Machine Gun Kelly
O2 Forum Kentish Town // London, England // 31 August, 2019
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
Due to popular demand, the Machine Gun Kelly performance in London was upgraded to the O2 Forum Kentish Town, a venue that holds 2,300 people, and you bet MGK filled every single seat before he took the stage last week.
The Hotel Diablo tour had finally made its way to London and it was anything but a disappointment. From the impressive stage set up that was illuminated by colourfully chaotic graphics throughout the night to his hefty 28 song setlist, it was inevitably clear that MGK did not come to mess around.
Opening up the night with “Sex Drive,” the introduction to Hotel Diablo, and “Habits,” off of his 2017 album Bloom, MGK spent the entire night playing a slew of songs from his brand new album as well as plenty of throwbacks that fans were hoping to hear including “Wild Boy” and “Let You Go.”
Perhaps one of the main things that separates MGK from other artists in the rap game is the cross-genre influence he brings into everything he creates, an aspect that translates greatly during his live performance. Playing with a full backing band as opposed to a simple backing track, Machine Gun Kelly let his rock influence shine alongside his band while he switched between playing guitar throughout the night.
MGK even took a moment during the long set to pay tribute to Motley Crue and his time starring as Tommy Lee in Netflix’s “The Dirt,” a biopic about the rock group that got their start in the 80s. Taking over on drums, MGK showed off his multifaceted skill set as him and his band kicked into “Shout at the Devil,” a performance that heavily impressed those in the audience who are also big fans of the movie.
Along with his tribute to Motley Crue, MGK also threw in some other unexpected material during his performance. In a seamless melody, he merged together “Bad Things,” his hit single with Camila Cabello, “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish and “Wonderwall” by Oasis, a moment that seemed to rejuvenate the sold-out crowd as they sang along to each song louder than during any other moment in the night.
“27” brought a truly special moment to the set. A personal ballad about MGK’s inner dialogue on what would happen if he died at the age of 27, fans’ voices echoed throughout the venue as pictures of famous musicians who passed away far too young displayed across the stage. Included in the tribute were Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse, an image that evoked cheers from the floor to the top of the venue in London’s Camden Town, the area where Winehouse got her start.
Whether you are a rap fan or not, there is something in MGK’s music for everyone. His ability to infuse different genre influences into his music has helped to attract so many different music listeners in the industry, bridging the gap between mainstream pop/rock and underground rap. Though labeled as a rap artist, MGK proved during his sold out show in London that he is so much more than the singular label that has been given to him and, as the size of the London crowd showed, people around the world are starting to see that, too.
