Live Review: McFly – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester 16/11/2023
Back and better than ever: McFly embarked on a rollercoaster through time with their incredible 21-song set at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse.
In the course of their two decades in the spotlight, McFly have safely secured themselves as one of the most renowned British boy bands. Having just unveiled their seventh studio album titled ‘Power To Play’, the dynamic four-piece aren’t showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. Now in the midst of the record’s accompanying tour, we caught them in action at their Manchester stop.
Derby rock band LostAlone provided a fiery opening to the night. Led by charismatic frontman Steven Battelle, the three-piece amped up the crowd using their razor-sharp riffs and impassioned vocals. Boasting a musical repertoire dating back to 2007, the alt-stars made sure to include some of their earlier work, namely ‘Genevieve’ from their debut album, alongside tracks from 2022 record ‘The Warring Twenties’. Packed with raw emotion, the 40-minute set was a fierce display of LostAlone’s unapologetically loud artistry.
After a short half an hour interval, it was time for McFly to take to the stage. Cued by the YMCA blasting through the speakers and spotlights illuminating the now-revealed set, the figures of Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter, and Harry Judd emerged. “Hello Manchester” Danny announced, before jumping straight into the searing opening riff to ‘Where Did All The Guitars Go’. Taken from their latest album, the defiant track was met with ecstatic uproar from the crowd.
Kicking in with yet another sizzling guitar intro, ‘Land Of The Bees’ continued to showcase the new project. A socio-political anthem conveying a bold message, it adopts McFly’s newfound harder edge, while holding onto the signature storytelling that fans know and love. Topped off by its soaring chorus, it perfectly highlighted the bandmates’ impeccable synchronicity.
After an initial dose of recent work, the third performance of the night signalled the beginning of a journey back in time. Led by Tom’s roaring vocals, ‘One For The Radio’ quickly amassed a sea of crowd engagement. “We don’t care” chanted nearly 3,500 fans, with air punches adding to the euphoria of collective rebellion. An enthusiastically delivered ‘Corrupted’ and the full-band masterpiece that is ‘Lies’ were other features taken from 2008 album ‘radio:ACTIVE’.
‘Too Close For Comfort’ saw the boys delve even further into their extensive discography. Placed between ‘I’m Fine’ and ‘Everybody Knows’, it made a somewhat unexpected appearance – but a well-received one, nonetheless – with the opening chords instantly flooding the room with nostalgia.
A token feature from the ‘Young Dumb Thrills’ record, ‘Happiness’ brought even more joy to an already elated room, before the band took it back to the very beginning for debut album ‘Room On The 3rd Floor’. A vibrant rendition of pop hit ‘Obviously’ was first, shortly followed by heartfelt duets between Danny and Tom for ‘Not Alone’ and an acoustic version of ‘All About You’. One of the few stripped back moments of the night, it showcased the raw musicianship of the pair. Even in the absence of (often heavily) layered production, steadily strummed chords and harmonised vocals left the crowd in awe.
Brimming with guitar solos, killer riffs, and driving basslines, McFly’s passion for guitar music was evident for the entirety of their set. Classic rock-infused ‘Shine On’ placed screaming strings at its forefront, as LostAlone’s Steven Battelle returned once again. Meanwhile, ‘Red (The Lost Songs)’ ignited yet another surge of energy through its electrifying hook, before the band momentarily left the stage.
The encore presented the last offerings from the band’s recent album. ‘Forever’s Not Enough’ led the way, followed by ‘Honey I’m Home’. Effortlessly transitioning between ballad-like verses and a huge chorus, the atmospheric performances encapsulated the versatility of McFly’s artistry.
Closing out the night was the one and only ‘Five Colours In Her Hair’. A dazzling ending to the almost 100-minute performance, it was a triumphant display of just how far the music legends have come. With the entire crowd singing along at the top of their lungs, the show-stopping finale is sure to be remembered for years to come.
Words by Emily Savage
Photography by Izzy Clayton
