Written by Dan Rose
British pop royalty McFly kicked off their ‘Power To Play’ Tour with two consecutive nights in Bristol (23rd October and 24th October), and we were lucky enough to be there on the latter of the dates.
Setting an epic night into motion, four-piece ensemble ‘Lost Alone’ supported the lads and played a wonderful opening set. Their lead singer, Steven Battelle, came across as a very humble yet energetic performer, and I found out during their set that he co-wrote some tracks on McFly’s latest album ‘Power To Play.’ The vocalist also joined them on stage later in the evening to perform ‘Shine On’, one of the songs he’d co-written with the band. After the show, when walking out, all of the band members handed out flyers relating to their upcoming headline tour in March 2024. They even signed merch, that was available on the evening, for attending fans.
Upon entering the concert area, I noticed big screens either side of the stage allowing fans to enjoy a view at all times of the beloved band. Until McFly’s concert, I have never experienced the entire room of the O2 Academy in Bristol to be as full to the brim as it was. It was so crowded that, after taking photos of the band perform, I could barely move at all when leaving the photo pit! Consisting of classic and beloved McFly hits as well as stellar tunes from their latest album, the quartet performed a tremendous set of twenty one songs in total.
I vividly remember the band members often noticed certain fans in the crowd, especially vocalist Danny Jones, as he regularly pointed at fans who appeared to be singing along to every lyric. Halfway through the show, during ‘Everybody Knows’, a young fan in the crowd got invited up on stage to rock out and play the cowbell with the band. Undoubtedly, a core memory was created this evening for that particular fan and I’m sure it is one they’ll never forget.
Some super dedicated fans attended both nights in Bristol and may have even purchased tickets to attend more shows on the tour, which is testament to the band’s timeless relevance. The mass amount of people in the room solely for McFly emphasises how much of a positive impact they still have to this day, even after having such a long-lasting career in the music industry, and their effortless ability to put on an unforgettable musical experience shows why their longtime fans stick around.
Words by Dan Rose
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