All the stadium rules you need to know for Taylor Swift’s Australian leg of her Eras tour – from banned items to friendship bracelet restrictions

Taylor Swift’s fans are eagerly counting down the days until the global superstar kicks off the sold-out Australian leg of her Eras tour next week.

The 34-year-old singer will play three shows at Melbourne’s MCG on February 16, 17 and 18 before heading to Sydney for four concerts at Accor Stadium on February 23, 24, 25 and 26.

However, some Swifties have been left furious after learning they cannot bring excessive numbers of friendship bracelets to the two Australian locations..

Brendan Fevola also shared his anger at the rule when he told how he spent months helping his daughters Mia, 23, Leni, 15, Lulu, 11, and Tobi, five, make ‘about 50’ bracelets to trade with other fans .

Here, Daily Mail Australia looks at all the stadium rules you need to know before Taylor Swift’s Australian tour kicks off in Melbourne next Friday.

What you can and cannot take with you

Frontier Touring has released a rules list of what fans can and cannot bring with them to Taylor’s highly anticipated concerts in Sydney and Melbourne.

Large signs, confetti, iPads, aerosol sunscreen or deodorants and battery packs are among the many prohibited items, as are weapons or dangerous objects.

Although batteries are prohibited, concertgoers are allowed to bring portable chargers as long as they are smaller than the size of their phone.

The rules clarified: ‘Portable phone chargers are separate from battery packs and are permitted. Make sure they are smaller than the size of your phone.’

Other items that could cause disruption, such as air horns, speakers, flashlights and lasers, will be confiscated if brought to the concerts.

Necklaces, chain wallets, jewelry with studs or spurs are also prohibited, as are skateboards, skates or other ‘unauthorized means of transportation’.

Plastic water bottles smaller than 600ml are allowed and can be refilled at designated stations, but metal or glass bottles, thermoses, coolers and canned drinks are prohibited.

‘No beverage containers are permitted for floor ticket holders; cups are provided. Water stations with cups will be available to patrons seated on the arena floor,” the rules state.

No outside food or drinks are allowed in the locations, but there are options to purchase items at the locations, as well as free water options.

Tents and parasols, Frisbees and flammable substances, including fireworks and sparklers, are also not permitted.

FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

Specific restrictions have also been put in place around friendship bracelets, which fans are known to wear at Taylor’s shows to trade with other Swifties.

Fans are known to wear stacks of handmade bracelets referencing Taylor’s songs, albums and lyrics and bring in plenty of extras to trade with other fans around the world.

But Australian fans were furious when they learned they had to wear all their bracelets on their arms or put them in their single permitted A4-sized bag – not in a separate bag or on carabiners or D-rings, as is common.

“Friendship bracelets are allowed into the venues but must be worn on customers’ arms – strictly no carabiners, D-rings or anything else,” the rules say.

They later clarified: “Friendship bracelets can be in your single allowed bag, but not in their own separate bag. Cannot be attached to carabiners, D-rings, shower curtain rings or others (for safety reasons).’

Swifties were quick to rage on social media about spending hours painstakingly creating hundreds of bracelets to swap.

“Okay, but how am I supposed to put 300 friendship bracelets on my arms?” why can’t we bring carabiners?’ wrote one fan.

A second wrote: “This is ridiculous, some of us have gone out of our way to make friendship bracelets,” wrote another.

A third complained: ‘I HAVE 400 BRACELETS, how am I supposed to wear them all???’

Brendan Fevola said he was reeling when he heard about the restrictions and told how his daughters Mia, Leni, Lulu and Tobi had spent months making bracelets.

During his 101.9 Fifi, Fev & Nick from The Fox show co-host Fifi Box, 46, told listeners: ‘One of the rules is you can bring your friendship bracelets, but you have to wear them… you can’t have carabiners.’

“Because they put all the bracelets on the (carabiner) and hand them out,” he continued.

“People have made about 400 bracelets… I think my kids have made about 50… they won’t be able to wear them all.”

SIZES OF BAGS

There is a strict one bag per person policy, this must be smaller than A4 size with a maximum of two compartments.

Although it does not have to be obvious, it should be at least 35 cm high, 20 cm deep and 30 cm wide.

The one-bag rule does not apply to anything purchased from the merchandise stands at the locations.

The rules stated: ‘Bags that are half full and folded over to make them smaller will not be accepted. To clarify, this does not include any merchandise purchased from off-site merchandise stands.”

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO

Fans can capture moments from the show on their phones, but no professional or commercial photography equipment is allowed.

The guidance explained: ‘Taking photos/videos with small handheld cameras and smartphones is permitted, but professional cameras with detachable lenses are not allowed to enter the venues.’

Selfie sticks are also prohibited, as are any tablets or digital readers, audio recording devices, GoPros or tripods.

Drones are also banned, with the rules warning: ‘Please note that flying drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in, over or around the Melbourne Cricket Ground and/or Accor Stadium may result in the seizure of the UAV in question and/or the pilot may be penalized or arrested . We reserve the right to enforce violations to the full extent of the law.”

GENERAL ETIQUETTE

Concertgoers have been instructed not to wear clothing that could prevent other concertgoers from seeing Taylor perform on stage.

Dancing and singing are allowed in the crowds, but fans are not allowed to stand on the seats or in the aisles.

Swifties are also not allowed to sit on other customers’ shoulders, nor are they allowed to crowd surf, slam dance or mosh.

Visitors are also generally asked to ‘be considerate of fellow visitors’ and not use offensive language.

SET TIMES

For all Eras Tour shows, gates will open at 4:30 PM, prior to the show starting at 6:20 PM, when support act Sabrina Carpenter will take the stage.

Fans have been told that there is ‘no need to arrive at the venue before the gates open’ as ‘all tickets have an assigned seat’.

“Please note that set times are a guideline and are subject to change at any time,” the guidance added.

Box offices at Melbourne Cricket Ground and Accor Stadium open from 12pm on show day from 10am to 6pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays before the performances.