Tonight is the final night of Declan McKenna’s What Happened To The Beach tour. He’s known for his explosive performances and he doesn’t disappoint. Edinburgh Playhouse’s acoustics enhance his vocals and ensure high quality sound; managing to feel intimate despite its size.

Support act, Soft Launch, deliver an upbeat performance to prepare the audience for McKenna. Their music has a similar beachy vibe and interesting instrumental interludes. The raspy vocals and familiar indie-pop sound is refreshing; the new Irish five-piece fit somewhere between The Beach Boys and Role Model.

The lights lower once more and the crowd erupt as McKenna walks onstage, opening with the catchy ‘Sympathy’ from his new album. Most of the setlist tonight consists of tracks from the new one and his debut, however we’re also graced with ‘The Key to Life on Earth’ and ‘Beautiful Faces’ from Zeros.

With an impressive mix of relaxed and upbeat songs I found myself going from feral jumping to melancholic swaying, particularly with the debut of his cover of ABBA’s ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ during the encore.

The song gained popularity on TikTok last year, with many naming him the fifth Beatle due to his delicate harmonies and ability to make an utterly heartbreaking song even more devastating with only guitar and voice. Before the cover McKenna gushes that “Scotland is the only country in the world that granted me a number one record.” Before plucking the first guitar string he admits “I didn’t write this song” and I knew we were getting this mesmerizing cover. Hearing this live was truly a religious experience, the crowd enraptured together as everyone stood in awe and appreciation; what an amazing way to finish the tour and to thank Scotland.

The penultimate track is the incredible ‘British Bombs’ which criticizes the hypocrisy of the UK government in a politically charged and explosive melody which must be screamed in concert. McKenna is known for entering the crowd to sing the bridge and whilst entranced I forgot that this happens until I saw him jump off the stage and run down the aisle towards me. It was a completely unforgettable experience to jump and scream “get real kid your country’s been at war since birth now / And if it’s not a fucking outrage, what’s it all about babe?’ with McKenna just inches away. ‘The Phantom Buzz (Kick In)’ closes the set, another upbeat track with psychedelic elements that retains the momentum of ‘British Bombs’.

Though he’s almost a decade into his career, McKenna’s explosive presence and enthusiasm make it seem as though he’s just getting started. Attending a Declan McKenna show is an uniquely intimate experience, and this one will genuinely go down as one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended – there is just something so sacred and distinctive about McKenna.