Levi's Stadium reverses friendship bracelets ban at Taylor Swift concert
SANTA CLARA - Some bad blood has made a pretty deep cut between Taylor Swift fans and Levi's stadium after the venue opted to ban an item that has become essential to her tour's experience.
Swift is expected to made a two-night stop at Levi's stadium on July 28th and 29th as part of her highly-anticipated Eras tour.
Lifelong Swift fan Audrey Crook has been making friendship bracelets since she was a kid, but today at 21, she's tapping into those skills all over again. But this time for Taylor Swift.
"I think it's so fun to share something with strangers over a common good," Crook told CBS News Bay Area. "I hope to come home with bracelets that aren't mine."
It all stems from a song lyric in Swift's most recent album, Midnights.
In the song "You're On Your Own, Kid," Swift says the lyric: "So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, you've got no reason to be afraid."
For Crook, like many others, this line hit different.
"I'm having a bracelet making party with my friends so it's something I can do as a community give them to other people as a community and get back in touch with your childhood roots which is the age that a lot of us feel in love with Taylor swifts music," she explained.
The lyric has led the youthful activity to become a theme throughout the tour with Swift fans making dozens of friendship bracelets, not only to wear, but to trade with other fans.
"Here's a little token of who I am that way you can remember me remember the experience and know we have each other's back even if we never see each other," said Crook.
As Bay Area Swift fans grow anticipatingly closer to Swift's first performance in Santa Clara, this new tradition hangs in the balance.
Levi's Stadium banned the bracelets in the venue amid incidents of artists being hit by objects thrown by fans. The venue has also prohibited tailgating. But Crook says either issue has been problematic at the tour thus far, and therefor shouldn't be restricted in Santa Clara.
"It's almost like taking an era out of the set list and it completely changes the energy," Crook said, referencing bracelet trading. "Really the friendship I think is what made this happen and be such a community during this tour so taking that away people would be connecting less you wouldn't have this incentive to go up to strangers."
In a statement Friday, Levi's Stadium reversed the policy and said it will allow friendship bracelets into the venue, adding they "are enchanted to see you one week from today."
The venue, however, is standing firm on its no tailgating policy for both nights of the Eras tour but it comes with concern among concert goers who plan to be at the venue for about eight hours total. Many fans have made a habit of gathering around 3p, three hours before the start of the opening act, while Taylor Swift's set is projected to end around 11p.
