“Shall we keep dancing?” The question every audience wants to hear—it means the show will go on; that the night isn’t over quite yet. English singer-songwriter Declan McKenna asked the crowd these words before continuing his encore for four more songs, and the question was unsurprisingly met with enthusiastic cheers that reverberated throughout the venue. But let’s rewind a bit.
A half-hour before doors opened at 6:30 p.m., a line outside of the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY, already snaked down the sidewalk and around the corner. Scores of fans stood decked out in their disco-esque gear, many of which donned McKenna’s own merch. Though not releasing music solely of the 80’s genre and rather known for his alternative rock and indie sound, McKenna tends to sport a more 80’s style while on stage with jumpsuits and glittery eye makeup. Fans took note and ran with it, copying his style. And they fit right in.
At around 9 p.m., after a captivating performance by opening act Annie DiRusso, the pre-show music stopped and McKenna’s voice filled the small space as he sang an acapella version of the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Soon after, he and his band strutted on stage, the former of which sporting a brown 70’s jumpsuit. They hit it off immediately by opening with “Beautiful Faces,” the lead single from McKenna’s sophomore album Zeros.
Following the next song “Rapture,” McKenna stopped to take a bedazzled astronaut helmet from a fan in the front row, an ode to his Bowie-inspired song “Be an Astronaut.” He successfully managed to put it over his head, and, after commenting that he wasn’t sure he could sing with it on, even proceeded to perform the first live version of “Bethlehem” on this tour.
For the next hour and a half, McKenna put on a spectacular show. Almost every song resulted in a seamless guitar transition from McKenna as if he had a different one for every song. “Be an Astronaut” showed McKenna’s aptitude for piano, and multiple instances had him shaking a tambourine while simultaneously brandishing a guitar on his shoulder. It seemed as if he couldn’t run out of energy—he jumped and ran across the limited stage, all the while never faltering with vocals.
True maturity was also evident in his voice. Cracks and wavering present in performances following his debut album What Do You Think About the Car? were gone and replaced by a unique and aged sound from the singer. Higher register notes were hit almost effortlessly, and transitions from head voice to chest showed how McKenna has almost mastered flexibility with his sound.
Though there was little crowd interaction—save for the Brit joking with the crowd that the night before was the “best rock’n’roll show” and he wasn’t sure if that night’s crowd could top it—it was made up for by the almost tangible energy exuded by McKenna.
Following a stunning live rendition of “Be an Astronaut,” the singer and his band left the stage, supposedly done for the night. The crowd immediately started chanting his name, a resounding “DECLAN! DECLAN! DECLAN!” reverberating against the walls. After what seemed like more than several minutes later, he finally returned.
After taking a sip of his cup of tea that was left onstage—the teabag’s tag hanging over the side of the cup, something so painfully British—McKenna immediately launched the crowd into “Daniel, You’re Still a Child.” Thus, the crucial question was then asked: “Shall we keep dancing?” And the night kept going.
“Brazil” is McKenna’s claim to fame. Considered a staple indie hit, “Brazil” has over two hundred million streams on music platforms and has been used as an audio for thousands of videos on TikTok. McKenna is fully aware of the cultural phenomena that the song is and even sarcastically introduced it as finally being played.
“Brazil” only paved the way for the finale, however, with the rock protest song of “British Bombs” being saved for last. McKenna even brought out a Union Jack patterned guitar, its own debut during the concert. The crowd took the energy and amplified it tenfold, a mosh pit even starting during the rage-filled bridge of the song. It proved to be a show-stopping number, and as the last song, it was more than fitting.
McKenna launched his U.S. tour on Sept. 25, hitting a total of 15 cities across the country—Brooklyn being the only one graced by the Brit’s presence for two nights. Though a relatively small artist in the U.S., there is no doubt that his fanbase is energetic and pumped for his arrival. By his next tour, there should surely be an uptick in those expecting him, as he deserves all the hype and more.
