Live Review: McFly - British Airways ARC, London 18/06/2026
McFly ensure that the new British Airways ARC is ready for take off.
This week marks the highly anticipated take off of a brand new venue, the beautifully designed British Airways ARC, launching its opening season with performances from the stunning singer of the moment Self Esteem and old punk pop favourites McFly. The aesthetically pleasing centrepiece of Olympia’s £1.3 billion transformation gives West London its first purpose built mid-sized live music venue in over a decade. Housed within the historic 140 year old Olympia complex, the 3,800 capacity space promises state-of-the-art sound, a striking modern design and an intimate feel all in one that bridges the gap between a club and arena exquisitely. Tonight it was time for the BA ARC’s opening season to get McFlying to soaring heights.
Support comes from the country pop trio Remember Monday, who first came to national attention on The Voice UK in 2019. Their trademark three-part harmonies are on great form tonight, with first song ‘What the girls bathroom is for” and its catchy hook, ‘Jessica was crying, She's not crying anymore’. Their cheeky on stage patter and self deprecation wins the hearts of the largely young crowd tonight, at one point a singer laughing “I’ve lost an ear, oh well” as one of her earpieces falls out between songs.
Joking that their next song ‘Happier’ hits as hard as Slipknot, the girls are ready to have fun with the audience tonight. A rousing cover of the ABBA classic ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ gets the venue jumping and singing along. Set closet is their Eurovision Song Contest pop anthem ‘What The Hell Just Happened?’ which gets a strong reaction from the crowd. Their tight harmonies, polished musicianship and natural chemistry from having been a band for over 14 years made them an ideal choice to warm up the crowd, setting an upbeat tone before McFly took to the stage.
It’s hard to believe that McFly were formed 24 years ago, as one of Britain’s most enduring pop-rock bands it is fitting that they are among the first acts through the doors of the venue. After bursting onto the scene with ‘Five Colours In Her Hair’, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd remain a combined resilient force, and remarkably remain the youngest band to ever have a debut album go straight to number 1, beating The Beatles. With 7 UK number one singles, 7 Top 10 albums and a BRIT Award for Best British Pop, the band are not resting on their laurels, and their 2023 album ‘Power To Play’ saw the band embrace a new heavier, guitar driven sound. Their flares and glam rock flamboyance clearly pleases the ladies as they joke “When you buy a ticket you sign a contract to be the fifth member of McFly!”, epitomising the effortless sense of togetherness the band create for their adoring fans.
It is this sound that starts their set with the thumping ‘Where did all the guitars go’ with shredding guitar solos and the refrain ‘Rock n roll is good for the soul’ ringing irresistibly through the venue, onto classics such as 2008s ‘One for the Radio’. Signature hit ‘Obviously’ saw a change of pace with Danny moving to an acoustic guitar evoking the laid back and charming lyrics, inspiring a huge sing along for the main refrain ‘You’re obviously out of my league’.
Twenty four years old this year, they excited on announce that they have started working on their eighth album, to huge screams of anticipation. They introduce the first song they wrote together ‘Room on the 3rd Floor’, which hits home with the long term fans in the audience. Their charming repartee with the fans is constant, with the lead singer at one point quipping “We are twenty four years old this year, depending on how you count them!” McFly didn’t just take the audience Back to the Future, they brought their biggest hits into the present, giving familiar favourites a fresh lease of life.
Words by Brendan Sharp
