McFly

The wind is blowing but the sun is shining along Margate's sandy shore on a pleasant March evening. Spring has almost arrived, but there's a different kind of atmosphere in the air tonight aside from the first taste of warmth that England has felt this year so far. As group after group after group of giggling girls line up outside Margate's Wintergardens, they are all chatting excitedly about one thing- McFly. There are four reasons why these girls can barely contain their adrenalin-filled screams before they've even entered the building; Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd. Girls, need I say more?

But there are two support acts for the audience to sink their teeth into before they catch a glimpse of the boys, the first of which are Hertfordshire-based Wayward Daughter. Originally a two-piece group consisting of singer Lydia McAllister and guitarist Becky East, tonight they are joined by three extra musicians to complete the act. They are here because they have won a slot on McFly's Battle of the Bands competition, launched in 2011, and have been given the opportunity to play in front of this very crowd to support one of the UK's biggest boy(with instruments)bands. They may look more like a band performing at a school concert rather than professional band playing at a reputable venue, as their image is all over the place and it's clear that they haven't quite found the Wayward Daughter 'look' yet. However, their musical performance is flawless. Their music is perfectly balanced and executed with brilliant talent, and McAllister's voice rings out clear as a bell, in tune and highly enjoyable to listen to. Combining their original songs, such as The Game, with a cover of Ed Sheeran's You Need Me, I Don't Need You enables this practically unknown act to become a hit with the audience in their short but sweet set. They may be unsigned at the moment, but their set is tighter than a good number of currently signed artists out there, and they will certainly be one to watch in the future.

The air is getting hotter, the crowd are cramming in closer, but there's one support act left. Ivyrise. A four-piece rock band from London, and most of the audience members have already encountered one or two of the musicians from the band in the queue as they try plugging their act, hyping up their reputation and building the excitement surrounding them. It has worked- to an extent. They are energetic and, again, obviously musically talented. And credit where credit's due, their set is professional, original and enthusiastic. But they seem to have slightly misjudged the crowd. They might have forgotten that their target audience consists mainly of teenage girls who voted for Harry and Dougie devotedly on reality TV programmes just so that they can see their faces for another week, and who probably still sneakily kiss posters of Tom or Danny before they go to bed at night. Oh, and some unfortunate mums and dads as well. Instead, they blast out a set of hard-hitting rock music. This hits the spot for some members of the crowd, but the majority of them mainly seem to be tapping their feet out of impatience rather than along with the music. It's a simple case of the right set, the wrong place.

The venue darkens, and ear-piercing screams erupt. These screams only amplify as sirens begin to wail and one by one, the band members walk on stage. Some girls are hysterical, some are even in tears, as potentially the four best-looking men in the South East coastal area at this moment in time all come together on one stage. But, looking past their blinding beauty, the music speaks louder than looks. They burst on stage with a bucket-load of energy, and they all have a certain glint in their eyes, signalling that this night will be full of mischief and fun. And the boys don't disappoint. In particular, Danny and Dougie are constantly cracking jokes and fooling around, providing more than just a musical performance, but instead offering a whole array of light entertainment. If only Harry had got up from behind his drumkit and gave the audience a sample of Strictly, it could have turned into a whole variety show! They throw a few brand new tracks into the set, and the song Red stands out especially as a potential number one hit- it is brimming with energy, but has underlying tones of sultry darkness; a perfect combination. These 'test runs' are well received by the audience, but there's no denying it, they still crave the classics, and McFly have no choice but to deliver. Hits such as Broccoli, I Wanna Hold You and a mash-up of favourites Obviously & All About You send the crowd crazy, and it's obvious that the cheesy lyrics of adolescents boys mucking around with mates will never die for this band. And, to be honest, they don't really look like they mind. Slower, more delicate songs such as She Falls Asleep Pt 2 and A Walk in the Sun hush the crowd into a lullaby-esque sing-along, with cameras swaying to and fro, lighting up the room. Along with this, they perform snippets of Rihanna, One Direction and Gotye in a successful attempt to satisfy every single person in the venue. It works. They are one of the most engaging live acts that have possibly graced the Wintergardens in a while, as they manage to balance perfectly the amount of audience participation with great-quality musical performance. 

Five Colours in Her Hair leaves the crowd desperate for more, and they return for their encore of the beautifully sung A Walk in the Sun, and the powerfully performed Shine a Light and many, many thank you's. As Tom points out, the band have been together for nine years now, starting out as a boyish, playful  group of teenage lads who just enjoyed messing around with a few instruments and some lyrics. Now they are a regarded as a household name, part of the British music institution, and manage to storm the mainstream charts as well as sneak into the CD collections of rock-lovers all over the country- although they may not admit it! Whether they are a guilty pleasure or played at top volume with pride out of the car windows, there is no doubt about it; they are loved nationwide. Skeptical as some people may be- "who wants to hear a bunch of pretty boys jump around pretending to play guitars?" etc.- there is no denying the talent they ooze as a live act. Flawless and fun. Sexy and satisfying. Big-hearted and bloody brilliant!