Only an hour before Taylor Swift’s set her boyfriend’s ex Rita Ora made a sly dig onstage about Calvin Harris and then to top it all off BBC bosses pumped out a few of her tunes minutes before the Bad Blood singer took to the stage. Norwich was waiting with bated breath as country’s former sweetheart took to the stage. With her endless legs on show and a tasselled sheer leotard, Taylor Swift burst onto Radio 1’s Big Weekend stage in Earlham Park determined to impress.
Kicking off with Blank Space, the 25-year-old had the teenage crowd eating out of the palm of her perfectly manicured hand. The svelte songwriter then rattled through her chart toppers, with girl on girl vitriolic Bad Blood anthem hypnotising the crowd.
Meanwhile behind the scenes, Norwich’s Earlham Park doesn’t play host to A Listers like Taylor every day, so it doesn’t have ample dressing rooms to fit every top celeb under the same roof.
Saturday night was special guest night on Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour. After teasing the sold-out crowd at Detroit's Ford Field that there would be "some surprises" in store, Swift delivered with a mid-show appearance by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds for a rendition of his group's hit "Radioactive," which Swift said was one of her favorite songs. She tucked it into the show just before her nightly solo acoustic performance of "You Are in Love."
Reynolds was the highlight, but not the show's only guest. After tweeting a photo with them earlier in the day, Swift brought supermodel buddies Gigi Hadid and Martha Hunt, who walked the gangway and did some posing during "Style." Both of the BFFs also appear in regular video segments of the show featuring Swift's friends talking about her.
Swift had previously welcomed Ed Sheeran on stage for a cover of his Tenerife Sea during her Rock in Rio USA performance on May 15. She continues the still-young 1989 World Tour on June 2 in Louisville, with North American, European and Australian dates currently booked into December.
Taylor Swift upped the fierce factor during a recent concert of her 1989 tour. At her gig at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, the 25-year-old country-turned-pop star brought onstage two of her BFFs and co-stars from her recent femme fatale-themed "Bad Blood" music video—Victoria's Secret supermodel Martha Hunt, 26, and model Gigi Hadid, 20.
The blonde trio strutted down a mock runway as Swift performed her hit "Style" from her new hit album 1989. She sported a backless, jeweled, fringed halter neck romper, paired with sparkling platform strappy sandals. Hunt wore a black lace mini-dress with a high neckline and matching ankle boots, while Hadid donned a black, long sleeve lace top, matching high-waist skinny pants and similar booties.
"Will never forget this moment. T, you are amazing. Detroit, you are amazing," Hadid said. "Thank you for sharing tonight with me!!!!! #1989WorldTour"
Swift also performed the song "Bad Blood" as well as singles "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space," all featured on 1989, her first major all-pop record. She also sang a pop version of her country hit "Love Story," grabbed her electric guitar for a rock version of her pop anthem "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and belted out her popular breakup track "I Knew You Were Trouble."
On Saturday, May 30, 2015, Taylor Swift brought her "1989 Tour" to Ford Field in Detroit. Some notes from the show:
• Swift's fleet of "1989 Tour" semi-trucks could be spotted outside Ford Field as early as Wednesday.
• Crazy Jesus megaphone guy, more commonly spotted warning young people about eternal damnation outside less-wholesome events like Movement Electronic Music Festival, made an appearance outside Ford Field. Swift's young fans — likely already Christians who don't use drugs — looked terrified. I wondered how much overlap Taylor Swift's audience had with Movement.
• Though I am no Lions fan, this was not my first time at Ford Field. The first was for the Super Bowl halftime show with the Rolling Stones in 2006, where the acoustics were terrible. The sound was much better Saturday night.
• I sat next to an older writer from the Oakland Press and a younger writer who said he was going to make a gif listicle "about all the feelings you feel at a Taylor Swift show" for Entertainment Tonight.
• The 25-year-old performer almost entirely abandoned her country persona for the show, instead skewing toward slick, synth-heavy pop, replete with costume changes, back-up dancers, and a catwalk.
Here is everything you need to know before Taylor Swift's "1989" World Tour concert at Heinz Field Saturday.
Concert Day Timeline:
-Never Ever Land on Art Rooney Avenue opens at 2 p.m., featuring TJ the DJ with performances by Rachel Platten and Kelsea Ballerini and Q&A with Vance Joy -Stadium parking lots open: 3 p.m. -Will Call Opens (Steelers Ticket Office Gate B): 2 p.m. -Stadium Gates Open: 5 p.m. -Music Begins: 7 p.m. -Leave Parking Areas: No later than one hour after concert.
Important Information:
-Fans with field/floor tickets need to enter through Gate 6 at the north end of the stadium along Reedsdale Street. -Heinz Field’s clear bag policy will be in effect. All bags are subject to inspection. -Not allowed inside the stadium: Selfie sticks, coolers, bags (see bag policy), thermoses, backpacks, large purses, cans, glass bottles, flasks, alcoholic beverages, laser pointers, noisemakers, strollers, video and movie cameras, tripods, audio recording equipment, weapons. -Trash must be disposed of properly. Fans will be given trash and recycling bags when entering parking lots. -Fans who park downtown can use any T station (Steel Plaza, First Avenue, Gateway, Wood Street) for a free ride to Allegheny Station at Heinz Field. -Space in stadium lots is limited. Public parking is available at the West General Robinson Garage, the North Shore Garage, at Station Square and at Allegheny Center.