Live updates: ‘Miami! We are back!’ Taylor Swift takes the stage on night 1 of her Eras Tour

The three-and-a-half hour outdoor musical therapy session known as the Eras Tour was an experience fans won’t forget in Miami as they experienced several costume changes, throwback songs and a fair bit of rain.

In tongue-in-cheek fashion, Taylor Swift announced her arrival at the Hard Rock Stadium around 11 a.m., ready to kick off the Eras tour again. In a now-viral Instagram post, she strutted around the concert stage holding her Scottish fold cat, Olivia Benson — in homage to her infamous nickname “cat lady.”

Hours before fans descended upon Hard Rock Stadium, Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine Cava unexpectedly was the first to kick off the Swift fan craze Friday by declaring October 18 as Taylor Swift Day for the county.

READ MORE: She’s arrived! Taylor Swift is in Miami for her Eras Tour shows. See the post

The worries of security mishaps, given the dangerous fan stampede during the Copa America final in July, were quickly alleviated as security personnel ushered fans wearing an assortment of bright and sparkling outfits into the arena.

Fans had crucial questions on their minds: What will the surprise songs be? Will there be an announcement regarding the release of “Reputation: Taylor’s Version”? How long is the merch line? And when is the best time to hit the bathroom during the show, so as not to miss “Enchanted”/”Don’t Blame Me”/”My Tears Ricochet”/whatever your favorite song is?

Here’s a live look at how Day 1 of the Eras Tour in Miami went down.

Goodbye under the rain

11:21 p.m. - Swift closes out the first show of the last leg of her Eras Tour with “Karma.”

“I will never forget Friday night Eras Tour Miami,” she said as the rain returns to bathe her as she sings her final song.

What were the surprise songs?

11 p.m. - The surprise songs Taylor Swift performed at Friday nights Eras Tour were not exactly surprising, but they were definitely crowdpleasers.

The acoustic set began with a mashup of “Tim McGraw” from her debut album and “Timeless” from album Speak Now. The piano surprise songs blended “This is me trying” from her album folklore with “Daylight” from Lover.

Set between “The Tortured Poets Department” and “Midnights” eras, the surprise song set features Swift alone on stage without her band or dancers, singing at least one song on piano and one on guitar. The songs are a topic of much anticipation among fans.

Florida!!!

10:26 p.m. - We have the answer to “Will she sing ‘Florida!!!’” The answer is yes and Taylor brought out surprise guest Florence Welch to sing their power ballad from Tortured Poets Department. After they sang, they didn’t comment on the song but the two hugged and bounded off stage together. The song is about taking a therapeutic journey through Florida after a breakup.

There was no surprise appearance by Post Malone to sing their duet “Fortnight,” also from her latest album.

Inspired by the U?

10:15 p.m. - Swift’s 1989 era opened at 10:05 p.m. with “Style.”

Taylor’s style? A green skirt and orange top sparkly top that pays homage to University of Miami. Well, probably not. But during “Shake it off” the crowd was illuminated with green and orange lights. It’s literally homecoming.

Swift was impressed by Miami fan’s knowledge of her songs. “The volume you are singing every one of these songs is astonishing,” Swift said in Folkore era, thanking the Miami audience.

No word on Taylor Version of Reputation

9:30 p.m. - Swift Debuted a new bodysuit for her Reputation era which was black with gold snakes rather than red snakes. She made no mention of if she has plans to release a Taylor Version of Reputation. But maybe the new outfit is a hint at future album art?

Photo gallery: See a glimpse of Taylor Swift’s performance at the Miami stop of the Eras Tour

Miami weather didn’t cooperate

9 p.m. - The drizzle started to come down harder about 30 minutes into the show. But that didn’t stop Swift, who debuted a new sparkly silver fringe-hemmed dress for “Fearless.”

Fans started to pull ponchos over their heads, and eventually Swift’s “Not a lot going on at the moment” T-shirt got soaked.

“I officially declare this a rain show,” Swift said at 8:50 p.m. before thanking her fans for the “joyous celebration“ they have made “my longest tour ever.”

Then she asked if anyone minded if she sang one more song from Red. “If you have like 10 minutes,” she said, as she lit into “All Too Well.”

