Beast Quake (Taylor’s Version): analysis of seismic signals recorded during two Taylor Swift concerts

Abstract

Abstract Taylor Swift concerts at Lumen Field, Seattle in July 2023 were detected seismically by an accelerometer located proximal to the stadium. The signals were nearly identical over the two nights, consistent with a repeated set list. Ground shaking is recorded in two primary frequency bands: broadband energy between 30-80 Hz, and harmonic low frequencies between 1-8 Hz. Discrete songs are clearly visible within the data, with narrow-band low frequency signals matching the published tempo of each song. Signals recorded in association with the sound check contain little to no low-frequency energy, suggesting that low frequency energy is associated with the synchronous motion of a dancing crowd. High frequency energy is observed only during songs that include a full band as opposed to solo acoustic performances by Taylor Swift. Video data provided by citizen scientists in attendance at the concerts allow us to correlate changes in seismic amplitude with observations of crowd motion. The synchronized motion of 72,000 fans created sustained energy that exceeded the iconic “Beast Quake” in 2011.