Taylor Swift’s Anfield performance will ‘put Liverpool on touring map’

When big artists tour and perform in the North West of the UK, more often than not, they choose to perform in Manchester instead of Liverpool.

Local musician and founder of Mersey Music Magazine Sam Millne believes the reason lies in the difference in transport links between the two cities.

“John Lennon Airport is not well enough connected to the city,” he explained.

“For people who aren’t from Liverpool, it’s not really that obvious how you get into town. It doesn’t feel very worldwide.

“Liverpool needs to be linked via train from the airport to Manchester, Liverpool, London. It needs to be on the on the rail.

“This was a big reason why Liverpool lost out on the Commonwealth Games and on being the new home of Channel Four.”

Despite these issues, it came as a huge boost for Merseyside when it was revealed that the world-famous Taylor Swift would be performing at Anfield on three nights in June as part of her Eras tour.

The American pop star has not toured in this country for five years.

Interestingly, the songwriter does have several links to Liverpool. She is good friends with Beatles legend Paul McCartney, who is said to be a huge admirer of Swift and has even revealed her to be an influence behind one of his songs.

On top of that, the writer of All Too Well was in the city last year as she filmed her music video for I Can See You inside and outside the Cunard building, which neighbours the Royal Liver Building.

“Anfield is a good venue and also it’s  a bucket list place for a lot of people,” Millne added.

“The likes of the The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Elton John, also looked at Anfield and saw is as an attractive proposition to tick off their list.

“There comes a point in an artist’s career where they don’t have to think too much about selling tickets and where they’re going to play in terms of popularity and they can kind of do what they want.

“I think Swift is at the level now where if she wants to play in a city and the venue is big enough, they’ll take her. And this time, it just so happens that Anfield.”

Swift has built up an unprecedented level of following, described as a ‘real community’ by Millne.

Watch Daniel Zambartas’s video report here:

Tickets sold out instantly for her tour and despite her putting on three dates at Anfield, the local writer said he doesn’t know anyone who’s got a ticket.

She may not be everyone’s preferred artist, but she is riding a huge wave of fame and popularity right now, and Anfield is on the horizon of that wave. Her performance here could bring great short-term and long-term benefits to the local area.

“It will bring a lot of people to Merseyside that weren’t here in the first place, like Eurovision did,” Millne said.