Pack a jacket, Taylor Swift's gig is gonna get wet

The weather wasn't playing the game during her concert in Sydney at the weekend and Swift was saturated by a massive downpour. Photo / File

While Auckland will stay relatively dry today, it seems the weather gods are saving the rain for smack bang in the middle of Taylor Swift's concert tonight.

In her first stadium show in New Zealand, Swift is set to storm the Mt Smart Stadium stage with a massive two hour set for her diehard Kiwi fans.

But with only a few hours to go tickets are yet to sell out for the stadium show.

Ticketing website Viagogo has $54 tickets for sale. However, given Viagogo's controversial reputation a safer bet could be forking out the $250 through official ticket agency Ticketmaster.

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Tonight, Charli XCX will be first to take the stage, kicking off about 7pm, after gates open at 5pm. Broods will be next on about 8pm.

The MetService is forecasting a warm day in the City of Sails, peaking about 22C at 4pm.

However, it appears light rain is forecast to begin just as Broods hit the stage, before it gets heavier from about 10pm.

If her Sydney concert is anything to go by, Swift fans are in for a treat.

They'll all be given white electronic wristbands, which will change colour throughout the night, making the audience part of the stage show.

And the Herald understands the show is to be one of the biggest to ever come to New Zealand.

The stage alone is about 30m tall while both smaller stages, which reach out into the audience, are just as big as the main stage used on her 1989 tour.

It's probably not surprising that it took four jumbo jets to bring in all her equipment to Auckland on Wednesday.

And then there's the approximate 40 shipping containers which have also been steadily arriving in the lead up to the concert.

Unsurprising then that they've needed the four large cranes – two in the carpark and two on the stadium floor - along with hundreds of workers to build the set.

As for the stage, it's been commented online as being like an optical illusion - a video screen wall that's seamless, and that continues down onto the floor, so everything she's walking on onstage is a screen.

Getting there

Public transport is free for all Taylor Swift ticket holders and we recommend you take advantage of this.

Due to Swift's young fanbase, a lot of concert-goers will be dropped off by parents and collected after the show. In Sydney, this led to gridlock, with all roads surrounding the stadium at a standstill for more than an hour. At best, it's a tedious waste of time. At worst, it's a mighty expensive Uber ride.

Special event buses will run from 4.30pm, picking fans up from the following stops:

• Albany Platform A (stop 4228)
• Constellation Platform A (stop 4222)
• Sunnynook Platform A (stop 3219)
• Smales Farm Platform A (stop 3360)
• Akoranga Platform A (stop 4065)

Buses will also run from the city to Mt Smart Stadium from 4.55pm, departing from the temporary bus stop on Quay St, between Commerce St and Gore St.

LOWDOWN
Who: Taylor Swift with support from Charli XCX and Broods
What: Reputation Stadium Tour
Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
When: Gates open from 5pm
Plus: Tickets from Ticketmaster