Declan McKenna proves why he has been hailed the voice of a generation at Wolverhampton’s The Halls

The Halls, Wolverhampton, 10th April 2024

After the release of jazz and blues-infused What Happened To The Beach?, I was intrigued to hear what the arrangement of Declan McKenna’s third album would sound like live. It appears I was not the only one, as the pit of The Halls at Wolverhampton fills up with fans, singing along to the pre-show playlist which was filled with ABBA and Talking Heads, eagerly awaiting the arrival of McKenna to the stage.

McKenna has made a name for himself within the music industry as the voice of Gen Z since the release of singles ‘Paracetamol’ and ‘Brazil’ in 2015, and the subsequent release of his debut album, What Do You Think About the Car?, in 2017. Despite subverting his trademark sound, his recent release What Happened To The Beach? received critical acclaim, with publications such as NME describing it as “an exercise in pure, creative optimism”.

From the first note of ‘Sympathy’, not once do the energy levels dip

As McKenna takes to the stage, which is designed to appear like a mountain range, accompanied by his band singing ‘Sympathy’, one of the singles from his latest album, it is clear that we are in for a high-energy night.  From the first note of ‘Sympathy’, not once do the energy levels dip.

McKenna surprisingly transitions into ‘Brazil’, a song which has become a staple on every teenager’s summer playlist. I assumed that ‘Brazil’, as McKenna’s most streamed song, would be reserved for the encore. However, it was the correct idea to play the song so early in the setlist as it raised the crowd’s excitement levels, and they stayed there for the remainder of the gig.

After the lights turn purple, reminiscent of the cover of McKenna’s second album Zeros, he plays the album’s opening track ‘You Better Believe!!!’. The transition between three different songs that reside in three different albums makes it obvious that the 25-year-old artist will be combining his recent releases with his back catalogue, and the audience welcomes it.

McKenna takes to the piano for a stripped-back version of ‘It’s An Act’ before jumping back to the front of the stage for ‘I Write The News’, a song which is characterised by the politically charged lyrics that have become commonplace in McKenna’s discography.

“We’re doing a bit of everything tonight!” McKenna declares, which is greeted with an enthusiastic cheer from everyone at The Halls. As he strums his gold glittery guitar, it is clear that McKenna still has a strong rapport with his audience, something that many artists struggle to maintain, due to his fanbase being able to identify with his lyricism.

‘A Breath of Life’ follows ‘Why Do You Feel So Down?’, which is welcomed by the crowd as a moment of respite from the electric openers.

The crowd is just as excited to hear tracks from McKenna’s back catalogue as they are to hear the new releases

‘Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine’ is proof that WHTTB? works well with slight alterations as a live arrangement. ‘Elevator Hum’, another single from McKenna’s latest release, follows, again with a slightly different live arrangement that made it more concert friendly.

The transition between two Zeros tracks, ‘The Key to Life on Earth’ and ‘Rapture’ is met with fans singing along to the choruses: “For all I’m worth / The key to life on Earth.”

The extended outro of ‘Mezzanine’ is a testament to McKenna not only being a fantastic lyricist but also an incredibly talented instrumentalist. ‘Mezzanine’ is sandwiched between two tracks from the debut album, What Do You Think About The Car?, ‘Isombard’ and ‘Make Me Your Queen’. The crowd is just as excited to hear tracks from McKenna’s back catalogue as they are to hear the new releases.

McKenna sings ‘Beautiful Faces’ before he waves and exits the stage, leaving the crowd to chant “Oh, Declan McKenna!” as we await his return for an encore.

Not leaving his audience waiting too long, McKenna returns, acoustic guitar in hand, ready to sing ‘WOBBLE’, the opening track from his third album. ‘Phantom Buzz (Kicks In)’ follows and is expertly designed to be played live, with the chorus preparing the crowd for the energy needed for the final song.

Declan McKenna’s show in Wolverhampton is proof as to why he has acquired such a dedicated fanbase

As the lights turn red, everyone knows what is coming next. The first notes of ‘British Bombs’ begin to play, and the crowd jump up and down singing along to every word. McKenna leaves his guitar at the side to join in with his fans running up and down the stage as the pit breaks into the mosh pits that have become customary at the end of his shows. McKenna finishes the show standing atop his set mountain alongside his drummer before he gleefully skips off the stage.

Declan McKenna’s show in Wolverhampton is proof as to why he has acquired such a dedicated fanbase. Fans singing along to every word from songs spanning all three of McKenna’s albums demonstrate how his lyricism resonates with his predominantly young adult fanbase. As What Happened To The Beach? subverted McKenna’s debut sound, it will be interesting to see how he not only grows as an artist but also as a performer.

★★★★