Coldplay rocks Vienna with four concerts. The police are arming themselves to protect the band, the fans and a suspected surprise act.
Access controls well outside the stadium walls, a large police presence including special units, large exclusion zones, strict access controls: Starting Wednesday, Coldplay will be giving four sold-out stadium concerts in Vienna as part of their “Music of the Spheres” world tour, which are to take place despite the ongoing increased threat of terrorism following the cancellation of the three Taylor Swift shows. The tightened security measures – including in the area of public transport – do not only apply to the British band.
Up to 240,000 fans are expected in total over four consecutive concert days when frontman Chris Martin (47) sings well-known hits such as “Viva La Vida”. The crowds are being asked to plan for waiting times for extensive ID and bag checks. Bags larger than A4 format are prohibited, as are water bottles brought in. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stressed that the police are preparing “particularly intensively” for this operation.
Taylor Swift as a secret show act?
Three concerts by Taylor Swift (34) were cancelled at the beginning of August due to suspicion of a terrorist attack. To the disappointment of her fans in Austria, the singer has not yet commented on the cancellations. There is now hope for the Swifties: According to the radio station “Ö3”, the American could appear on stage as a special guest at one of the Coldplay concerts. The country pop icon would have time, as her “The Eras Tour” in Europe ends with a concert in London on Tuesday, August 20th.
Not everyone is enthusiastic
A surprise act in front of Coldplay fans is unlikely to be of much use to most of her own 195,000 fans who bought a ticket for one of her three sold-out Vienna shows. The Coldplay concerts are completely sold out. Apparently, the singer is already “desperately” looking for a more appropriate way to make amends behind the scenes. The British daily newspaper speculates that Taylor Swift is planning to shoot her next music video in Vienna.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
