The Taylor Swift show didn't start at 7:32pm when she emerged on stage, the spiritual experience began much earlier.
With a currency of friendship bracelets, her fiercely loyal fans put on their best sequined outfit and stormed their cowboy boots towards the MCG incredibly early.
Not one second of the greatest day of their life was to be wasted. It was such a wholesome experience.
Bracelets were being traded on the forecourt faster than Pokémon cards in 2004. I was kindly gifted my first precious band of beads from Geelong's Zoe. It spelled out "reputation" - the era she felt was my best fit.
I felt like a badass.
Once doors opened we waited inside the MCG - blinded by the sun and sequins in the stands - aware we were about to witness something more special than a Boxing Day test.
The crowd united for the countdown and proudly welcomed on stage the biggest pop star on the planet. Swift didn't make anyone wait tonight - the greatest night of her fans' lives.
I genuinely gasped at her presence. Others cried, many hugged, and some were shaking.
"Welcome to one night in Melbourne," the 34-year-old said.
And with that, one era at a time, we were serenaded with the autobiographical songs that resonate with so many of her fans.
We were witnessing a pop star in the purest form. Each second was choreographed in sync with the veteran performer's backup dancers, singers, moving platforms and large movie screen. Not one second felt improvised - it was like a musical.
We were only 40 minutes in when 'Love Story' and 'You Belong With Me' hypnotized the crowd.
Suddenly my nerves took over me.
There was NO WAY she could keep this up for three-and-a-half hours.
"Her voice is sounding croaky," I lied to my friend. It was mine.
I shouted my way through her Lover, Fearless and Speak Now era, and swayed through a mild Evermore. It was nice, it was fun, it was pure joy.
Then, as if she was powerful enough to control nature, we were suddenly under a night sky as she roared into her Reputation era.
Check GeoNet - I'm sure the ground shook.
We were only 90 minutes in, my vocal cords wouldn't last another 90. How could hers?
Some of her most famous songs - 'Shake it off', 'Style' and 'Blank Space' rocked by.
But we all knew Taylor loves to keep a secret, and we were the chosen ones.
Her new album appeared on screen, and she revealed the name of her new song and taunted us with a few notes on the piano.
We would hear her new song first.
I'm certain astronauts in space could hear the screams. But it wasn't to be. Instead, her other secret - the two surprise songs she personally picks for each show.
'Red' and an intimate piano of 'You're Losing Me' - the first time she'd ever played it live. Again, people cried.
Her pandemic-induced albums of Folklore and Evermore probably last too long. And her first era with hits like 'Fifteen', 'Tim McGraw', and 'Out of the Woods' were missing.
First-world problems having too many hits for a three-hour show.
None of it mattered. Not even to the Kiwis who were prepared to sell their soul to be there.
Fireworks exploded into the night sky as Swift reminded us karma is the boy on the Chiefs for her last song.
For one night in Melbourne Swifties witnessed something they'll remember for life.
It really was the greatest day of our lives, and I now have a wrist full of friendship bracelets to prove it.
