This Monday, March 28th, Theatre of Living Arts was at full capacity for emerging pop star Tate McRae, whose resale tickets — according to gossip heard while waiting in a line that wrapped well around the block – were apparently going for up to $800. And while the 18-year-old phenom didn’t disappoint, with a nearly-hour-long set filled with pop bangers like “R U OK,” “Wish I Loved You in the 90s,” and “You Broke Me First” from a stage that looked like an arena spectacle in miniature; the highlights of the night actually came from the evening’s two support acts…
In fact, the most impressive set of the night came from opening act (who wasn’t even listed on the bill) GAYLE, who we first met last November when she was on tour with Winnetka Bowling League (playing to notably smaller audiences). Since then, the 17-year-old sass pop singer/songwriter (who regularly nods to late-90s pop punk, both in song and sartorial style) has been exploding with her hit breakup anthem, “abcdefu,” which had GAYLE join Lorde, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, and McRae herself as the only artists to go #1 before their 18th birthday. GAYLE’s four-song, 20-minute set was exceptionally stripped, featuring just her and her guitar (the same setup that fans saw in December when she opened for Winnetka Bowling League at The Foundry).
GAYLE opened her short set with recent single “luv starved,” a ballad epitomizing teen love (or a lack thereof); followed by “Z,” her satirical celebration and send-up of the namesake generation; and “sleeping with my friends,” a heartfelt commentary on why banging your friends isn’t maybe a great idea… The performance ended with her smash hit, which had the entire room chanting along to the charmingly vulgar chorus as if it were written for the soundtrack to the movie of their lives… which it very easily could have been…
Sandwiched in-between GAYLE and McRae was English songstress – and the only performer old enough to drink stateside – Mimi Webb, whose half-hour set embodied nearly the intimacy of GAYLE’s and nearly the spectacle of McRae’s (It did include a stage-ready sculpture donning the singer’s name.) In a white tennis skirt and knee-high white socks, Webb churned out eight songs (including “Before I Go,” “House on Fire,” and “Good Without”), which are all desperate to join your summer playlists…
