Taylor Swift left stunned after incredible MCG moment
Taylor Swift was left stunned after performing in front of a record crowd in Melbourne, telling the 96,000 fans packed into the MCG they’d left her starstruck.
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Taylor Swift may have played to sold-out crowds all over the world but it took Melbourne to leave her speechless.
The Melbourne show was Swift’s biggest ever audience, with at least 96,000 fans packed in to the MCG to watch the global megastar — and she was blown away.
‘Losing my mind’ Taylor shows Melbourne some love
Taylor made her way to the stage by opening with Cruel Summer and confirming 96,000 people in attendanced. Her biggest show yet.
“If I seem a little bit like I’m losing my mind over the fact that there are 96,000 people here tonight ... it’s because it’s true,” Swift told the crowd.
“Losing my mind at there being 96,000 people here.
“This is the biggest show that we’ve ever done. I’m fully starstruck by the fact so many people wanted to hang out with us on a Friday night in Melbourne.”
Swift surprised the crowd as she announced a brand new song.
Gearing up to release her new record, The Tortured Poets Department, in April, Swift announced that a special edition version of the record with a new cover would feature track The Bolter.
Swift then gave heartbreaking insight into her reasoning behind making the record, and confessed that it was a “lifeline” for her through a particularly hard time in her life.
“I’m very excited for April 19th. I can’t wait for you to hear all the songs. Tortured Poets is an album I think, more than any album I’ve made, is one I needed. It was a lifeline for me. It reminded me why songwriting is something that gets me through life.”
Relive the incredible night at the MCG below
â¤ï¸| #taylorswift to the crowd
— CricVipez (@CricVipezAP) February 16, 2024
- "You're making me feel like I get to play a show for 96 thousand people tonight!" at #Melbourne#MelbourneTSTheErasTourpic.twitter.com/HGE7lX0mWw
Swift rounds off the first Australian show with Karma
Taylor announces new song and album cover art
Taylor unviels “an alternative cover to Tortured Poets no one has seen. There is an exclusive song on this called the Bolter. This is called the Bolter edition.”
OH HIII??????? #MelbourneTSTheErasTourpic.twitter.com/Uxeqsxvjud
— gab (@camilablessings) February 16, 2024
Young fan in tears after sweet moment
Fans lap up concert spectacle
Taylor teases the crowd with new song debut
Taylor Swift dropped an ‘Easter Egg’ on stage when she mentioned her upcoming album The Tortured Poets Department. Swift left fans guessing she was planning to sing a song off the record, saying “we’re gonna talk about that later”.
Fans moved on from MCG concourse
Ticketless Swifties hoping to enjoy the sold-out concert from outside the MCG have been cleared off the concourse by security.
Hundreds of fans - unable to get tickets - “taylor-gated” and gathered outside the stadium to hear their idol’s music on Friday night.
But just a few songs into her three-hour set, security guards - after a quick discussion with police - began ushering fans who had inched closer to the stadium’s gates off the concourse and onto the grassed area.
#MelbourneTSTheErasTour there are thousands of us outside the venue right now singing along to every word pic.twitter.com/vedYPBe9tB
— torah sucks (@torahisanerd) February 16, 2024
Wow #MelbourneTSTheErasTour#TSTheErasTourpic.twitter.com/659KW1DRRK
— Melisa (@Blink_Melisa) February 16, 2024
Sabrina Carpenter takes the stage
Support act Sabrina Carpenter kicks things off with a cover of Hoplessly Devoted to You, in honour of Olivia Newton John.
L’outro di "Nonsense" per la prima serata del #MelbourneTSTheErasTour 🇦🇺
— Sabrina Carpenter Italia (@SabCarpenterIT) February 16, 2024
"D-I-C-K, I am good at spelling
Tastes so good I need a second helping
Aren't you glad I know how to say Melbourne"
pic.twitter.com/gb2rCcAr8u
🎥 | @SabrinaAnnLynn cantando 'Fast Times' en #MelbourneTSTheErasTour 🇦🇺💌#TSTheErasTourpic.twitter.com/nczNCbca1I
— Sabrina Carpenter Argentina (@CSabrinaArg) February 16, 2024
📸: Sabrina Carpenter performing on stage at night 1 of #MelbourneTSTheErasTour! #TSTheErasTour#TSTheErasTourMelbourne
— Sabrina Carpenter News (@sabrinacarpens) February 16, 2024
📷 @carlyylalaapic.twitter.com/OokQBFmnpg
Fans flock the MCG dressed in their best Taylor Swift outfits
A sea of bedazzled fans both young and old is building outside the MCG as the countdown reaches it final hours before superstar Taylor Swift takes to the stage.
The US superstar arrived at the MCG in a convoy of cars around 3:20pm to kick off the Australian leg of her Eras Tour.
Violet McGlynn, 8, along with mum Kayleigh made the more than 7-hour drive from Canberra to Melbourne early Friday morning.
“We got up very early and hit the road from about 5.30am,” mum said.
“We listened mainly to Taylor Swift the whole time, mainly Reputation,” Violet added, her arm filled with friendship bracelets.
The youngster, a fan of Swift’s Reputation Era, said more than a week was spent perfecting a replica – albeit child size version – of the pop star’s famous red and black outfit.
“I’ve got a lot, maybe one hundred of the bracelets,” Violet said.
Ms McGlynn said she first fell in love with Taylor’s music as a teen when the then-rising star released her album Red.
“Then Violet came along and she loved it too, but she didn’t really have a choice,” she joked.
“I’m mostly looking forward to watching her reaction to it all.”
Meanwhile, best friends Maddie Howard and Darcey Isaac, both aged 17, were among the thousands of fans who made the trek from New Zealand after securing their tickets in the pre-sale.
“I took the day off school to get tickets and it took me seven hours, we’re so excited it’s finally here,” Ms Isaac said.
“We just love her lyrics, she’s got a beautiful voice but she’s just really relatable.”
The girls – a fan of Speak Now and Lover Eras – said they only waited about 20 minutes in the queue for your merchandise.
Queues at many of the tour merchandise tents had all but disappeared, with just under 20 minutes until gates open.
Felicity Cooper said her group walked out of the Punt Rd tent with their goods in hand within a matter of minutes.
“It was fantastic, we were in and out within two to three minutes.”
The only hold up was the fact we needed to check that the jumpers would fit us – there was no hold up.”
Rising star Sabrina Carpenter will be taking the stage before Taylor Swift lights up the stage.
Those lining up appeared to take note of promoter Frontier Touring’s advice for seamless entry, with little disruption holding up queues.
Meanwhile, a small crowd has gathered along the grassed areas of Wellington Pde as ticketless fans settle in to take in Swift’s performance.
Friendship bracelets
Fans who got in early were quick to exchange friendship bracelets. The trend was set by just one lyric in the song You’re On Your Own, Kid from her 2023 album Midnights: “Make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it”.
‘Swifties’ take over Melbourne
At least 86,000 fans are expected to pack into Australia’s biggest stage later this evening for the first of three shows in Melbourne.
From country singer to billionaire icon
Explore Taylor Swift’s Eras and find out how she transformed from country music sweetheart to global pop sensation.
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