I got off at Union Station at 6:30 p.m., arms looped around my friend. I’d never taken the subway here before, except maybe to hop on the GO train or the VIA Rail. The station is huge; it is its own little underground city, with shops and bakeries, food courts, and about a million hallways with twenty-foot ceilings.
Even though neither of us had navigated this huge modern maze before, we both knew where to go—just follow the sea of knee-high boots, leather jackets, and tucked-in jerseys. Look-alike Tate McRaes. I, of course—dressed in laced Dr. Martens with red-tongued flames, a mini skirt, and a lipstick-red corset top—fit right in. My friend grinned at me, “I think there are more people here dressed for a concert than in regular clothes.” And it’s probably true. The Rogers Centre can hold up to 55,000 people for a concert, and on August 20th, it sure seemed like every one of those seats was filled.

On the Miss Possessive Tour poster, overshadowed by the huge orange “TATE” are the words “with special guest Zara Larsson.” To be honest, I’d barely known her apart from a couple songs and the rainbows and dolphins permanently associated with her song ‘Symphony.’ But in just forty minutes, I became her biggest fan. She appeared in tiny ripped jeans and bright neon bralettes. Knee-high boots, but they were hot pink instead of leather and dark like Tate’s. Her voice was raspy and full, with a little country note. Her backup dancers wore alternating blue and pink sports bra-like tops—like a gender-reveal party. She stood in the centre, six-pack abs popping out like they were part of her costume. The confident way she carried herself onstage made her look like Pilates Barbie. Commanding and strong. Despite only knowing a couple of her songs beforehand, you best believe that the first thing I did after that night was download all her songs.

Tate strutted out to her tour’s namesake song and a screaming crowd, sporting a skimpy ocean blue set and flanked by her male calisthenic backup dancers.
From the start, Tate moved only like one with a dance background like hers would. She effortlessly combined her electric and textured vocals with powerful and flexible moves, at one point even wrapping herself around a pole. (Her show, while highly entertaining, was definitely not family-friendly.) While most of her songs on the setlist were from her latest album, she included both fan favorites from previous albums, such as ‘exes’ and ‘run for the hills,’ as well as nostalgic, older pieces such as ‘One Day.’ Every song was unique in its choreography, and overall, the concert offered an amazing range of emotions and moods.
In her third act, Tate appeared not from the back of the stage like before, but from a side entrance in a long and regal purple dress. In all its ruffles and volume, it juxtaposed her tiny biker shorts and sports bra from just minutes before. Somber, she climbed the circular stage in the middle of the arena, and, despite her long acrylic nails, sat at a keyboard to sing her earlier and softer songs. Under the light of the fans’ iPhone lights, she talked about her journey to the artist she is now, from her first song at 17, to now at 22. The interlude-like act provided a delightful change of pace to her concert, and showed yet another aspect of her performing prowess.
Oftentimes, as artists rush to change from one costume to the next, the fans themselves are left in their own awkward moments, the background tracks not quite living up to the electrifying energy the live artist had. However, each one of McRae’s transitions was filled with either a cinematic documentary-style edit of her songs and her tour, or once, an exhilarating solo by a backup dancer and a live drummer. It was precisely these small moments, filled with care and detail, that left no holes in the show.

All in all, this concert was once-in-a-lifetime. The energy sustained throughout the entire duration, across both performers, was mesmerizing. The choreography was stunning. The ebbs and flows of music, the structure of the set list, and the curated props all melded together to create not just a cohesive but an immersive experience. As much as I had listened to her tracks on Spotify before, nothing could prepare me for the live performance that I had the privilege to attend.