Declan McKenna’s Big Return to Philadelphia

Declan McKenna is out on his “The Big Return” tour and what a return it’s turning out to be. For the 6th installment of McKenna’s North American tour, with opening support from the Oracle Sisters, the 24-year-old claimed the stage at Union Transfer in Philadelphia this past Friday. This was McKenna’s first time playing Pennsylvania since his last US tour back in 2018.

The Oracle Sisters kicked off the night with their Parisian flare playing hits from their newest album Hydranism and their two previous EPs Paris I (2020) and Paris II (2021), including their hit single “Asc. Scorpio.” With Julia Johansen on drums, Simon Hanes on guitar, Leah Beck playing keyboard, and Lewis Lazar and Christopher Willatt leading the group front and center, the group built the crowds energy for the night as they clapped and danced along and waved iPhone flashlights throughout the venue.

Declan McKenna and his band took to the stage as the frontman greeted the crowd with outstretched arms in a grey suit and sunglasses before jumping straight into the first of many high energy tracks, “Beautiful Faces.” For this tour, McKenna is joined by Isabel Torres on guitar, Ben Limber on drums, Linus Fenton on bass and Henry Pearce on keys. Primarily playing songs from his recent album, Zeros, he also treated long time fans to their favorites from hie 2017 debut album, What Do You Think About the Car?, including “Paracetamol,” and the hit that started his career, “Brazil.” McKenna introduced attendees of the show to an unreleased song that he explained was written when he was nine “… and that’s a fact,” yet it was “… written here as ‘New Song 1,’ however gave no indication of a coming release date. The encore featured a cover of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” which brought to mind McKenna’s slower songs such as “Emily.” The final song “British Bombs” sent the energy back through the roof and left everyone leaving on a high. McKenna always brings a fun care-free energy to all of his shows that has the crowd dancing and singing along the whole night. If you have the opportunity to attend a concert during this tour, I highly recommend.

McKenna is continuing with his 46 stop tour across North America with support from the Oracle Sisters, Eli Smart and Allie Crow Buckley. You can find the full list of tour dates here and keep up with all his tour antics via his Instagram. For more photos check our Instagram.

Declan Mckenna “The Big Return” at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, PA. June 2
Beautiful Faces
Rapture
Your Better Believe!!!
Paracetamol
Listen to Your Friends
Why Do You Feel So Down
(New Song 1)
Emily
My House
Make Me Your Queen
The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home
Eventually, Darling
Twice Your Size
The Key to Life on Earth
Brazil
Isombard
Encore:
All Things Must Pass (George Harrison cover)
British Bombs