The Roadrunner, a 3,500-capacity venue, is always filled with excitement and October 16 was no exception.
Arguably one of the most polite yet fun crowds I’ve been in, I was easily able to worm my way up to an open spot and I watched as if everyone was on the same page as they sang lyric by lyric even just during the opener Vlad Holiday’s set. The lights went on as Holiday departed the stage and everything went quiet. It was serene as the tech crew broke down the drum and installed all new equipment for McKenna.
As quickly as the lights had been turned on, they rapidly dimmed as a figure made its way onto the stage. A light created a halo around McKenna and everyone went wild.
Starting with “Sympathy” and “Why Do You Feel So Down?” was a pristine choice as it allowed fans to immerse themselves in the familiarity of McKenna’s discography.
“I love you Declan!” one person yelled.
“Hell yeah!” he responded. His attentiveness and ability to work people up in all the right ways was incredible. With just one guitar riff, he had everyone in the palm of his hand.
His interactive and energetic nature was what concert dreams are made of. In a world full of bands like the Pixies rushing through sets, he was deliberate and it didn’t go unnoticed. Honestly, I never thought I could see someone jump around that much.
As a longtime Declan McKenna fan, I am all the more familiar with his music. His voice is equally as pristine live as it is in the studio recordings. Fan favorites like “Elevator Hum” and of course “Brazil,” which famously protests FIFA, garnered endless cheers to the point of being almost overwhelming. A chicken puppet humorously made a cameo in the pit and it danced along with everyone else.
McKenna’s newest album “What Happened to the Beach?”, was the epicenter of the concert. Pulling songs from his LP inspired by The Beatles, a vintage vibe was in the air as supported by McKenna’s oversized purple frames and striped shirt. The tracks were notably groovy and psychedelic in comparison to his two prior indie pop albums “What Do You Think About the Car?” and “Zeros.”
One of the standout moments of the night was his performance of the unreleased track “That’s Life.” Supported by the sea of bobbing heads, it’s clear soon enough that everyone would be singing along after imprinting yet another one of McKenna’s songs into their memory.
Predictably, there was an incredible encore. Hearing cries of fans demanding one more song, he bolted out maintaining his typical liveliness. Playing “The Phantom Buzz (Kick In)” and “British Bombs” was an appreciated vibe shift allowing everyone’s adrenaline levels to return back to normal.
Declan, if you’re reading this please play your cover of “Slipping Through My Fingers” next time you visit. Midterms have me in dire need of a good cry.
