Donned in copious amounts of glitter, Declan McKenna and his band truly owned the stage at his sold-out show at the O2 Ritz Manchester. In perhaps his biggest show to date, the eighteen-year-old brought the venue to life with his endless energy, climbing on speakers and bouncing around the stage to hits from his debut album, What Do You Think About the Car?
Coventry-based indie band FEET opened the gig with some of their tracks, including “Petty Thieving.” Mosh pits had already begun at this point, and FEET were very successful in getting the crowd moving and energised, ready for Declan McKenna. They even exclaimed, “This is the third show of the tour, and Manchester, I think you are the best yet!” causing patriotic Northern shouts from the audience.
The wait between the sets turned into karaoke as the entire crowd danced and sang along to old hits from Rick Astley and ABBA, just before Declan and co soon appeared on stage. Beginning with “The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home,” Declan McKenna had his audience latched onto every lyric he sang from the onset. A spontaneous burst of confetti early on in the set surprised the crowd, as Declan continued to serenade the Ritz with fan favourites including “Basic” and “Mind.” Slowing it down a little, it seemed like every member of the audience knew the lyrics to “Humungous” as they sang along with the artist.
Mass dancing erupted once again to the bouncy “Isombard” and “Why Do You Feel So Down?”, followed by an amusing moment in which Declan had a conversation with a fan in the crowd, who was sat on someone’s shoulders waving around an odd shoe. McKenna’s relatability as a songwriter was evident in “Paracetamol,” its hard-hitting lyrics strengthening the connection between the singer and the multitude of young people in the room as he came down off the stage to sing with those on the barrier.
The opening sounds of perhaps Declan’s most popular track, “Brazil,” once again had the crowd moving. He stood on the stage holding the Brazilian flag, and then, in classic Declan McKenna tradition, he jumped into the audience and allowed himself to be carried across the sea of his loyal fans. Finishing on “Listen to Your Friends,” Declan returned to the stage shirtless and provided one last performance of his honest lyrics, commenting on the world that we live in. It was truly incredible to witness the dedication of his fans, singing along word for word.
Drenched in sweat, desperate for water, and joining the long queues for the popular merchandise stand, we left Declan McKenna’s gig in awe of his unquestionable talent for putting on a real show and being so relatable for the young people who attended.
Declan has just announced three extra shows for his tour, so check out his website for tickets and a night filled with amazing music, lots of glitter, and surprise confetti.
