Pop megastar Taylor Swift said there was a reason she chose Vancouver and Canada as the final stop of her 149-show Eras Tour, a sequin-sparkled cultural steamroller that has spanned five continents.
The fans don鈥檛 just know the lyrics, she told the first-night audience at a sold-out BC Place stadium on Friday, 鈥渢hey scream them.鈥�
Excitement in Vancouver over the shows had been building for more than a year since the city became a late addition to the tour, which is the first to make more than US$1 billion in revenue.
As the clock ticked down toward T-minus-zero, the city embraced all things Swift, draping giant friendship bracelets over landmarks, changing the city鈥檚 sign on the waterfront to 鈥淪wiftcouver,鈥� and even retuning the iconic Gastown steam clock to play 鈥淪hake It Off.鈥�
Police said an estimated 160,000 fans were expected in downtown Vancouver over the three shows, and in the hours before Friday鈥檚 concert, streets were thronged with Swifties, many in dazzling themed outfits.
The rapturous welcome the 鈥淐ruel Summer鈥� singer received when she finally made it onto the stage proved her point about the fandom.
After the ballad 鈥淐hampagne Problems,鈥� she was met with a ritualistic standing ovation that has become a staple of the tour. It lasted three minutes, and the applause shook the stadium.
Swift took out her ear monitors, and laughed as she looked around in seeming disbelief.
鈥淩ight now, honestly, I am just feeling so overjoyed that we decided to spend our last several shows in Vancouver,鈥� she said.
鈥淵ou are unbelievable. I love you so much. My face hurts from grinning. Thank you so much,鈥� she added, letting out a squeal.
The pop star had made her entrance on the BC Place stage in a shimmering blue-and-gold bodysuit, kicking off the show around 7:50 p.m. with her usual 鈥淟over鈥� era set to the tune of 鈥淢iss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.鈥�
鈥淲here have the crowds been so generous, so welcoming, so warm-hearted? Where do they know every single word? And they not only sing them, but they scream them?鈥� she asked the audience after her opening numbers.
鈥淥h, we鈥檝e got to go back to Canada, and so here we are in beautiful Vancouver.鈥�
She also struck a wistful note, reflecting on the end of a tour that has lasted almost two years.
鈥淭his has been a tour of many traditions. It鈥檚 been a tour of many, many Friday nights. But this will be the last Friday night that we ever play on the Eras Tour.鈥�
She later called it 鈥渢he greatest last Friday night鈥� she could imagine.
Outside, crowds of ticketless fans were also enjoying the show, cheering and singing along under steady rain and the watchful eye of police 鈥� and undeterred by warnings from stadium officials that those without tickets should stay away.
Security was tight, with street barricades cutting off some of the downtown core鈥檚 busiest streets, including West Georgia, Smithe, Beatty and Robson. The closures had snarled traffic in the afternoon.
Ajeet Brar from Penticton, B.C., was leading some of the singalongs, determined to help share 鈥渢he love and the energy鈥� of the tour.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what this is all about. It鈥檚 not about getting that ticket. It鈥檚 about the people,鈥� said Brar.
Huge numbers of Swifties were also watching the show online, via multiple fan livestreams. Some had viewerships bigger then the capacity of BC Place.
Support act Gracie Abrams had warmed up the crowd before Swift took the stage, calling the tour 鈥渢he most magical place on Earth.鈥�
She said she would never forget the experience and lamented its end on Sunday.
鈥淰ancouver, I don鈥檛 know how any of us are supposed to have the words to begin to talk about the end of the Eras Tour, but all I know is that I could not be more grateful to be in the same room as all of you tonight,鈥� said Abrams, who also opened all six Toronto dates last month.
Before playing her Grammy-nominated song 鈥渦s.,鈥� which she co-wrote with Swift, she told the crowd, 鈥淲e are all the same in that Taylor is my favourite artist and my favourite writer ever.鈥�
Swift performed almost non-stop for more than three hours, with the show broken into 10 mini sets representing the eras of her 11 studio albums.
Before the 10-minute version of 鈥淎ll Too Well鈥� 鈥� a fan favourite 鈥� she told the crowd why the tour has been the longest of her career, both in terms of show time and number of performances.
鈥淚t鈥檚 felt like this escape to a planet where nothing but joy, and passion and togetherness and camaraderie exists. It鈥檚 also a chance to relive some of my favourite memories from tours we鈥檝e done in the past.鈥�
The set list of almost 50 songs included well-known hits like 鈥淒elicate鈥� and 鈥淏ejewelled鈥� as well as surprise acoustic songs that change each night.
Swift called it the section she 鈥済ets nervous鈥� about.
On Friday, Swift played a mash-up of 鈥淗aunted鈥� and 鈥淲onderland鈥� on guitar followed by a mix of 鈥淣ever Grow Up鈥� and 鈥淭he Best Day鈥� on piano.
Each era of the show is marked by set and outfit changes that reflect the albums.
For instance, Swift wore a glittery ball gown for the 鈥淪peak Now鈥� section and a golden and black snake jumpsuit during her 鈥淩eputation鈥� set on Friday.
The costumes have also become part of the fandom. Eliza Sylvia, who attended Friday鈥檚 show with three friends, wore a handmade 鈥淢idnights鈥�-inspired body suit that she spent more than 100 hours bedazzling.
It was her first Swift concert, Sylvia said ahead of the show, adding that it was highly anticipated after nearly two years of watching 鈥済rainy livestreams.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,鈥� she said of attending the final weekend of the tour.
Cassie Leonhardt from North Vancouver, B.C., dressed in a shimmering red leotard, travelled the world to attend seven of Swift鈥檚 concerts. She was attending both Friday鈥檚 and Saturday鈥檚 shows.
Leonhardt confessed she purchased her outfit, rather than making it herself.
鈥淚 tried to make my own, but then I couldn鈥檛 like pull it up my legs because the glue was too tight, and then I just ended up ordering it because I gave up 鈥� I鈥檓 not very crafty.鈥�
鈥� with files by Nono Shen in Vancouver
Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press
