Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has landed in the UK – and it’s the grand adventure she promised
Taylor Swift has smashed a triumphant set in front of an enormous crowd in Edinburgh on her record-breaking Eras tour – telling fans it was “the wildest way to welcome a lass”.
As she welcomed the crowd, the US megastar announced it was officially the highest-attended stadium show in Scottish history.
“Oh hi,” she casually told the more than 70,000 people who came to see her perform.
See more: Swift’s Eras tour in Edinburgh in pictures
The 34-year-old star initially took to the stage in a diamante-encrusted corseted leotard and bejewelled cowboy boots.
She later admitted: “This tour has been the most fun I’ve had in my entire life… my one regret now is that I really should have come to perform in Scotland more.
“I can’t stop staring at you, I’m captivated by this audience.”
Blasting through her biggest hits in a set of 40+ songs, on stage for more than three hours, she promised to take fans on a “grand adventure” they’d never forget. She certainly did that.
“After tonight, you’re going to think about us and the memories we made,” she promised.
As it happened: Taylor Swift’s first UK Eras tour date
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Taylor Swift kicks off UK leg of Eras tour
The evening was “unforgettable”, she told the crowd, while her last song of the night, Karma, was dedicated to the crowd. “Edinburgh you have given us everything you could possibly give us tonight.”
It was a pinch-yourself evening for Swifties fortunate enough to get a ticket. Lyrics memorised, costumes perfected.
The show was a musical marathon which demonstrated not only why Swift is arguably one of the greatest songwriters of modern pop music but also one of the world’s most accomplished performers.
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The show itself was paced perfectly to hold the audience’s interest with slick dance routines and theatrical, at times fantastical, staging.
The screams of support for her most famous hits were deafening. Countless fans left Murrayfield hoarse after she told the story of her eight Eras while delivering the ultimate singalong.
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Pic: PA
This was a long day for many, a hardened few sat outside since dawn to be among the first in line to secure a front row spot.
“Anything’s worth it for Taylor,” Julia had told me at 7am outside the stadium. Her friend admitting she’d “sell my kidneys, probably both lungs” to get close to the star.
Why does she elicit such a reaction? Despite her billionaire status, Swift has somehow remained an artist whose voice remains real, authentic and honest.
Her songwriting is a shared diary of sorts – resonating all the more for her openness about her flaws and bad break-ups, sharing with fans not only the joy of falling in love, but the heartbreak.
The crowd at Murrayfield were word-perfect for her hits like You Belong With Me, the stadium echoing with noise during We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.
If performing songs from her Tortured Poets Department Era – her latest album written about her ill-fated London loves – took on more poignancy for Swift this being the UK leg of her tour, she gave no indication on stage.
Pic: PA
An all but faultless performance but for the acoustic section of her show, where the star was forced to briefly stop playing the guitar, saying: “My hand has frozen in a weird cramp… this is so embarrassing… it’s like performing with a claw. No one relates.”
While it’s understandable that many baulk at the stupidly expensive price of some VIP packages, few could question Swift’s commitment to offering her fans the ultimate experience.
But ultimately the confetti cannons and fireworks were a needless distraction really from what she does best – singing out.
A one-woman economy boosting machine, Swift’s 15 UK shows are projected by some to boost the UK economy by almost £1bn with fans shelling out, not only on tickets, but accommodation, travel, and pre-show parties.
I spoke to people who travelled here from Spain, The Netherlands, America, India and even Australia.
Fans who’d spent months planning their costumes, painstakingly threading bracelets, embroidering jackets – which is undoubtedly half the fun.
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‘Anything’s worth it for Taylor!’
While this level of pop obsession is nothing new, that one artist can still achieve this in an age where we are swamped with musical choice speaks volumes as to the power of Swift’s music.
Forget about politicians touring the country, Swift’s whereabouts will be what’s dominating the national conversation for vast swathes of the country over the next month.
While some may scoff at the tweeness of swapping friendship bracelets, dressing up and glitter – there is a delightfulness to being a part of the Swift crowd, which is a warm and welcoming world.
Swift’s proving herself to be, not only a prolific songwriter, but the ultimate showwoman.
An international manhunt is under way for the husband of a murdered woman, whose body was found in the boot of a car.
The body of Harshita Brella was found in east London on Thursday, tens of miles away from her home in Corby.
On Sunday, Northamptonshire Police said they were looking for Pankaj Lamba – who they believe has left the country.
Sky News understands she had been under the protection of a court order designed for victims of domestic abuse.
“Our inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered in Northamptonshire earlier this month by her husband Pankaj Lamba,” said chief inspector Paul Cash.
“We suspect Lamba transported Harshita’s body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car.”
“Fast track” enquires were made after the force was contacted on Wednesday by someone concerned about Ms Brella’s welfare. After she failed to answer the door at her home in Skegness Walk, Corby, a missing person investigation was launched.
Her body was found inside the boot of a vehicle in Brisbane Road in the Ilford in the early hours of Thursday morning.
A post mortem – conducted at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday – established she had been murdered.
Harshita Brella, 24, from Corby. Her body was found in a car in east London. Pic: Northamptonshire Police
More than 60 detectives are working on the case, with lines of enquiry including going house to house and property searches, as well as looking at CCTV and ANPR.
“We are of course continuing to appeal for any information that will help us piece together exactly what happened as we work to get justice for Harshita,” said chief inspector Cash.
“I urge anyone listening to or reading this statement, that if you saw anything suspicious in the past week or have any information, no matter how small, please contact us. We would always rather receive well-meaning information that turns out to be nothing as opposed to not receiving it all.”
Pankaj Lamba. Pic: Northamptonshire Police
Force referred to police watchdog
On Saturday, Northamptonshire Police said it had made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to previous contact between the force and the victim.
Northamptonshire Police previously said officers had been conducting investigations at three locations: Skegness Walk and Sturton Walk in Corby and Brisbane Road, Ilford, where Ms Brella’s body was found.
East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU) and Northamptonshire Police said they were working “around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place”.
State-of-the-art technology has been used to create a voice for King Richard III – giving him a Yorkshire accent.
A digital avatar of the medieval king’s head went on display in front of excited history fans at York Theatre Royal.
Richard III was king of England from 1483 until his death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, at the age of 32.
His remains were found in a car park in Leicester in 2012 by historian Philippa Langley.
Speaking about the recreation, she said: “We’ve got leading experts in their fields who have been working on this for 10 years and so everything has been meticulously researched, meticulously evidenced, so you are seeing the most accurate portrayal of Richard III”.
A team based at Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University created the avatar based on the reconstruction of Richard III’s head with the help of a craniofacial expert.
His voice has been created by Professor David Crystal, a leading linguist in 15th-century pronunciation. He admitted that it’s impossible to know exactly how he spoke, but this is as close as they will get.
The king was born in Northampton but spent a lot of his life in Yorkshire. His parents were also from the north of England.
Vocal coach Yvonne Morley-Chisholm spent a decade researching how the monarch would have sounded. She worked with the actor Thomas Dennis who was chosen as his body and face were such a a good physical match.
Speaking to Sky News, she said people will be shocked at how different he sounded compared with traditional portrayals of the king on stage and screen.
The coach and actor also examined the king’s letters and diary so that “as you pronounced a word that’s how you would write it”.
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The voice shows the change in pronunciation over the centuries – from regional variations to the Queen’s English.
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History fans at the unveiling were delighted with the accent, with one telling Sky News: “Northerners are known to be happy, positive, all those lovely qualities.”
Born in Northampton but a northerner through and through, technology has brought the king’s speech back to life
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