McFly – Live Review – Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Dear reader, I feel I must start this review with a confession. For the last 20 years I’ve harboured a secret love of McFly, calling them my ‘guilty pleasure,’ thinking I was too old to be a fan. Well, after seeing them at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre, let me tell you, there’s nothing covert about my infatuation. “I’m in. I am all in” to quote my favourite noughties TV show, Gilmore Girls.
As fans of all ages streamed into the North Yorkshire seaside venue (some having waited outside in the baking sun all day for a prime viewing spot to see Tom, Danny, Harry, and Dougie), the atmosphere was electric. I worried I’d feel like an outsider, that the ‘Galaxy Defenders’ (die-hard McFly fans) would spot the interloper and send in the dark forces; instead, I was welcomed with open arms into this magnificent, not-so-secret society – shout out to the ‘barrier crew.’
“The atmosphere was electric”
Forest of Dean newcomers Devon opened the evening with more than a passing nod to the 90s Brit-Pop era and were swiftly followed by Glasgow’s Twin Atlantic with their high-octane guitar-fuelled rock. Both outfits were well received, with each helping to build the euphoria for pop-rock legends McFly’s arrival shortly after 9pm.
From the moment the quartet burst onto the stage with a rousing rendition of the 2023 hit ‘Where Did All The Guitars Go’ to the closing notes of ‘Five Colours,’ the energy never dropped. The hits came thick and fast with McFly classics like ‘Star Girl’, ‘One For The Radio’, ‘Obviously’, and ‘It’s All About You’, wrapped around more recent offerings such as ‘Land Of The Bees’, ‘Honey I’m Home’, and ‘Forever’s Not Enough’.
They even managed to squeeze in a medley featuring Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, The Beatles’ ‘Twist And Shout’, and Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, much to the delight of the crowd.
“Swept up in that wave”
However, the music is only part of the story. The camaraderie and friendship between these four guys has been well documented over the years, but to see it on stage before your eyes is something else. You can tell they’re having a great time, and it’s impossible not to be swept up in that wave of positivity.
Oh, and that glint in Danny’s eye, just the right balance of mischief and mania! I’m sure the lucky concertgoer he performed the angst-ridden anthem ‘Red’ in an almost Iggy Pop-style move to would agree.
This was more than a concert; this was a masterclass in how to entertain the masses from a group at the top of their game with their ‘feet on the ground’.
IF THIS IS HAPPINESS, I DON’T MIND HAVING IT.
