Taylor Swift’s tour kicks off in Melbourne with sparkle

It’s a blistering February evening in Melbourne, and the beams of daylight looking off a large number of sequins are practically blinding.

It’s Taylor Day: since the beginning, there has been a hum in the air, giving the impression that everyone in the city is slightly leaning toward the MCG in anticipation of her taking the stage.

There’s something a bit like musical theatre in the way this show runs, particularly the props and stage design.

The Folklore Era — one of two woodsy albums Taylor released during the pandemic — opens with her lying dreamily on the roof of an actual cabin, smoke puffing from the chimney.

In Midnights, the dancers each have small individual ladders with a fluffy white cloud at the top. During the track Vigilante Shit, the troupe and Taylor writhe and dance on chairs in powerful unison.

Covering 10 albums in one show is no small feat, and it requires almost three-and-a-half hours to do it.

At times, the continuous gear shifts feel a bit jarring, whipping away from an era just when it feels like it’s hitting its stride. But then she plays the opening notes of the next hit, and you’re pulled right back in.