Taylor Swift hails British followers after epic efficiency in Edinburgh

Taylor Swift kicked off the UK leg of her sellout Eras Tour in style in Edinburgh with a flawless three-and-a-half-hour showstopper of a performance in which she told screaming fans: ‘What a way to welcome a lass to Scotland.’

The 34-year-old megastar drove fans wild on Friday night as she emerged at Murrayfield Stadium in her signature blue and gold sequined leotard following a riotous warm-up from American pop-punk band Paramore.

Over the course of 46 songs, Taylor shook off a cramp in her hand, witnessed a live proposal, gifted a fan her hat and even suspended a tune so fans could receive medical aid – and in between those events found time for an almost insurmountable 12 costume changes.

Among the outfits were including a double-breasted black and gold pinstripe blazer dress, a white Vivienne Westwood dress and a stunning lilac gown complete with train.

Fans queued for hours – some as early as 3am – in order to be the first inside for the gig, which kicked off following Paramore’s set at exactly 7.18pm.

Excitement built to fever pitch with a two-minute countdown on the big screen before Taylor finally emerged from a stage, which rose dramatically into the air in the middle of the stadium to hysterical screams from fans.

Taylor started out with 2019 tune Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince. And as she took in the adoration of thousands of fans she had in the palm of her hand, she almost seemed overwhelmed by the response.

Between songs, she paused to tell them: ‘What a way to welcome a lass to Scotland… you’ve gone and made me feel so amazing… You’ve got me feeling really, really powerful.’ Towards the end, she vowed: ‘We have to do this again.’

And as she rounded out the monster three-and-a-half-hour set with Karma, fireworks shot out from the top of the stage, lighting fixtures within the grounds and the roof of the stadium itself, prompting an avalanche of cheers from fans.

The sell-out show saw her run through a cavalcade of hits including Cruel Summer, Lover, You Belong With Me, Love Story and 22 – which saw her hand a fedora hat to a young fan in the audience, as is tradition at each show – within the first hour alone, before moving onto later ‘eras’ in her illustrious career.

Ms Swift also said she had made history, with last night’s Murrayfield gig having the highest attendance of any stadium show the country has ever seen.

She told the crowd: ‘I have not been in Scotland for almost a decade now. And I was wondering what it was going to be like when we go back to visit there, how are they going to be as a crowd and, do you know what, you kind of answered me before I even got on stage.

‘I had someone pull me aside and say, “Hey, we’ve checked this 20 times and we swear… tonight’s concert is the most highly attended stadium show in Scottish history.”‘

And in a nod to her Scottish audience, she gave backing dancer Kameron Saunders the opportunity to say ‘Nae chance!’ as she performed We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. 

She later drove the native fans wild after telling them lockdown-era album Folklore was inspired by their home country.

In remarks reported by BBC News, she said: ‘There was so much TV, so much white wine, covered in cat hair. That was my reality. So I thought, ‘I’m going to create an imaginary world and escape into it’.

‘That was Folklore, and it was probably based online of videos I’ve seen of Scotland.’

She also told the adoring crowd earlier in the show: ‘My biggest regret is that I should have played in Scotland more. I should have brought every tour to Scotland. I can’t stop looking at the crowd…it’s captivating.’

The show was packed with epic moments, not least when one romantic took the opportunity to write their own Love Story by proposing to their partner at the show, catching the singer’s eye. 

She told the crowd: ‘I’m pretty sure someone just got engaged right now. They did! That’s amazing. That’s huge!’ 

All those crammed inside the stadium raised their arms into the air and activated special wristbands which sparkled whenever Taylor began singing.

The three-and-a-half hour show charted Swift’s 20-year professional music career, from aspiring country singer to pop star and now global cultural juggernaut with a fandom unrivalled by almost any other musical act on the planet – and a reported net worth of $1.3billion (£1.02billion).

It features countless costume changes, with Swift moving from bodysuits to sequined suit jackets, a t-shirt reading ‘this is not Taylor’s version’ and even a flowing lavender gown she wore to sing Enchanted – blowing kisses to fans as she re-emerged on stage.

She then donned yet another outfit – a snake patterned ensemble – to sing Reputation and Bad Blood. 

