Tate McRae review: Canadian popstar thrills at 3Arena in Dublin
Tate McRae at 3Arena in Dublin. Picture: Beth Saravo
★★★★☆
Tate McRae bites her lip and grins before breaking into another dance break. “Dublin, I just want your two hands on me,” she declares.
We’re three songs in, and the Canadian star has barely come up for air. Dressed in a white leotard, flanked by a team of dancers, there’s a moment where you wonder — is this what it might have been like to witness Britney Spears in the early 2000s?
The pit, full of girls in booty shorts and cropped jerseys (the signature McRae look), appears more crammed than usual. No one wants to hang out at the back – it's a sweaty mess of bodies dancing, phones cast high in the air.
McRae’s Y2K-inspired sound is the kind of dirty pop that makes you want to go out. And on Friday, the first of two sold-out shows at Dublin’s 3Arena, she delivered a 90-minute set with a production that wouldn’t have fallen short at Croke Park.
Multiple stages, strobe lighting, dry ice and vents are used to great effect, with McRae seeming as comfortable interacting with fans up close and personal on the B-Stage (we genuinely made eye contact a couple of times...) as she is dominating the catwalk.
On a camera follows her as she emerges from beneath the stage, wearing nothing but a lace bra on her top half. “You only listen when I'm undressed,” she coos, eyes piercing down the camera's lens. On topless men gyrate à la Magic Mike before the lights dim and a pole appears – McRae mounts it as the crowd erupts.
On a dancer grabs a handheld camera and follows McRae and her fellow dancers around the stage in a DIY style that looks like a behind-the-scenes you might see on TikTok. It more than works.
For much of the night, McRae gives off the energy of the unapproachable hot girl, but when she does move to the B-Stage, dressed in a white t-shirt and maxi skirt, she reveals a more vulnerable side of herself. Sat at a Roland keyboard, she plays a snippet of “the first song I ever shared”, part of a medley of older tunes that feel more sad girl than unbothered boss bitch. For an audience, it makes her feel more human.
Which brings us to the Tate McRae issue. Despite a loyal fanbase, billions of streams and her latest album debuting at number one on Ireland’s album charts, McRae has had her fair share of negative reviews. Some feel that earworm hits like and are just a bit too reminiscent of the past.
The fans at 3Arena tonight definitely wouldn't agree. And we're certain the next time she pays Dublin a visit, it'll be at an even bigger venue.
