Taylor Swift fans camp out at Vector
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Christchurch University students, from left, Casey Magee, Dannielle Meekin, Kelly Shirpton, Melissa Grant, Rose Mature and Conna Thackwell.
Toni Emma George, left, and Amy Reid were queuing since 8pm on Thursday night to see Taylor Swift.
Epsom fans made outfits and a mural, from left, Tate Winter, Aja Barnfield, Minna Brouncker, Emma Pugh, Luella Ware and Jena Winter.
Taylor Swift fans outside Auckland's Vector Arena.
Previous PreviousNext NextDozens of eager Taylor Swift fans took drastic measures to get the best seats in the house for her first New Zealand show tonight.
Abbie Hines camped out overnight outside Auckland's V! ector Ar ena to secure her spot at the front of the line for tonight's performance.
The 20-year-old university student tweeted her excitement this morning, saying: "Slept out under the stars last night, front of the line for Taylor Swift whoop whoop."
More than 100 fans were lining up outside Vector Arena before midday.
Swift reportedly arrived in New Zealand on Thursday morning by private jet, before spending the day on Waiheke Island with family and friends, according to The Edge radio station.
The 22-year-old is performing three shows at Vector Arena, two of which sold out almost instantly.
The Speak Now world tour is coming to an end on Sunday night - the final Auckland date. She will be joined on stage by Nashville band, Hot Chelle Rae for all three shows.
Swift was recently named the Billboard Top 40 Money Maker for 2012, earning a reported $43 million last year.
But what can these excited fans expect to see tonight when Swift takes over Vector Arena?
Here's a few hints:
- The Speak Now Tour has been toAsia, Europe and North America in 2011, playing 98 shows in 17 countries before wrapping up in Auckland.
- The show is a two-hour theatrical presentation reminiscent of a Broadway experience, featuring elaborate costumes, dancers, aerialists, changing sets, innovative choreography and instrumentation on a multi-level stage.
- Swift moves around the venue and uses different stages, giving every audience member a great view.
- She plays five different guitars in the show, including electric, acoustic and 12-string. She also plays two banjos, the ukulele and the piano, and changes costumes nine times.
- The 22 year-old is a six-time Grammy winner, Billboard's 2011 Woman of the Year, and the reigning American Music Awards Artist of the Year, as well as the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and Entertainment Weekly Entertainer of the Year. Her Speak N! ow album has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.
- With 1,046,718 copies sold in the US in the first week of release, Swift's Speak Now album scored SoundScan's biggest single-week sales total since 2005 and is the biggest debuting country studio album in history. Taylor's career record sales now top 22 million albums, plus an additional 50 million paid song downloads.
- Fairfax NZ News
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