Later, her backing dancers were boxed inside transparent cases as she launched into Look What You Made Me Do – her polarising hit that riffs on Right Said Fred’s 90s hit Sexy.

And no expense was spared as she took to the roof of a treehouse, backlit by a gigantic moon on the screen behind her, to sing mellow track Cardigan, the lead single from lockdown album Folklore. 

As she sang in a forest-inspired green dress, the 73,000-strong crowd sang every word back.

Later, Murrayfield lit up with a sea of torches as she launched into slow-burning Evermore hit Marjorie, inspired by her late grandmother, and Willow – fans waving their phones back and forth, bright LEDs alight across the entire stadium.

The second half of the show featured several tracks from her most recent album, The Tortured Poets Department – itself a two-part album that was released in halves just hours apart in April. 

Among the new tracks introduced since the tour was tweaked for the European leg were So High School, Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me? and Fortnight – performed in a white ball gown dress decorated with lyrics from the most recent album.

And a saucy routine saw her change into high-waisted sequinned shorts and a matching crop top – with a spangly jacket to match. Later in the show, she performed two ‘surprise songs’ that change night to night.

In this case the two songs were in fact four, spliced across two mashups: Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve and I Know Places on guitar, followed by a piano medley of ‘Tis the Damn Season and ballad Daylight.

Opening the unpredictable segment in a blue dress, Taylor told the crowd: ‘This has been the most insane thing. We have to do this again!’

But she had to briefly halt the first song – first to draw attention to fans who needed help in the crowd- and after developing a rare cramp in her hand, which she compared to ‘performing with a claw’. 

The star was clearly freezing on stage as a cold wind hit. At one point she had to stop playing her guitar because her hand had ‘frozen’.

She told the crowd: ‘I’m so sorry everyone, this has never happened before but my hand is frozen, I’m just going to warm it. I’m so embarrassed.’

Following the surprise segment – intimately performed on acoustic guitar and piano – she moved into her final, most recent era, of 2022 hit album Midnights, with songs such as Lavender Haze, Anti-Hero and Vigilante S***, performed to a racy chair dance routine in a purple sequin bodysuit with tassels.

And she rounded out the show with Karma – illuminated by cascades of fireworks sent skyward towards the hugely emotional climax, livestreamed by tearful fans for thousands to watch online. 

Fans gushed about the epic show to MailOnline as it wrapped up.

Sara Johnson, 40, said: ‘She was beyond amazing, absolutely incredible. She was the epitome of fine and divine and proved why she is one of the world’s biggest selling artists.

‘Tonight was simply incredible. I won’t ever forget it.’

Mother and daughter Laura and Rosa Wilson from Glasgow said they had a ‘brilliant time’.

Laura, 44, said: ‘We’ve never seen her live before and it was everything we’d hoped for, absolutely sensational in every way.

‘She is an incredible performer. And the crowd were so receptive of that. I think Taylor Swift herself was bowled over by it.’

Rosa, 13 added: ‘It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe I got to see her live. I loved it when the sparks began flying during Bad Blood. It was unbelievable.’

Meanwhile, Alison Roberts, 41, from Leicestershire said: ‘I got married three years ago and walked down the aisle to Lover so when she played that I was an emotional wreck.

‘She was unreal, she blew me away in every way possible. The music was amazing, the crowd were amazing. It was such a wonderful night.’

Taylor’s first Scottish show in over a decade began just hours after the multi-Grammy-winning global megastar touched down at Edinburgh Airport – hidden beneath a series of umbrellas as she was whisked into a car and driven to the stadium in a police convoy.

Drone pictures showed the convoy weaving its way through Scotland’s capital – and passing the entrance to the rugby stadium and events venue as fans queued, unaware they were just feet from their idol.

The Cruel Summer singer is performing tonight, Saturday and Sunday in Edinburgh before heading to Liverpool, Cardiff and Wembley in London – fresh off the back of releasing her critically acclaimed album The Tortured Poets Department.

Excitement had been building ahead of the British leg of Taylor’s sell-out Eras Tour, and devoted fans, who call themselves Swifties, had queued since 3am, braving the miserable Scottish weather as they did so.

