As Taylor Swift storms into the UK for the Eras Tour a year in the making, you had to be quick to beat the queue for the queen of pop
It was a year of preparation, but worth the wait.
Last night Taylor Swift arrived in the UK to perform in front of 73,000 Swifties at the sold-out Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.
But Scottish superfans hoping for a spot at the front had to get there early, with many queuing for hours to get in.
To kick off the UK leg of her Eras tour, the singer arrived on stage at exactly 7.18pm – but only after teasing fans with a two-and-a-half minute countdown.
Dressed in a blue and gold sequined leotard and gold knee-high boots, she greeted the crowd, who let out deafening shouts in response.
Taylor Swift, 34, opened with the song Miss Americana, followed by fan favorite Cruel Summer
Before her song The Man, she donned a second outfit: a black and gold double-breasted blazer dress
Swift performs her song The Man live in Murrayfield for the Eras Tour
Scottish superfans hoping for a spot at the front had to get there early, with many queuing for hours to get in
Taylor Swift fans lined up outside the stadium a day before the sold-out concert
Ms. Swift, 34, opened with the song Miss Americana, followed by fan favorite Cruel Summer.
She seemed overwhelmed by the crowd’s reaction and said: ‘What a way to welcome a girl to Scotland… you’re gone and I felt so great… That went straight to my head.
“You make me feel very, very powerful,” she added before kissing her bicep.
Before her song The Man, she donned a second outfit: a black and gold striped double-breasted blazer dress.
In total, the singer sang about 43 songs in three hours.
Ms Swift also said she made history, with last night’s Murrayfield performance having the highest attendance numbers the country has ever seen.
She told the audience: “I haven’t been to Scotland for almost ten years now. And I was wondering what it would be like when we visit there again, what will they be like as an audience and, you know what, you answered me before I even got on stage.
‘Someone took me aside and said, ‘Hey, we’ve checked this 20 times and we swear tonight’s concert is the most attended stadium show in Scottish history.’
In total, the singer sang about 43 songs in three hours
Swift is said to have made history, with the Murrayfield gig attracting the highest attendances for a concert Scotland has ever seen
Swifties raised their phones in unison as the megastar took the stage to start the three-hour show
Tens of thousands of fans have arrived, some from as far away as Texas, Minnesota and Canada
Number one in line and first in the stadium was Amber Small, 19, from Aberdeen, who was at the front of the VIP section
Her private jet landed in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon before the Nashville superstar was whisked away in a waiting black BMW, traveling six miles to meet fans already singing and dancing outside Scotland’s national rugby stadium.
Where she will stay during her three-night stay in the capital has been a subject of much debate, but local rumors suggest it is the five-star Caledonian Hotel, which offers stunning views of Edinburgh Castle. A-list guests over the years have included Barack Obama, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.
It’s fair to say that Edinburgh has been transformed into Taylor Town this weekend.
In the city center, bagpipers in traditional Scottish dress play renditions of the pop star’s biggest hits on the cobbled streets.
Tens of thousands of fans have arrived, some from as far away as Texas, Minnesota and Canada.
Some hotel rooms have quadrupled in price and are offering guests gifts and free cocktails named after the Shake It Off singer.
Meanwhile, trams are decorated with her name and restaurants sell ‘Taylor-made’ creations such as Blank Space chocolate and Enchanted tea.
A group of Swifties wearing pink feather cowboy hats and Taylor T-shirts pose outside the stadium
Sequins, cowboy hats and friendship bracelets are seen as a uniform for Swifties attending the show
Fans brought umbrellas and waterproof jackets to protect their carefully planned outfits from the rain in Scotland
Hair sequins, glittery face paint, homemade T-shirts, cowboy hats and boots were seen on almost every fan who made their way through the turnstiles
One pub just a stone’s throw from Murrayfield, the Roseburn Bar, has its own cocktail menu named after Ms Swift’s hits.
One called Bad Blood, after her 2014 number one, contains ingredients such as Jagermeister, lemonade and edible glitter.
As support act Paramore, an American band whose biggest songs include 2017’s Hard Times, rocked the stadium, dozens of Swifties milled around outside singing her songs and exchanging friendship bracelets with strangers – a standard practice before any Taylor show .
Hair sequins, glittery face paint, homemade T-shirts, cowboy hats and boots were seen on almost every fan who made their way through the turnstiles.
However, those present needed deep pockets.
Some hotels in Edinburgh were charging as much as £800 per night for a standard room.
The megastar’s private jet landed in Edinburgh in the afternoon before the concert
Taylor was obscured by black umbrellas as she exited the plane
The singer was accompanied by a police escort as she was transported further in a black BMW
Tickets fetched as much as £600, with desperate fans believing money was no object when it came to seeing global phenomenon Ms Swift in the flesh.
Those wanting official merchandise will have to pay £70 for a hoodie with the singer’s face.
Water bottles cost £15, tote bags £20, sweatshirts £65 and T-shirts cost fans £40.
Some Swifties, including devoted superfan Amber Small, waited in line for more than two hours — not that they seemed to mind.
Super Swiftie Megan Slater, 26, said: ‘I’ve been waiting for this night for over a year. I don’t know what I’m going to live for now. I’ve thought about this every day since I bought the tickets.
‘I’ve been a fan since I was 12 and it’s been so exciting to see her getting closer to Edinburgh.’
She added, “It’s great to finally be in the same city, but I’m also just here for the songs.”
Swifties got excited on Thursday after model and actress Cara Delevingne posted a photo on Instagram of herself posing with Ms Swift backstage at her cabaret show in London.
For days, fans of Ms Swift, who are usually privy to her whereabouts, have speculated about when she would arrive in Edinburgh after her Lyon shows ended on Monday.
But Ms Delevingne’s social media post revealed the 14-time Grammy Award winner had secretly traveled to London’s West End – going unnoticed ahead of last night’s show.