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‘The hype is so real’: Australia braces for Taylormania as Eras tour rolls in

Thousands of extra staff, closed-off streets, Taylorgating: Melbourne and Sydney are getting ready for the juggernaut that is Taylor Swift

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where it is expected that Swift will play to the biggest crowds of her career – about 86,000 every night – construction is well under way on three huge merchandise marquees, which officials hope will alleviate pressure inside. While some Swifties around the world have gone to great lengths to get good spots – including some in Argentina who used an elaborate timetable to line up for five months – Accor Stadium and the MCG hope to deter ticketholders from turning up too early. “A band hoodie is going to always set you back $100 – but what she does [that is unique] is she makes everything limited edition and that traps you into thinking you’re going to miss out,” says Dr Georgia Carroll, the world’s only dedicated Taylor Swift academic.

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