In true Scottish fashion, fans covered their sparkling outfits with waterproof coats and resorted to wearing plastic bags over their shoes to stay dry ahead of the show beginning.

Hair sequins, glittered face paint, homemade T-shirts, cowboy hats and boots could be seen on almost every fan who made their way through the turnstiles.

Ellie Simmonds was spotted in the queue wearing a t-shirt with the words ‘I Love Taylor’ written across it.

The British Paralympian swimmer was seen with a film crew speaking to fans who had been waiting for hours in line.

Some Swifties pitched up tents to make an impromptu camp outside the home of Scottish rugby overnight. 

At least 12 tents were set up close to the stadium gates as fans travelled from all over the country to be among the first in line to see the Anti-Hero star.

First into the stadium last night was Amber Small, 19, from Aberdeen, who was at the front of the VIP section queue.

She said: ‘I can’t wait. I got here for 3am to be first in queue. I didn’t go to bed last night because I was so excited.

‘It was quite cold and dark but I’ve got my poncho on and I’m from North-East Scotland so I’m made of stern stuff.

‘I stayed the night at my friend’s aunt’s house as she lives in Edinburgh and sneaked out quietly about 2am.

‘Nothing was going to stop me from getting here early, she’s incredible, the best artist in the world. I’ve seen her twice, in London and Glasgow a few years ago.

‘A few other fans came after me. We got chatting and we’ve all marked our hands with marker pen to show our place in the queue.

‘I’m thrilled I’m number one! That feeling of being the first in the stadium this afternoon when the gates open at 3pm will be indescribable. And it’s only going to get better.’

As Swifties queued, they could belt out their favourite hits thanks to local nightclub Boho, which set up a karaoke machine with which to entertain themselves.

Zoe Blair and Sophie Anderson, both 21 and from Stirling, took to the mic. Zoe said: ‘I can’t wait, Taylor is amazing.

‘We managed to get last minute tickets last week and wouldn’t miss this for the world. My favourite songs are Illicit Affairs and Better Than Revenge.

‘It’s going to be an incredible night. That’s not the only singing we’ll be doing tonight, we’ll be singing along to every song.’

Natalie Patience, Vicki Farish, Ella Farish and Emma Patience turned out in style to celebrate Vicki turning 44 yesterday.

The birthday girl said: ‘It’s been an amazing birthday so far and this is just incredible being here.

‘We got the train from Carlisle earlier today and cannot wait for Taylor to come out on stage. The excitement is building.

‘My daughter and niece are huge Swift fans. This concert is the cherry on top of my birthday cake.’

Friends Aidan Nicholson, 27, Zoe Wick, 22, and Alana Johnstone, 22, travelled from Orkney to attend the concert.

Mr Nicholson said: ‘We got a boat and drove for about six hours to get here. We’re also flying out to Denmark tomorrow on holiday.’

Asked what he is most excited about, he said: ‘I’m looking forward to her playing You Belong With Me, because it’s vintage Taylor, the best Taylor, and that’s the way to go.’

Ms Wick said: ‘I’m excited to hear Love Story because it’s a classic and everybody grew up listening to it.’

And Ms Johnstone said she is looking forward to the song All Too Well, adding: ‘I can’t wait to hear it.’

Jasmine Griffin-Jones, 19, travelled to Edinburgh from her home in Manchester, joining two friends to camp outside Murrayfield overnight.

She said: ‘We weren’t supposed to camp but a few of us turned up with tents and had nowhere else to go so the authorities didn’t have much choice but to let us stay.

‘There were about 12 tents overnight. It was great, like a little festival. I went to the Sainsbury’s round the corner and bought a cheap duvet and sat up through the night with my friends chatting and playing Taylor Swift songs.

‘We basically went through her setlist. It was fantastic, starting the concert early. This morning we got up early, took the tent down and started queuing – people were already here at 5am.

‘I’m really looking forward to tonight, it’s going to be magical.’ 

Nawaf Karmustaji, 23, from Newcastle arrived at 4am with friends Sam Best, 22 and Michael Owens, 27. His brother Rashid, 24, flew in from Bahrain to Scotland especially for the gig.

