We Bought Tickets to Tate McRae’s Denver Show and Got a Full-Blown Pop Baptism
Denver Goes Wild for Tate McRae's "So Close to What" Tour Stop
By Maddie Weizenegger - October 2, 2025
Last night, November 20, Tate McRae turned Denver's Ball Arena into a full-blown pop spectacle. In support of her latest album So Close to What, the 21-year-old singing, dancing phenom delivered a concert that was equal parts big-budget arena show and stripped-down emotional catharsis. It was part vocal masterclass, part dance clinic, and 100 percent validation that McRae is arriving as one of pop's most compelling live acts.
She didn’t ease into the night — she detonated it. Kicking things off with the fierce opener “Miss Possessive,” McRae hit the stage with razor-sharp precision, flanked by a crew of equally ferocious dancers. The choreography was tight, the lighting cinematic, and the bass hit like a heartbeat in overdrive. Even while executing the kind of moves that would leave most performers gasping, McRae’s live vocals stayed rich, sultry, and unwavering — an increasingly rare feat in pop today.
Our writer, Maddie, arriving to the Tate McRae Concert in Denver, CO
The setlist drew heavily from So Close to What but wove in shiny new anthems such as “Just Keep Watching,” while still giving fan classics like “Feels Like Shit.” The transitions felt deliberate rather than hastily thrown together for a greatest-hits compilation. Her staging choices were intentional, too: minimalist illumination for the ballads, explosive strobes for the dance numbers. It wasn’t just a tour stop — it was a fully formed pop narrative playing out in real time.
Midway through the show, McRae was open and honest with the audience, laughing as she admitted Denver's elevation was "definitely messing with her lungs." But not once did she let the momentum fall. Instead, she leaned into the vulnerability, making her star power feel even more magnetic.
Her command over the arena was undeniable. Whether locking eyes with fans in the front row or hyping up the nosebleeds with an effortless flick of her mic, McRae made the entire space feel like it was part of something bigger. Her dancers moved like an extension of her own body, and her band added grit to the studio-polished tracks, giving the night a live-wire edge.
By the time the final harmonies faded, it was clear this wasn’t your average pop concert. It was a rite of passage for Tate McRae — a vocalist shedding the “next big thing” title and fully embracing her role as a pop star. In a time when so many performers rely on backing tracks and pre-programmed choreography, McRae’s ability to sing, dance, and command a crowd all at once felt like a breath of fresh air.
Denver didn’t just get a show — it got a statement. Tate McRae isn’t arriving; she’s already here.
Cover Art Curtsey of Sony Music, Charlie Denis