OXFORD O2

 

Declan Mckenna is an upcoming artist who has gained popularity since 2017 since the release of his first album “What Do You Think About the Car?” when he was only 18. Unlike many artists in recent times, Declan isn’t a classic heartthrob singing about love and parties but focuses on societal issues in many of his songs while still providing upbeat, indie rock music. For example, his most popular song “brazil” is about how the Fifa World Cup romanticised Brazil on tv but skipped over and ignored all the poverty and suffering in the country. He released a second album called “zeros” in 2020 once again outlining poverty and pressures faced by young people.

I have been a fan of Declan’s music for around a year now and decided to go with a friend and watch him perform live at the 02 Academy Oxford on the 24th August 2021 and I can honestly say this may be my favorite concert I’ve attended just due to the incredible homely atmosphere.

The venue holds around just over 1,000 people and I loved the venue as it was very easy to be closer to the performance compared to a concert in a stadium.  I admit that I was closer to the stage and as the floor wasn’t tilted, the view from the back of the room may have made it harder to see the performance.

 

The doors opened at 7, but with covid checks it took a long time to get everybody inside and the support band didn’t start until 8. Previously to the night, I had never heard of nor listened to the support band, however the performance still managed to have a huge impact on me. The band was called Wet leg and are under the same management as popular indie artists such as the 1975 and Beabadoobee. It seemed at the beginning, there was unfamiliarity from the audience as not many people knew the band. Despite this, their catchy, empowering music had everyone dancing and jumping up and down. Their music fitted perfectly as Declan’s support as it got everybody hyped and adrenaline filled before the main performance even began.

 

As soon as the lights went down the crowd went insane screaming and chanting until Declan’s voice could suddenly be heard singing “beautiful faces” one of the most of popular songs from his recent album. The setlist consisted of 14 songs as well as 6 encore songs. As someone who loves both albums I was glad there was a mixture of songs from both. Declan closed the show with two of his most popular songs “Brazil” and “British bombs” to keep the crowd hooked right until the last minute.

Throughout the entire evening Declan held up an incredible performance. There was also a band behind Declan who played immaculately and kept the music flowing perfectly for the rest of the experience. To add to that, Declan’s voice conveyed a very powerful tone and sounded almost exactly how it did on the recorded versions of the songs.

 

Although I adored Declan’s performance, the main factor that made this concert so memorable for me was the electrifying atmosphere and crowd. A vast majority of people  were teenagers to young adults and the ora of comfort was felt and the hype lead to people dancing together and talking to strangers. Being within the crowd felt very fun and you could see other concert goers constantly enjoying themselves. Declan kept the crowd extremely hyped with his fantastic energy, creating mosh pit circles to run into and screaming along to every song. At one point I stood with lights spinning across the room,  absorbing the experience along with best vibes I had felt in a long time. After the concert my friend said he felt at home, and I couldn’t agree more.

 

Overall, I would say that Declan’s music is very unique mixing the issues that plague society today along with the fun indie music that is absolutely magnificent to watch live. I’d suggest fans of artists/bands such as sea girls, wallows and circa waves to go and check out Declan’s music as they may resonate with you. 

 

Setlist:

Beautiful Faces – Rapture – Sagittarius A* – Emily – Make Me Your Queen – The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home – Twice Your Size – The Key to Life on Earth – My House – Listen to Your Friends – Humongous – Isombard – You Better Believe!!! – Be an Astronaut

Encore:

Daniel, You’re Still a Child – Why Do You Feel So Down – Paracetamol – Eventually, Darling – Brazil – British Bombs

 

IZZY