Clutching a cup of coffee Nawaf said: ‘I need this! It’s been an early start. The VIP section go in an hour before everyone else but then it’s us. 

‘We’re first in the queue for the standing area left of the stage so hopefully we’ll get a good vantage point. Taylor Swift is unreal, such a fantastic performer and her concerts are off the scale so it’ll be a night to remember.

‘It’s been great being here with everyone, there’s a real buzz starting to build. Everyone is dressed up and happy. Taylor Swift is a genius.’

Sam added: ‘We’ve seen The Eras film at least five times – probably more than that – but we’ve never seen her live so it’s going to be unbelievable. I’m so excited.’

Meanwhile, Rashid, used to Bahrain’s searing heat, huddled from the Edinburgh chill by wrapping himself in a duvet.

He said: ‘I think Taylor Swift is amazing – but not the Scottish weather!’

Jemma Havlin, 42, and Kara-Louise Harkins, 25, had brought plenty of snacks to keep them going through to the afternoon.

Jemma from Ayrshire said: ‘We’ve never seen her before so we don’t know what to expect. But the excitement is building. People have come dressed in bright colours with feather boas and hats. It’s a real party.

‘I’ve stocked up on crisps and sweets to keep us going until the gates open at 3pm this afternoon. I think there’s a bit more of a wait until Taylor comes on about 7pm. She’s going to be fantastic.’

Kara added: ‘I missed her last time she was in Scotland so we got here bright and early this morning.

‘There’s only about 50 or so people in front of us so we’ll be among the first in – before another 73,000 people turn up. I can’t wait.’

Ellie Poulter, 19, travelled from Oxfordshire to Edinburgh on a ten-hour coach to see the singer perform on Saturday.

She said: ‘I’m waiting 48 hours to get to the front of the crowd. I had a ten -hour coach journey to get here and I slept most of the way so I’m feeling fresh now.

‘I’ve got a hotel but I want to be at the front. So I just dropped my bags there and we’ll have somewhere to sleep after the concert on Saturday.’

Around 220,000 fans have spent hours in line to buy official merchandise which is being sold near the stadium.

Those wanting the merch will have to pay £70 for a hoodie bearing the singer’s face. Water bottles are priced at £15, tote bags at £20, sweatshirts at £65 and T-shirts will set fans back £40.

Superfan Casey Paterson, 14, can’t wait to ‘breathe the same air’ as Swift. The teen, from Fife, has been sleeping at night with a VIP ticket beside her bed since August.

Her mother, Catherine Paterson said: ‘My daughter is obsessed with Taylor Swift. I’m looking forward to seeing my daughter’s dream come true by finally seeing her idol perform live – a memory I’m sure we’ll treasure forever.’

Staunch fans have flown in across the world from the Philippines, Australia and the States, with one fan coming from Texas with his wife to see the star before he goes blind.

Inside the stadium, Swifties could be seen exchanging friendship bracelets – a surefire sign you’re at a Taylor Swift concert – as they sang every word of the 40-plus song setlist back at the American superstar. 

And while buckets of chicken nuggets and chips were being sold for an unappealing £14 at a time – in both meaty and vegan forms – the bar was selling wine for a far more palatable £6.70, while a gin and tonic was £7.50.

Tickets fetched as much as £600, with desperate fans taking the view that money was no object when it came to seeing global phenomenon Ms Swift in the flesh. 

But such is the draw of a Taylor Swift concert that fans attempted to stream it on TikTok from inside the stadium.

Thousands tuned in on the site and other streams on YouTube in order to watch it, despite such streams being a breach of copyright law.

Other Swifties have packed out hotels in Edinburgh’s historic centre having jetted in from the far corners of the globe – controversially forcing the city to house homeless-presenting people elsewhere. Some Edinburgh hotels were charging as much as £800 per night for a standard room.

It was a struggle to find accommodation in Edinburgh as hotels were quickly booked up despite tripling their rates during the megastar’s three-night residency.

Incredibly, some locals came to the rescue – with one man listing his property on Airbnb for £585 per night.

One fan told MailOnline Swift is rumoured to be staying at the popular Balmoral Hotel. They claimed she has booked out two entire floors after offering an entire wedding party £10,000 to move.

