If the internet is to be believed, wholesome country-turned-pop-turned-serpentine mega star Taylor Swift was in a real pickle when her Reputation stadium tour rolled into Sydney, with reports of cut price tickets and low attendance doing the rounds in the days leading up to the event. Clearly no one told the 80,000 odd Sydneysiders in attendance, who not only filled Homebush’s cavernous ANZ Stadium but also sat through the first big thunderstorm of the impending summer in good spirits and very, very loud voices.
Before the main event, Kiwi indie siblings Broods and UK party-pop queen Charli XCX did their utmost to warm up the restless masses. Australian fans and promoters have a dubious history of active disinterest in support acts, so to see one of the world’s biggest pop stars give two young, relevant artists the chance to perform for Swift’s mega fan base cannot be understated. A lot of anti-Swift sentiment makes mention of her apparent calculating nature, but if that calculating nature results in actively championing the next generation of female artists, that’s more than OK with us.
That said, the weather had other plans with Charli XCX’s set promptly followed by crackling lightning that garnered louder cheers than the PA’s intermission tracks and the inevitable opening of the heavens.
After a lengthy delay, eventually Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation boomed from the speakers and the main event got underway with a very meta intro video detailing Swift’s alleged scandals. Subtle as a heart attack, this focus for both album and its accompanying tour makes perfect sense for Swift. The fairy tale run of hit singles, massive albums, awards and touring achievements hitting those apparent Kanye and co. related speed bumps ain’t no thing in the grand scheme of the Taylor Swift universe – she’s here to kick arse and we’re all invited.
The 1-2 punch of newer cuts Ready For It and I Did Something Bad were backed with giant moving video screens, massive gouts of flame and fireworks plus the audience’s light up wristbands bursting into synced up life while Swift and her cohort of dancers cut shapes all over the cat walked staging in the hammering rain. A true spectacle, made all the more impressive with no performers losing their footing in the relentless wet.
It didn’t take long to switch gears with Style and a massive Love Story appearing early on, Swift no doubt determined to make the performance about Reputation but hyper aware that the throng in front of her needed the classics to stay with her. The Sydney-specific banter was always going to be too saccharine, though the early shout outs to her tour mates again proved just how much Swift cares.
With all these bells and whistles, it took the reverse for Swift to truly display her star power. Standing midway down the ground at a small stage in the middle of the crowd, illuminated by just a spotlight and armed with an acoustic guitar, Swift let us all know she had been choosing random back old songs to perform on her tour stops. Fortunately for us, Sydney got the absolute banger 22. A testament to her songwriting and performance skill, Swift had the whole crowd in the palm of her hand sans the pyro madness we had just witnessed.
With more deep cuts among the Reputation-heavy set, including a Charli XCX and Broods assisted Shake It Off, more elaborate staging and costume changes, and finally an end to the rain, Taylor Swift emphatically proved why she holds her place atop the pop firmament.