to Fifteen? can a 14 year old relate to “she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress? (ok, for the last one maybe i should add- i hope not). it makes me incredibly happy to see older fans in videos of her meet and greets to show that that’s the age who can relate to her songs, her lyrics, her heart, the most. ok i’m done now, sorry, end rant.
-@alexandrite105
I don’t usually allow comments this long, but this reply was heartfelt and so honest that I feel it really adds something good to the original post. Thank you for writing this.
I really love this post. I feel like even at 19, people judge me for being a fan. They just don’t understand what it really means to be a true musician and artist like Taylor is. Taylor’s music doesn’t target a certain age group nor will it ever. I hope I meet more older fans who appreciate good music and Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story. I’m 38 and I’ve been a Taylor fan since the Fearless record. Almost all of my friends ‘just don’t understand. In fact, the one friend who DID understand backed out of going to the second DC show this past August, so what was supposed to be a fun, bonding road trip turned into a solo bus ride…because I was not going to miss this show.
I flew to Atlanta a few days ahead of her scheduled shows in July, only to get a text upon landing that the shows were postponed. (So I booked another trip so I could see the shows in October.)
I’ve spent way too much money, put up with friends’ insults and laughs. But, like you said, it’s all been worth it. I have been fortunate to see her in concert three times on the Speak Now Tour and twice on the Fearless tour. Each show was worth the hassle and ridicule. The crowds at those shows were some of the loudest, most devoted and friendliest I will ever meet.
Glad you’re still a fan. I can’t wait o see what Taylor does next!
Barry
We need an older fans club where everyone can meet and go to Taylor concerts together. It’s too bad so many people are so close minded and think it’s bad to go to her shows. Maybe the next album will fix that. I see no reason she should only be for teenage girls. That can hurt Taylor’s career later. What if young fans stop wanting to go?
I agree with Brianc6234– We “non teenagers” should start a little forum and go to Taylor concerts together! How fun would that be! “No we are not parents of 8 year old girls… We came bc WE want to see Taylor!!” =) Also to commenter above, Taylor’s “young fans” will grow up as Taylor does, so I doubt they’ll ever stop wanting to go. Unless they go crazzyyy =)