Other local rumours suggest she is a guest of the five-star Caledonian hotel – which boasts stunning views of Edinburgh Castle. A-list guests over the years have included Barack Obama, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.

Edinburgh was transformed into Taylor Town for the weekend. In the city centre, bagpipers in traditional Scottish dress played renditions of the pop star’s greatest hits on the cobbled streets.

Tens of thousands of fans have arrived, with some coming from as far as Texas, Minnesota and Canada. Some hotel rooms have quadrupled in price, offering guests gifts and free cocktails named after the Shake It Off singer.

Meanwhile, trams have been emblazoned with her name and restaurants sell ‘Taylor-made’ creations like Blank Space chocolates and Enchanted tea. 

One pub just a stone’s throw from Murrayfield, the Roseburn Bar, has its own menu of cocktails named after Ms Swift’s hits.

One named Bad Blood, after her 2014 number one, features ingredients such as Jagermeister, lemonade and edible glitter. 

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has told of his ‘bond with the Swifties’, before going on to name his favourite song by the US singer.

During a General Election campaign event in Glasgow on Friday, Mr Swinney was asked by a journalist to name his top three Taylor Swift songs, prompting peals of laughter from the audience.

The First Minister replied that he had felt a ‘bond with the Swifties’ – as Taylor Swift fans are known – since Loch Tay in his Perthshire North Holyrood constituency was temporarily renamed Loch Tay Tay in honour of the star’s arrival in Scotland this week.

To further laughter from the gathered audience of SNP activists and journalists, Mr Swinney said his favourite Swift song is her 2019 single You Need To Calm Down – which he erroneously referred to as You’ve Got To Calm Down.

Mr Swinney said: ‘First of all, I really welcome Taylor Swift’s journey to Scotland, and the fact her tour is starting off in Scotland. I think that’s a massive, exciting opportunity.

‘The fact that the most beautiful place on the planet, Loch Tay, has been renamed Loch Tay Tay creates a new bond between me and the Swifties as I represent Loch Tay – or Loch Tay Tay – so that’s absolutely fantastic, and I do feel that bond with the Swifties really strongly.

‘My very favourite Taylor Swift song is, and you’ll appreciate this, is You’ve Got To Calm Down.’

A train service to Edinburgh has been named to celebrate the first UK concerts of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.

LNER said Friday’s 10am departure from London King’s Cross to the Scottish capital is called The Flying Swiftie.

Thousands of the singer’s fans – known as Swifties – are travelling by train to see her perform the first of three gigs at Murrayfield Stadium tonight.

Passengers are being advised to reserve seats as trains will be very busy.

LNER communications director Stuart Thomas said: ‘We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate the tour arriving in the UK and so our special Flying Swiftie service will say ‘So Long, London’ at 10am – packed with fans heading for the first night in Edinburgh.’

Meanwhile Edinburgh Zoo welcomed two critically endangered cotton-top tamarins who were born on Tuesday. 

In honour of Taylor’s concerts in Edinburgh, the tiny newborns were called Taylor and Swift. 

The arrival of Taylor to Edinburgh ahead of her sell-out Eras Tour was also heralded by a bagpipe rendition of her hit Love Story.

To give her a ‘Scottish welcome’, The Reel Time Band, an 11-piece band made up of eight highland bagpipers and three drummers, performed her song Love Story on the steps outside the venue, while wearing ‘era-fied’ kilts.

Roddy Deans, pipe major of The Reel Time Band, said: ‘Taylor’s tunes translate surprisingly well to traditional Scottish instruments.

‘We’re all huge music fans, so we’re delighted to help welcome Taylor to Scotland in the best way we know how.

‘It’s been a lot of fun recreating Love Story on the bagpipes and putting this ensemble together.’

It took the band 32 hours of rehearsal to practise their take on Swift’s song, and they have played for people across the world, including the royal family.

The singer disclosed that she has Scottish ancestry at a gig in 2015, so the stadium sponsorship signage was also changed from Scottish Gas to Scottish Lass to highlight this.

The 34-year-old American singer can trace her roots back to Scottish King William the Lion, who ruled from 1165 to 1214.

