Pop megastar Taylor Swift said there was a reason she chose Vancouver and Canada as the final stop of her 149-show Eras Tour, a sequin-sparkled cultural steamroller that has spanned five continents.

The fans don91裸聊视频檛 just know the lyrics, she told the first-night audience at a sold-out BC Place stadium on Friday, 91裸聊视频渢hey scream them.91裸聊视频�

Excitement in Vancouver over the shows had been building for more than a year since the city became a late addition to the tour, which is the first to make more than US$1 billion in revenue.

As the clock ticked down toward T-minus-zero, the city embraced all things Swift, draping giant friendship bracelets over landmarks, changing the city91裸聊视频檚 sign on the waterfront to 91裸聊视频淪wiftcouver,91裸聊视频� and even retuning the iconic Gastown steam clock to play 91裸聊视频淪hake It Off.91裸聊视频�

Police said an estimated 160,000 fans were expected in downtown Vancouver over the three shows, and in the hours before Friday91裸聊视频檚 concert, streets were thronged with Swifties, many in dazzling themed outfits.

The rapturous welcome the 91裸聊视频淐ruel Summer91裸聊视频� singer received when she finally made it onto the stage proved her point about the fandom.

After the ballad 91裸聊视频淐hampagne Problems,91裸聊视频� she was met with a ritualistic standing ovation that has become a staple of the tour. It lasted three minutes, and the applause shook the stadium.

Swift took out her ear monitors, and laughed as she looked around in seeming disbelief.

91裸聊视频淩ight now, honestly, I am just feeling so overjoyed that we decided to spend our last several shows in Vancouver,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淵ou are unbelievable. I love you so much. My face hurts from grinning. Thank you so much,91裸聊视频� she added, letting out a squeal.

The pop star had made her entrance on the BC Place stage in a shimmering blue-and-gold bodysuit, kicking off the show around 7:50 p.m. with her usual 91裸聊视频淟over91裸聊视频� era set to the tune of 91裸聊视频淢iss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲here have the crowds been so generous, so welcoming, so warm-hearted? Where do they know every single word? And they not only sing them, but they scream them?91裸聊视频� she asked the audience after her opening numbers.

91裸聊视频淥h, we91裸聊视频檝e got to go back to Canada, and so here we are in beautiful Vancouver.91裸聊视频�

She also struck a wistful note, reflecting on the end of a tour that has lasted almost two years.

91裸聊视频淭his has been a tour of many traditions. It91裸聊视频檚 been a tour of many, many Friday nights. But this will be the last Friday night that we ever play on the Eras Tour.91裸聊视频�

She later called it 91裸聊视频渢he greatest last Friday night91裸聊视频� she could imagine.

Outside, crowds of ticketless fans were also enjoying the show, cheering and singing along under steady rain and the watchful eye of police 91裸聊视频� and undeterred by warnings from stadium officials that those without tickets should stay away.

Security was tight, with street barricades cutting off some of the downtown core91裸聊视频檚 busiest streets, including West Georgia, Smithe, Beatty and Robson. The closures had snarled traffic in the afternoon.

Ajeet Brar from Penticton, B.C., was leading some of the singalongs, determined to help share 91裸聊视频渢he love and the energy91裸聊视频� of the tour.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 what this is all about. It91裸聊视频檚 not about getting that ticket. It91裸聊视频檚 about the people,91裸聊视频� said Brar.

Huge numbers of Swifties were also watching the show online, via multiple fan livestreams. Some had viewerships bigger then the capacity of BC Place.

Support act Gracie Abrams had warmed up the crowd before Swift took the stage, calling the tour 91裸聊视频渢he most magical place on Earth.91裸聊视频�

She said she would never forget the experience and lamented its end on Sunday.

91裸聊视频淰ancouver, I don91裸聊视频檛 know how any of us are supposed to have the words to begin to talk about the end of the Eras Tour, but all I know is that I could not be more grateful to be in the same room as all of you tonight,91裸聊视频� said Abrams, who also opened all six Toronto dates last month.

Before playing her Grammy-nominated song 91裸聊视频渦s.,91裸聊视频� which she co-wrote with Swift, she told the crowd, 91裸聊视频淲e are all the same in that Taylor is my favourite artist and my favourite writer ever.91裸聊视频�

Swift performed almost non-stop for more than three hours, with the show broken into 10 mini sets representing the eras of her 11 studio albums.

Before the 10-minute version of 91裸聊视频淎ll Too Well91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a fan favourite 91裸聊视频� she told the crowd why the tour has been the longest of her career, both in terms of show time and number of performances.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 felt like this escape to a planet where nothing but joy, and passion and togetherness and camaraderie exists. It91裸聊视频檚 also a chance to relive some of my favourite memories from tours we91裸聊视频檝e done in the past.91裸聊视频�

The set list of almost 50 songs included well-known hits like 91裸聊视频淒elicate91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淏ejewelled91裸聊视频� as well as surprise acoustic songs that change each night.

Swift called it the section she 91裸聊视频済ets nervous91裸聊视频� about.

On Friday, Swift played a mash-up of 91裸聊视频淗aunted91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淲onderland91裸聊视频� on guitar followed by a mix of 91裸聊视频淣ever Grow Up91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he Best Day91裸聊视频� on piano.

Each era of the show is marked by set and outfit changes that reflect the albums.

For instance, Swift wore a glittery ball gown for the 91裸聊视频淪peak Now91裸聊视频� section and a golden and black snake jumpsuit during her 91裸聊视频淩eputation91裸聊视频� set on Friday.

The costumes have also become part of the fandom. Eliza Sylvia, who attended Friday91裸聊视频檚 show with three friends, wore a handmade 91裸聊视频淢idnights91裸聊视频�-inspired body suit that she spent more than 100 hours bedazzling.

It was her first Swift concert, Sylvia said ahead of the show, adding that it was highly anticipated after nearly two years of watching 91裸聊视频済rainy livestreams.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,91裸聊视频� she said of attending the final weekend of the tour.

Cassie Leonhardt from North Vancouver, B.C., dressed in a shimmering red leotard, travelled the world to attend seven of Swift91裸聊视频檚 concerts. She was attending both Friday91裸聊视频檚 and Saturday91裸聊视频檚 shows.

Leonhardt confessed she purchased her outfit, rather than making it herself.

91裸聊视频淚 tried to make my own, but then I couldn91裸聊视频檛 like pull it up my legs because the glue was too tight, and then I just ended up ordering it because I gave up 91裸聊视频� I91裸聊视频檓 not very crafty.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� with files by Nono Shen in Vancouver

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press