Following the release of their latest album in November 2020, McFly were finally able to conclude their ‘Young Dumb Thrills’ tour at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena.
Although the band were one member down, with lead singer Tom Fletcher testing positive for coronavirus just a few days before the show, the remaining trio were able to adapt to perform the final date of their arena tour.
The night began with support act Chinchilla, an urban-pop vocal powerhouse who has amassed over 1.5 million streams on her self-produced singles.
Accompanied by her band, she took to the stage with confidence as she performed some of her biggest hits including ‘Million Dollar Multicolour Bliss’ and ‘Elements’.
Although this was my first time listening to Chinchilla’s music, she did not disappoint and I will definitely be looking out for her future releases.
Opening with their classic number one single ‘Stargirl’, McFly beamed onto the stage, instantly radiating high energy to the crowd.
Members Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter took it upon themselves to sing the parts usually occupied by Tom Fletcher, with Harry Judd on drums, however, this adaption was almost unnoticeable.
The setlist throughout the night consisted of both old and new tracks from their discography, in a mix of nostalgia and modern pop-rock. This was paired with an array of visuals and stage effects including confetti canons, multi-coloured lights and fire and strobes.
As the set progressed, Danny then made his way to the B-Stage towards the back of the arena where he performed ‘Red’, a spirited rock demo that was released last year.
This part of the show was a personal highlight as Danny sang into a microphone dangling from a 30-foot LED rope which he whipped around the stage throughout.
Dougie then joined Danny on the B-Stage to sing an acoustic version of their 2004 hit ‘Not Alone’ before making their way back to the main stage.
The band then sang one of their most current and most popular singles ‘Happiness’, as they were joined by the 50ft fuchsia teddy bear which can be seen on the front cover of their latest album Young Dumb Thrills.
This was another personal highlight of the show as this joyful pop song did in fact radiate infinite happiness across the venue.
McFly then tagged two of their undoubtedly most well-known songs onto the end of their set to form the encore; ‘Five Colours In Her Hair’ and ‘All About You’. The atmosphere within the arena was most certainly unmatched as everybody sang at the top of their lungs with those around them.
As the set ended, the boys were sure to thank the audience several times – especially since this was the last show of the tour – as well as throwing various guitar picks and drumsticks into the crowd before they left the stage.
The band’s fan demographic was definitely one of the most varied I have ever seen at a concert, with an audience of all genders and all ages connecting to enjoy this one particular moment.
Overall McFly put on an unforgettable show, with their incredible stage presence and visuals being two of the most notable aspects of the night.
It’s clear to see that even after almost two decades of touring, they still aim to put on the best performance possible.
All images courtesy of Hannah Adams