Swift told the Daily Record: ‘Every time I perform in Scotland it honestly feels like I am coming home.’

Drone photos taken earlier this week showed workers setting up for the three-hour concert – where the American superstar will perform over 40 songs.

Although the singer’s has sent her legions of Swifties into a state of frenzied excitement, it’s also very good news for the country’s coffers as well.

Her Eras tour is set to boost the British economy by almost £1 billion.

The tour, which takes fans on a journey through the different musical stages of her career, has been a juggernaut and is predicted to provide a £997 million boost to the UK economy, according to a report.

Almost 1.2 million fans will spend an average of £848 on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other costs to see the pop superstar at one of the 15 UK tour dates – more than 12 times the average cost of a night out, according to the Barclays Swiftonomics report.

Eras tour tickets sparked a 15.8% year-on-year increase in UK spending on entertainment when they were released last July.

The average amount spent on an Eras tour ticket is £206, although 14% of fans, including those who bought VIP ticket packages with premium seating and exclusive merchandise, spent more than £400.

It has already grossed more than a billion dollars, the biggest haul for any act ever and has bagged a Guinness World Record.

A trio of Swift fans have even flown across the Atlantic to see the Anti-Hero singer for the third time on her current Eras tour.

Margaux Eripret, Katie King and Megan Benner come from Allentown in Pennsylvania, a distance of 3,315 miles from Edinburgh.

They first saw her last month in Philadelphia and then again on Monday in Lyon, France and will be among 73,000 fans who will cram into Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby, this weekend.

The friends joined hundreds queuing outside the famous stadium to snap up merchandise.

Margaux Eripret, 23, said: ‘This will be our third time seeing Taylor on this tour. And the second this week!

‘We saw her first close to home in Philadelphia last month and then we decided to see her again in Lyon in France on Monday and tonight in Edinburgh. We’ve made a trip out of it.

‘She’s amazing, although the set list is the same, she throws in a few different surprise songs at each venue.

‘I’ve seen her so many times, I first went to one of her concerts when I was eight and in the third grade at school.

‘I think she is an incredible artist and I’m so looking forward to being there. She brings something new every time.’

Katie King, 25, agreed and said: ‘Each venue there is a different vibe so even though this will be the third time we will have seen her it always feels quite fresh.

‘Lyon was fantastic – it’s where she broke the record for highest attendance by a female artist- but each crowd reacts differently depending on which country and which city.

‘There’s always that buzz and excitement which is amazing here in Edinburgh. It’s as much of a thrill as the first time we saw her in Philly.’

Megan Benner, 23, said: ‘That first time we were right up in the gods but in Lyon we were on the floor so had a much better viewpoint.

‘We are in the VIP area so it’s better still.

‘Edinburgh is a fantastic city so full of history and culture. You can see how many fans Taylor has here looking at this line for merchandise. I know she’ll raise the roof.’

Olivia Peddle, 27, meanwhile had the comparatively shorter trip from Leeds.

She has travelled up to Edinburgh with University of Birmingham with friends Kia Clark, 27, and Orla Mallen, also 27.

Olivia said: ‘ I’ve never seen Taylor Swift before so I’m really excited.

‘I’d had tickets to see her in Hyde Park in 2020 but it was cancelled due to Covid.

‘I’ve wanted to see her so much and now finally I am, and Edinburgh is such a fantastic city. I can’t think of a better place to see the biggest selling artist of the year.’

Even the capital’s trams have been covered in adverts for the star’s latest album and hotel rooms have become hard to find.

Some hoteliers are charging a staggering £1,600 a night amid the shortage of rooms in the city.

Twitter and Facebook have each received thousands of posts from accounts advertising tickets for but the superstar’s Edinburgh shows at far below the rates of official resale sites.

But Nationwide Building Society has warned Swifties looking for tickets to be aware of scams.

Research by the company revealed that the chance to see Taylor Swift is the most likely event to have been affected by fake tickets (20 per cent) closely followed by football fans seeking tickets for the Euros (18 per cent), the Wimbledon tennis championship (15 per cent) and the Olympics and Paralympics (15 per cent).