On September 4th, I had the pleasure of going to Tate McRae’s “Miss Possessive World Tour” showing at Madison Square Garden. Here’s everything you missed, or are awaiting to see, as there are still many tour dates left on her North American leg running from now until November 8th.
The sun was setting at the Mineola train station where I was waiting with one of my best friends, for our train into the city. Classes had just ended, and I was so excited to finally experience the performance I had been waiting for the past eight months. There were dozens of other girls decked out in cheetah print, leather boots, and sports jerseys waiting there as well. I would later learn that these are crucial elements of a Tate McRae concert outfit.
By the time we got to the venue, my excitement had only grown stronger. Inside, you were greeted by numerous merchandise stands. Most pieces of merchandise were $50 or more, which I feel is a bit overpriced. In the actual area, the opener, Zara Larsson, came to the stage. You may not be familiar with the name as I once wasn’t, but Zara has a plethora of hits that she performed in her set which included “Lush Life,” “Never Forget You,” and “Symphony.” Her stage presence was dominant and fierce which kept me interested the entire time; that is not always the case with openers in my experience.
Finally, it was time for the show to start. There was a long introduction before Tate came out that lasted for about two to three minutes. This included flashing lights and visuals on jumbotrons. The excitement reached a high point, as everyone in the arena was waiting for the moment that Tate would make her grand entrance. When she finally did, she walked out onto the stage wearing sunglasses and a matching white shirt and short set. She began to sing the song “Miss Possessive,” which also happens to be the tour’s namesake. After this, she used the song “No I’m not in love” as a transition before performing the second hit single off of her latest album, “2 hands.” This song in particular came with difficult dance breaks in between choruses that I found impressive.
There was a brief interlude until the jumbotron showed Tate in an unknown location, most likely underneath or to the side of the stage, where she began to sing “Purple Lace Bra.” She finally made it to the main stage in time for the chorus. At the last chorus, Tate stunned the audience with her vocal ability, as she hit high notes and riffs which I believe made the live version its own. Her vocal performance in this song was what solidified it as my favorite of the whole night. The rest of this set included “uh oh,” “Dear God,” and “Siren Sounds”: more of her hits with iconic choreography.
The third act of the show did not take place on the main stage, but on a circular platform deeper into the audience. This is where Tate performed some of her most heartbreaking ballads, which included “you broke me first,” “Greenlight,” and “Nostalgia.” She also took it back to her “Create With Tate” YouTube channel days and tested the audience’s knowledge of some of her older songs that included “that way” and “chaotic.” She took many breaks to interact with the audience as well which I really appreciated. Something I found really cool that Tate shared with us was that she had just recently moved to New York and was excited to make it her home.
Next, Tate went back to performing more of her upbeat, choreographed songs. For “exes” she did her highly anticipated and iconic dance break, beginning with a high kick and ending in a split. The songs “bloodonmyhands” and “she’s all i wanna be” were also performed. When “Revolving Door” came on, Tate’s fourth single off the newest album, she sang as lighted doorways on wheels flooded the stage and circled around her. This part of the show concluded with “It’s ok I’m ok” which was her lead single off the new album that she originally debuted at MSG a year ago. She did her viral choreography from the music video as greatly anticipated by myself, and the entire audience.
As the show began to reach an end, Tate did not leave out her newest song “Just Keep Watching” from the F1 movie that was released this summer. She had recently added this song to the setlist, so it was a fun surprise to most, including myself. This song transitioned into “Sports Car” which is undoubtedly Tate’s most successful song off of her new album. Fire emerged from the stage during the chorus, and Tate showed off her flexibility once again with a scorpion mid-song which I found extremely impressive. Excitement reached a peak as her last song “greedy” began to play. As the end of the song came, confetti fell from the ceiling on top of the audience. Tate and her dancers gave their final bow, and the concert had come to an end.
Overall, the “Miss Possessive World Tour” is a show that you will want to “just keep watching”! I found Tate McRae to be a fierce presence onstage that will not fail to keep you engaged the entire time. She is a powerful dancer who will impress you with her exceptional flexibility and stage presence. On top of that, she is a powerful vocalist with a unique sound. Her versatility and raw talent are what led me to being so impressed and liking the show so much.
As for the few negatives of the show, the merchandise is slightly overpriced. I also feel she could have played a few more of her older songs, but that comes from a long time fan. All in all, I do not believe these negatives took away from the great experience I had.
I highly recommend going to see her last MSG show in October if you have the means, and I know I will definitely be back for her next tour!