“I still think ’bout that night out in Boston,” pop singer Tate McRae sang to a sold out stadium with all eyes on her. Who’s able to sell out of 19,580 tickets? Well, that would be McRae.
McRae started her “Miss Possessive World Tour” on March 18, already having 48 shows. On Tuesday, Aug. 26 at TD Garden, McRae held her first night out of three for the Boston leg of her world tour. The second day was Wednesday, Aug. 27, and the third day will be on Friday, Oct. 17. I was fortunate to be able to go with my friends on the first night of her Boston leg. While it was shorter (an hour and a half) and had only 25 songs, it was unforgettable, with the dancing, vocals and visuals.
Everywhere I went during the concert, there was someone sporting a leopard print top. The unspoken “dress code” of the tour was leopard print, lace, black and brown clothing, bright colors, jerseys and leather. Many people displayed the Y2K and sporty look of the concert, mimicking McRae’s style on stage. It was so cool to see so many people in unison, matching one way or another, as it really set the initial vibe for the show.
As the show started, the opening act Zara Larsson took the stage. Her outfit was perfect: a white tee-shirt with “Midnight sun” airbrushed on, and a skirt with chunky charms. It was colorful, fun and creative, which matched the vibe of the songs she sang. Some of her notable tracks were “Hot & Sexy”, which is an unreleased song, her social media viral “Gimme More”, “Lush Life”, “Midnight Sun”, “Crush”, “Ain’t My Love” and internet sensation, “Symphony”. I absolutely loved her opening act, as it hyped up the crowd and brought great energy. Larsson’s vocals were amazing, as she belted out her songs. I was also awestruck with her dancing, along with the talent of her backup dancers. It was so impressive and a great start to the concert. Her final song– “Symphony”– was the best ending anyone could ask for. Everyone was standing, singing and dancing along. It was an outstanding opening act, a great decision by McRae.
Finally, the one artist that everyone paid to see, appeared on stage. Her opening incorporated the audience, projecting different attendees on the big screen. Then, the stage exploded into smoke and red light visuals. When McRae came onto the stage, she jumped right into her song, “Miss Possessive”. She danced around the stage, looking like a model. It was so impressive how one person can dance and sing like that at the same time. She then launched into her song, “No I’m not in love”. The stage lit with fire, singing her heart out under the red lights. All throughout the stadium, people were singing loudly and dancing along with McRae.
Throughout the concert, the visuals were breath-taking. For one point in the show, there were some short videos displayed, which really set the tone for the upcoming song and showcased her as a person. The lights managed by the crew were magnificent. There was one time where they manipulated the lights to make McRae’s and the backup dancers’ shadows go in different directions, making it more mysterious. There was fire, smoke and sparklers, which added a wow factor to her performance.
McRae then went on to sing, “Two Hands”, “Guilty Conscience” and “Purple Lace Bra.” During “Guilty Conscience” the lights changed from red to blue, creating almost a more sad and peaceful feeling. Then, probably one of the most impressive things of the concert, McRae danced on a pole before “Uh oh”. The amount of core strength and flexibility it likely took to look so graceful is remarkable. The whole crowd went crazy during this moment.
She then played “Dear God” and “Siren Sounds”. Her voice during “Siren Sounds” really entranced the audience, like a Siren. It was so stunning, and the way she was able to carry out the song was amazing. Then, a quick guitar solo from the guitarist led to McRae appearing on a circular stage in the middle of TD Garden in a long dark dress.
“I just want to take a second and thank every person that showed up in this room,” McRae said on the circular stage. “I love you guys so much. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
During the concert, McRae seemed very humble and grateful, as she thanked the audience, the musicians behind her, the crew and acknowledged each backup dancer individually. I think the fact that McRae took the time to thank the people supporting her really opened up the audience and could’ve easily left some resignation for each viewer. She then continued to interact with the audience by telling everyone about her early career. Before her fame, she created Youtube videos of her playing the piano, while singing various songs. She made a tribute to this by singing snippets of her earlier songs, like “that way”, “One day” and “feel like s—”. I did however wish that she played the entirety of the songs, instead of just short segments.
She then came back onto the main stage in a different outfit and sang her most popular songs, notably being “exes”, “bloodonmyhands”, “she’s all I want to be”, “Revolving door” and “It’s ok I’m ok”, “Just Keep Watching”, “Sports Car” and ending with “greedy.” I absolutely loved “Just Keep Watching”, as McRae’s vocals were so strong and the visuals on the big screen were just perfect. She really spilled her heart out in both her dancing and singing at the end of the concert, even though she already performed for an hour. It was a joy to see. I thought that finishing with “greedy” was perfect, as “greedy” was one the biggest hits from her career.
In all, I think that McRae’s concert was the best concert I have been to because her vocals and dancing were just stunning. In addition, the visuals and her backup dancers really made a huge difference to the show, adding another wow factor. I would definitely come for her second and third night and recommend this concert to everyone. I am so excited to just keep watching McRae through her career (pun intended).
