NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Sunday's storms couldn't stop Taylor Swift in the final night of her record-setting visit to Nashville, but they sure did delay her.
Before the show could even start, lightning strikes caused some concert-goers to shelter-in-place at Nissan Stadium for four hours.
"I'm glad she went ahead and did it. She could have said it's 10 o'clock at night, I'm not going to do this, but she trooped it out like all of us," said Shannon Fox, who attended on Sunday.
Because of thunderstorms, the 6:30 p.m. show didn't start until after 10 p.m.
When the strong weather started to move into the area, the stadium posted announcements about their severe weather protocol on social media as well as screens in the stadium. The National Weather Service and the Nashville Office of Emergency Management helped them monitor the lightning. In order to see the show, fans that were already in the stadium had to seek shelter indoors or under covered areas like ramps and the concourse. If they left the stadium, they couldn't reenter.
For the most part, fans handled it well.
"People were singing. Trading friendship bracelets," said Dannity Fox. "Like you'd go to the bathroom, and there were like lines of Swifites all around and they're singing 'All To Well Ten Minute Version.'"
Fans said when you buy a ticket for an outdoor concert you take a gamble. Swifties got lucky the performer played her entire set.
"I wasn't going to be super mad if it was a rain show because Taylor will perform in any conditions," said Carolista Walsh who came from North Carolina for The Eras Tour.
There are dozens of upcoming outdoor events in Nashville, including at Nissan Stadium. Storm 5 Meteorologist Lelan Statom said stormy weather is always a possibility this time of year.
"This time of the year you can get these spring storms coming in, even in the summer they can be problematic, but spring it's our severe weather season. March, April, May and early June — this is just part of the deal for being here in the South," Statom said.
Nissan's lightning policy requires people to seek shelter whenever lightning strikes within eight miles of the stadium. Lightning doesn't always take the shortest path down to the ground. It can zig-zag and strike miles away from the storm cloud.
"The storm does not have to be directly over Nissan Stadium. If the storm is seven or eight miles out, lightning from that storm can still impact you," Statom said.
Fans that run into issues at Nissan Stadium can always text Fan Services at 615-565-4300.
