NO ONE does a pop show quite like Taylor Swift.
The 28-year-old global pop star kicked off the Australian leg of her Reputation in epic style at Optus Stadium tonight.
There were pyrotechnics, massive screens, wristbands that lit up in time to the music for every audience member, multiple stages and a horde of sassy dancers and backing singers.
And snakes. Lots and lots of snakes. Serpents adorned her microphone and throne, Swift (whose social media accounts were flooded with snake emojis following a public spat with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian) wore viper jewellery and two giant inflatable cobras bopped around in the background.
Once the squeaky clean country pop star with a swag of earnest, catchy tunes, Swift has morphed into a sexy pop diva and the serpent is now her spirit animal.
Heralding her imminent arrival was Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation. The 10-time Grammy Award winner arrived on stage as the industrial pop drone of … Ready For It? began appearing from between two mammoth screens.
Her appearance was met with ear-piercing screams from the 45,000-strong crowd.
For I Did Something Good she was joined by a line of backing singers and sexy dancers - pyrotechnics added to the immense drama on stage. It was a jaw dropping start.
“Good evening Perth,” she said addressing the audience for the first time.
“Thank you for being her with us on the first night of our Australian tour in this beautiful brand new stadium.
“We are so happy to be here with you. You set the bar for how crazy fans can be.”
Only the second major act to play the venue after her former touring buddy Ed Sheeran christened the stadium with a two-night run in March, Swift managed to command the cavernous space with the ease of a seasoned veteran.
Her enormous stage and screens meant even those in the nosebleed sections felt part of the action.
And the action was dazzling.
Perth skipped a step in the evolution of Swift when we were left off the itinerary for 2015’s 1989 tour.
But even on her last appearance here as part of 2013’s Red tour the then 23-year-old was already an impressive performer, oozing talent and a confidence that seemed well beyond her years.
Of course a lot has changed in the last five years. Gone is the earnest girl who whipped out a banjo to sing about school bullies in Mean.
Now Swift voices her vitriol while strutting around the stage in a skin tight black sequinned leotard and thigh high boots.
Swift circa 2018 is a woman who is more sure of who she is both as a person and a performer.
But despite that famous line on Look What You Made Me Do, the "old Taylor" isn’t really dead, she’s just shed a skin.
While Reputation makes up the bulk of the set Swift reached into her back catalogue to perform a welcome medley of Style/Love Story and You Belong With Me from 1989 and Fearless respectively.
The gold Gatsby sets were amazing, as was seeing Swift hover above the crowd in a carriage during Delicate.
Earlier support act Charli XCX whipped the crowd into a frenzy with hits I Love It, Boys, Fancy and 1999, her new song with WA pop star Troye Sivan. The sassy singer, who also supported Swift on her record-breaking US Tour, worked the crowd as if she were the headliner.
See Perthnow tomorrow for the full review.
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