Declan Mckenna Concert Review: The face of indie funk goes out with a bang in Bournemouth
Endearing voice cracks, charming stage presence and even paracetamol! Mckenna’s last UK tour show was one to remember at Bournemouth’s 02 Academy. The 25-year-old glam-rock star and his guitar playfully commanded the entire room with his elegant vocals and groovy style.
The intimate venue was full to the brim with adoring fans, providing an incredible atmosphere. There were more mullets in that one room than at a private school rugby match.
The evening started with energetic support act Wunderhorse, an English indie and psychedelic rock band who were a formidable force looking to excite. Despite the lead singer, Jacob Slater, slightly losing his voice, I thought the band’s heavy guitars, raw vocals and moody demeaner was certainly impressive.
After nearly two hours of waiting, Declan took to the stage with his sparkling acoustic guitar and quirky two-piece suit and silk shirt combo. Mckenna switched up the setlist for the final UK show of the What Happened to the Beach? tour, bringing Why Do You Feel So Down and new single Mullholland’s Dinner and Wine, to the front leg which of course kicked the show off excellently.
Then as expected, Mckenna followed with a plethora of new album tracks which were a lot more experimental than his first two projects. Although some of the slower numbers fell a little flat, generally the tracks were exceptionally executed and thrilling for fans to hear live for the first time.
The sound-system in the 02 academy was surprisingly very high quality, allowing McKenna’s raw vocals, note changes and elegant melodies to shine. Both Beautiful Faces and The Key to Life on Earth from his previous album, Zero’s, sounded almost magical and full of Bowie overtones highlighting the indie-rock star’s versality.
Then came the recognisable guitar rift of fan favourite Brazil that had the entire room jumping. Pure Euphoria filled the crowd as groups surrounding me grabbed a hold of each other to scream the lyrics together.
And of course, it’s not a concert without an encore, and fans were treated Paracetamol (a tour debut) sending fans into a spiral of joy. Although, it was swapped for Listen to Your Friends a great hit I wish I could have experienced live.
The final song, British Bombs was met with perhaps the best reaction of the night with fans bringing everything to the fast-paced, rowdy, and animated track. Whilst some may call it unnecessary, the mosh pit felt oddly fitting, summarising the energy of the whole gig.
With this being Mckenna’s 17th consecutive show, this tour can only be described as a well-oiled machine, in terms of his superb band, incredible live melodies and commanding stage presence.
I hope you enjoyed this review, please leave a comment and God bless the weatherman!