TAYLOR ROCKS ETIHAD
FIRST NIGHT OF ETIHAD GIGS WOWS THOUSANDS OF FANS
WHAT a show.
From the flames and the fireworks to the size of Taylor Swift’s songs - and the sparkliness of her bodysuit - she does not mess around.
The US star rattles through her Reputation scene-stealers to hook us all in, asking us literally and figuratively with opener if we’re Ready For it? Silly question, Tay. Of course we are. We’ve been waiting for three years. From the first hint of a beat, her Swifties are in a tizz, enchanted by her every move.
She effortlessly strides around the stage, no hint of nerves, despite this being her first ever UK stadium show.
We’re quickly transported back to 2008 with Love Story.
It’s not long before we’re back to sassy Reputation, as a quite simply ridiculously brilliant 50ft cobra hisses above the stage.
The not-so-subtle snake references are pure Taylor.
She doesn’t hide behind her lyrics. Swift flaunts her infamous trail of exes and calls out her enemies with solid pop tunes, raking in millions while she’s at it.
She may have been branded a snake once on Twitter (by some rapper called Kanye West) but she’s shed the skin of hurt caused by that slur and turned it into a venom of empowerment against online bullies.
Swift later travels across a sea of fans on a fairy-light-lit platform as she performed a stripped back and simply gorgeous Delicate to a satellite stage where she is joined by support acts Camila Cabelo and Charli XCX.
Under the shadows of another giant serpent friend, Swift pays a poignant tribute to Ariana Grande’s fans who were affected by the Manchester Arena tragedy in May last year. “You have shown such strength,” she says. “You’ve shown that you will never let anyone forget about those victims.
“And you’ve shown that you have such incredible resilience to keep dancing, and to keep the innocence and to keep the joy and to keep the excitement.
“And I have to say Manchester, it is such an honour to play for you guys.”
Reputation is a sexier album, which was something not necessarily associated with country-tastic Swift when she rose to fame wearing cowboy boots and long curly blonde hair, singing about high school crushes.
She dances with the sass of Beyonce and sings with the heart of Adele.
Energetic Don’t Blame Me makes way for beautiful unplugged versions of Long Live and New Year’s Day.
Swift sings about glitter on the floor and girls carrying their shoes after a New Year party. Picture that scene at The Etihad. As the arms sway with special wristbands glowing and the voices singing along, it really is something to behold. Ginormous snakes and all.
The fun Getaway Car lets us somehow know we’re near the end of this glorious TS road trip.
We are Never Getting Back Together and This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things take us home for the encore. What a show. What a pop star.
DENISE EVANS