Taylor Swift starts the show

8:05 p.m. - After a countdown clock appeared, Taylor Swift took the stage and opened her set with “Miss America & the Heartbreak Kid” wearing an orange body suit.

Swift’s excitement to be back touring in the U.S. was evident. “I get to play a sold out show for 61,000 people in Miami,” Swift said. “Miami! We are so back! That’s right. The way you are treating me is starting to go to my head. You’re making me feel really powerful,” Swift said before “The Man” from Lover era.

“We’ve taken the Eras tour all over the world, and I kept thinking to myself, if this tour had to end because everything must end, let’s go to the most passionate, craziest crowds in the world – Miami, Florida!” said Swift.

Gracie Abrams is a Swiftie

7:30 p.m. - Gracie Abrams, daughter of film director JJ Abrams (“Star Trek”), is back opening Eras dates after performing on the European leg.

“I’ve never been more excited for a Taylor Swift show,” Abrams, 25, said as she surveyed the crowd after performing “Cool” from her just released deluxe edition of “The Secret of Us.”

Abrams also sang “Us,” this summer’s tune she co-wrote with Swift, during her almost 40-minute set.

“Thank you, Taylor, if you’re listening backstage,” she said.

Gracie Abram’s set list

• “Risk”
• “Blowing Smoke”
• “I Love You, I’m Sorry”
• “Where Do We Go Now?”
• “That’s So True”
• “Tough Love”
• “Free Now”
• “Us”
• “Close to You”

The weather is causing wardrobe malfunctions

7 p.m. - Inside the stadium, fans held onto their cheerleader skirts and shiny little dresses as they battled 20 mph winds that swirled around the Hard Rock. The rain, however, held off. Unfortunately for fans, the lines for the women’s restroom were about as long as the lines to get through security.

Allie Lugin from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, wearing a flowing strapless blue dress, battled the breeze with happy resignation.

Her secret? She wore shorts under the dress.

“I’m just resigned to it,” she said.” It’s all girls around here, but I don’t want to flash anybody.”

The wind was forgotten when the first screams erupted. Gracie Adams took the stage around 7 p.m., scattering the fans on the concourse to their seats.

Security was serious, but also having fun

5 p.m. - Apart from solely focusing on Swift’s soon appearance at the Hard Rock, some fans may have had serious questions about stadium security. Overzealous soccer fans overran the stadium before the Copa America final in July. Fans, many without tickets, stormed the gates and broke through, while others climbed through vents to gain entry. The match was delayed, and 27 people were arrested.

Security has been an issue for the tour, too. In August, officials in Vienna uncovered and foiled a terrorist plot aimed at concertgoers, arresting three men. Swift canceled three shows, calling it a “devastating” necessity.

At Friday’s show, security was tight and well organized, with most fans having to show their tickets more than once. Even in the long lines to get in, the crowd was cheerful and friendly, admiring each other’s outfits and trading friendship bracelets. Security guards were even trading bracelets with Swifties and snapping photos with fans in full Taylor regalia. One security guard in a pink cowboy hat took pictures of fans inside the venue.

Fans glammed up for Swift

4 p.m. - Harper Forrest, 10, wore her best shiny “Lover” outfit. She and her mom, Shannon, had traveled from Carlsbad, New Mexico.

“She begged for over a year to go in California, but it was too expensive,” Shannon Forrest explained. “She called her dad one day, and he was drunk on the golf course, and he said yes.”

READ MORE: Take a look at the scene outside Hard Rock Stadium before Taylor Swifts’ Eras Tour in Miami

One of the youngest Swifties in attendance came in utero.

“It’s baby’s first Taylor Swift concert,” said mom Paola Werner, who traveled from Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband Kyle.

“This baby was strategically planned around this concert,” Kyle Wener said. They are traveling with Kyle’s mom, Kelly Werner, and sister, Kelsey.

Elizabeth Broadwater and Jenner Witt traveled from Maryland for the show because they got the coveted presale code for Miami. When asked what it was like to actually receive a code they laughed.

“Alot of butterflies and a lot of tears.”

Miami Herald staffers Matias Ocner and Howard Cohen contributed to this report.