Fans of Harry Styles are pulling out all the stops – and even some blood – in an effort to afford tickets for his upcoming world tour.
The Grammy winner’s Together, Together Tour is playing just 67 dates in 11 cities, with 30 at Madison Square Garden (MSG) as part of what’s sure to be another record-breaking run.
Styles previously made history at MSG with his Love on Tour residency in 2022, playing 15 consecutive sold-out nights.
Tickets for the latest New York City shows – the only confirmed US dates – are on sale already and they’re hard to obtain. According to Rolling Stone, more than 11 million people queued up for 500,000 tickets.
From Aug 26 to Oct 31, Styles will play the world’s famous arena, with special guest Jamie xx.
With a limited number of tickets and exorbitant prices of more than US$1,000 (RM3,925.85) a piece, die-hard fans are resorting to desperate measures to get cash. Some are even selling their plasma.
Florida-based illustration student Daniella Barone told Rolling Stone that she was trading her blood at a plasma centre to get money to pay for the cost of tickets, travel and accommodations to see the former One Direction frontman.
“I’ve been listening to One Direction since I was 11, and I’m 24 now,” she said. “I’ve always loved Harry’s music, but I also love the fandom. It’s like a little family. That’s always something that has really appealed to me; having that community.”
Another fan, Ava Engle, said she’s been selling her plasma despite being terrified of needles. Hauling in US$90 (RM353.30) per donation, the 18-year-old San Diego State University student also took on tutoring and a part-time gig during school breaks to try to pony up enough paper for the tickets.
“Being in the chair, I was having second thoughts. Like, ‘What am I doing?’” she told Rolling Stone. “I just want to see one of my favourite artists. We shouldn’t have to be doing all of this just to afford tickets for one night.”
Demand is sky-high to see Styles, whose fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, is set to be released on March 6. The album marks his first since 2022’s Grammy-winning Harry’s House.
Aperture, the first single to yield from the new set, debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week. The song also helped Styles make history again as the first male artist to top the Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart, which launched in January of last year. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
