Live Review: Taylor Swift, Vance Joy

From the tiniest of toddlers to the number of #girlsquads and the group of sparkle-soaked grannies, all came out to see Taylor Swift in all their glory, and no pop star in the world is your mate quite like Swift. The excitement in the arena is palpable and even before we're graced with her presence on this enormous stage, she manages to strap an illuminated bracelet on to each and every one of the 50,000 adoring fans in attendance, as a gift from her, of course.

In context, Vance Joy might just be the perfect support for Swift's charms and perhaps even the boy version of her, armed with hooks for days, boyish charm and songs that stack up well in the arena-environment, that have the early crowd eating it all up. Mess Is Mine and Georgia delight while Fire And The Flood, a cover of Fall At Your Feet and, of course, Riptide all appear and appease effortlessly.

"Slick" doesn't come close in describing the production on show here tonight, and as Welcome To New York introduces a leggy Taylor Swift to Brisbane, you could barely hear her above the screams. Swift is perfect, perhaps a little too much so perhaps. She's not a remarkable stadium pop star, but she is completely remarkable in an entirely different way — she's flawless in being "Taylor Swift", the massive pop star who is really good at being your mate. She knows exactly where each and every camera is and ensures every grin and dramatic pause is captured for the big screens just to endear her that little more. But it's the songs that will ensure her longevity, and the flip of moods holds us together tonight — the armbands strike pink for romance during a remixed Love Story and a dramatic red as Swift dons a leather jumpsuit for the badarse section of the set that includes Bad Blood and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

Old songs are given a makeover and new songs from her album 1989 are all dressed up in the smartest of fashions. As is Swift, with what must be dozens of wardrobe changes — she covers it all, from slinky Disney princess to rock chick and a neon two-piece that glowed with umbrella-toting dancers for How You Get The Girl.

Of course, it's Shake It Off that rounded out the evening with a runway that was now suspended and, well, spinning, and a blaze of fireworks. Performing for the impressionable tween to the 30-something mum, Swift hasn't just put on one hell of a show tonight, she's personally invited all into her squad. Until next time...