As fans screamed in anticipation, Joan Jetts Bad Reputation blared out across Manchesters Etihad Stadium on 8 June as Taylor Swift stood backstage ready to welcome the crowds.
It was as on the nose as you could get but what else would you expect from Taylor, who took the snake emoji that infested her social media accounts in 2016 after Kim Kardashian tried to take her down and then ran with it, using the imagery for this new tour and embracing her new reputation.
And its worked as her sold out worldwide stadium tour came to the UK and the fans cried and they danced and they sang along as Taylor offered over two hours of pure fun.
Opening with three tracks from her long-awaited sixth album Reputation, the set was split into various seamless acts and offered us the numerous incarnations of the singer from the most recent Taylor, a girl who is older and wiser and less afraid, before flowing into the Taylor who loves love, snake Taylor, carefree Taylor, self-aware Taylor and honest Taylor.
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After 12 years in the industry, fans were also treated to old classics as well including Shouldve Said No from her 2006 eponymous album, Love Story and You Belong With Me, Long Live, and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Style, Shake It Off, Blank Space and Bad Blood.
Those acts allowed for numerous costume changes and dance breaks but where Taylors showmanship really shines is in allowing you to forget that you are in a stadium with over 30,000 other fans.
With three stages for Taylor to work with, she moved throughout the space allowing every fan a close up and making sure that every fan felt like they were watching an intimate performance.
Her vocals were also incredibly on point.
On I Did Something Bad, she had the crowd gasping around us as she held one strong note after another and used the extended gaps between lines to really let her voice ring out, while a gloriously emotional mash-up of Long Live and New Years Day – which Taylor played with just a piano accompaniment and a spotlight shining on her – would prove even the most hardened critic that Taylor can sing.
Whats interesting about Taylors fanbase, who call themselves Swifties, is how much they buy into the so-called off the cuff speeches and tales of overcoming adversity, because one quick social media search of past shows on the tour will show that Taylor tells each crowd the same stories, word for word.
(Sample: I like checking in with you, I know distance separates us but I can always check in on your Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr and see what youre doing. Its wonderful to have that feeling with you.)
A cynic would call it manipulative but as Taylor offers words of support and friendship – regardless of if theyre the same words she said the night, week or month before – theres a vulnerability in her face as she says them and thats what the Swifties recognise and gravitate towards.
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And when she messes up, like she did during the transition between Long Live and New Years Day, her giggle and self-effacing funny face brings you into the embarrassment with her, rather than making you feel embarrassed for her.
Taylor Swift the person may still be the most divisive pop star out there at the moment but Taylor Swift the musician is unarguably at the peak of her career – and its clear she is never ever ever going to be bothered by the criticism again.
MORE: Taylor Swift praises Manchester for keeping on dancing one year after arena attack
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