Live-streaming Swifties say they’re a ‘community’ [Video]

Live streams of Taylor Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour concerts in Toronto have given devoted fans a window into the spectacle of outfits, surprise songs and elaborate stages from one of the biggest cultural events in recent memory.

As the massive tour inches toward its final three shows in Vancouver early next month, feeding Swifties’ insatiable appetite has become a nightly tradition for a handful of live stream hosts based all over the world.

They act as ringleaders for tens of thousands of viewers witnessing Swift’s constantly evolving show through unofficial channels.

“I never saw it being as big as it is,” said Tess Bohne, one of the personalities credited as a pioneer of the Swift live streams.

“There is a big idea of community (and) being present without being there.”

Broadcasting unauthorized concert live streams on social platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook isn’t an entirely new phenomenon, but …