When two twin sisters decide to team up and embark on a two-decade long journey filled with positivity, excellence and influence, it’s only natural that banter arises questioning who’s more popular - Tegan or Sara? Well, it’s a question that arose within the first 15 minutes of Tegan and Sara’s show at the Fillmore Charlotte this week, and in the spirit of the sister’s renowned demeanor - they attacked it head on.
“You know, it’s very much in our character and I’d like to be less popular than Tegan… I don’t care,” Sara admitted. Although [Tegan] would never say it, she prefers to be the most popular.”
“I like being liked,” Tegan chimed in.
While the joke carried throughout the night, the truth revealed itself on numerous occasions. Tegan and Sara are one and the same, their popularity is equal. The sisters propel each other to newfound heights. Whether it’s writing new material, cracking jokes at live shows or one-upping each other with their Canadian dance moves, Tegan and Sara is singular. It’s the reason behind their booming popularity.
Photos by Jared Allen
As soon as the sisters hit the stage, they’re committed to putting smiles on their guest’s faces, and they don’t struggle one bit. They lead off with a few classics from The Con and Heartthrob to warm the audience. The infectious melodies possessed the crowd who swayed back and forth, singing the catchy lyrics with the performers. Their set included material from six of the duo’s eight studio albums, touching on nearly every fan-favorite, all while maintaining a casual vibe that didn’t feel overly curated.
Unlike other artists, Tegan and Sara go the distance to ensure a genuine vibe in whichever city they visit. The Canadians insert discussion breaks between every four or five songs to talk with the audience about whatever rolls off their tongue, including their nation’s pastime, hockey.
Prior to diving into the sad song “I Was A Fool,” Tegan picked out a fan wearing a Nashville Predators jersey in the front row, “You feel like shit? Why, because you’re missing your game? And they’re losing 5-0 right now? Oh shit!” If their music wasn’t so (insert expletive here) good, then they’d be worth the price of admission alone on their stand up skills.
That’s what you get when attending a Tegan and Sara show - an overwhelmingly good time. Their fun-loving attitude is bolstered by tracks from the sisters recently released pop album Love You To Death. The twins save the best for last after winding through a handful of guitar driven classics. Songs like “Hang on to the Night,” “100x” and “BWU” highlight Tegan and Sara’s eighth studio album and set the stage for the grand finale - “Stop Desire.”
Tegan and Sara pride themselves on creating an environment of love and respect. They want fans to feel welcomed when they step inside any venue in which they’re present. It’s what they stand for as individuals. The duo accomplishes this with flying colors. Their music and personality is undeniably intoxicating, so much so that nearly two hours and 21 songs just doesn’t seem long enough.
