29 February 2024
The Taylor Swift phenomenon reached the local North Sydney area in the early hours of Tuesday morning when she sneaked in a late night cruise of Sydney Harbour which alighted at our own Neutral Bay wharf. We only know about it because the police were alerted to an “incident” involving a media photographer and Taylor Swift’s dad! Anyhow, North Sydney Sun correspondent Sabrina Phillips made it out to Accor Stadium to check out what has become the music phenomenon of the year.
Just when we thought the pandemic was over, a huge wave of ‘Tayloritis’ swept over the nation this past fortnight as Taylor Swift’s Eras World Tour swept through Sydney and Melbourne.
Fifteen years ago, I attended what was my first ever concert: Taylor Swift, in what was her first Australian concert, performing at the Factory Theatre in 2009 to a Sydney crowd of around 400 people.
This past Friday night I attended her Sydney show at Accor Stadium, where she performed to 80,000 fans. The three-and-a-half-hour concert was the first of four Sydney shows, covering songs from across her nine albums: Lover, Fearless, Evermore, Reputation, Speak Now, Red, Folklore, 1989 and Midnights.
RMIT academic Angel Zhong estimated in Forbes Australia that the tour generated economic activity of $558 million. The influence of Ms Swift seemed to know no bounds. Facebook marketplace became an effective Eras costume resale site. News Corporation’s Australian news homepage used a Swift bracelet as its masthead logo. Former prime minister Scott Morrision even referenced her album titles in his valedictory speech.
Her fans have even adopted some of the mannerisms of a cult in honour and dedication to the pop star and her art. First of all; sequins, tassels and boots. Fans plan months in advance, carefully curating their outfits to mimic Taylor’s personal outfits, album themes and music video looks. Fashion chain Glassons, along other trendy stores, was prepared and brought in glittery ranges to suit Swiftie-core. Cowgirl style hats and boots were soon en masse, paying tribute to the artist’s early country years. The next ritual fans begin months in advance is making beaded friendship bracelets with quotes from songs that are then traded with others at the concert. Some make up to 600 bracelets to exchange.
There are a number of established traditions that occur during the performance too. Fans know specific chants for specific parts of the set. Fans are also known to make marriage proposals when the song Love Story is performed. And at the beginning of the ‘Red’ concert segment, Swift performs in a signature black Fedora hat which is then given to a chosen member of the audience. Audiences were touched at the Friday Sydney concert when a nine-year-old girl suffering brain cancer received the iconic hat.
Friday night’s performance was impacted by heavy rain, causing the cancellation of opening act Sabrina Carpenter who rose to fame through her Disney career.
I was running late anyway.
The updates were coming through minute by minute from my news app, my friend waiting at the stadium, and strangers boarding the train. Central Station was decked out in purple balloons, Swift was blasting over the speakers and train guards directed us to dedicated trains for those traveling to Taylor Swift…and Blink182! This made for somewhat of a fashion mismatch. Mark Hoppus from Blink182 apparently snuck away from his show to see Taylor at one point.
Other celebrities in attendance included Hollywood couple Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, Taylor’s Super Bowl star boyfriend Travis Kelce, as well as Katy Perry, and Australian actress Toni Collette.
With perfect timing, the rain cleared, the stage was cleaned, and Taylor Swift started on time, with her opening song, Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince, starting as planned just after 7:30pm. In the latter half of the concert, Taylor sings two surprise songs. The first was an acoustic guitar version of How you Get The Girl from her 1989 album. The second she performed with Sabrina Carpenter, to the crowd’s delight, which was an acoustic piano version of White Horse.
Towards the very end was an unforgettable moment as Taylor altered the lyrics of her song Karma to say, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs heading straight home to me” – the crowd erupted at this dedication to her current partner, who watched from the celebrity tent.
And then she was gone, with Singapore the next stop. The artist who now holds the record for most number one albums by a female artist and Album Of The Year 2024 will then take a short break before resuming her tour.