McFly with Lil' Chris at the Dome, Doncaster, 25th March

McFly are usually used to playing sold out arena tours, appearing on children’s television and appealing to the under 10s. Yet tonight as they continue their Up Close and Personal Tour the Dome is gorging with a strange mix of fans. From 4 year-olds to mums and back to teenagers you would normally expect at a heavy metal concert, it comes as a shock to understand McFly are appealing to the masses.

It could be however the attraction of the support which tonight pulls the most unlikely attendees. After all as Lil’ Chris bounds onto the stage he proves he can give McFly a run for their money. Instantly the crowd are on their feet (the Dome tonight is all seated) as he screams higher than his young audience and delivers jumps which would make Busted jealous. He is also ridiculously cocky for such a small stature beckoning to the crowd for more yelps and wails.

Through this, and many other traits, Lil’ Chris is almost a punk for the under 18s. His voice is never able to give a constant note before it is subjected to another high pitched scream and his static movements are vaguely reminiscent of someone who has just been shot with a thousand vaults, as he twists his microphone lead around his neck until near suffocation. It seems a shame that he is quickly thrust offstage after a mere four songs, though you can rest easy on the intention he is probably creating some hyper fuelled attention backstage.

For McFly however, they may be playing to smaller crowds, and tighter venues but they are in no way on trial. As a girl spotted physically shaking shows, McFly are preaching to the converted. This is a place where when a band member gargles girls scream as if he has just dropped his pants (though if this were actually to happen I’m sure many would be disappointed with their fantasy, even the girl holding the ‘STRIP DOUGIE’ banner.) As McFly are not quite the small boys pictured on daytime television. Decorated in an assortment of tattoos, sweating profusely and showing more boxers than you’d like to see, its clear McFly are no longer a boy band. Also as they begin their endless roll of number one hits it is revealed just how long McFly have been part of the pop world.

Yet it doesn’t appear to have affected their ability to perform. All three members on the stage (and a rather heartfelt pianist) are throwing themselves into creating the perfect show. Each hit, from ‘Star Girl’ to ‘All About You’ are note perfect and despite obvious flaws in the show (occasional harmonies clash with off kilter guitar chords) the boys continue smiling, laughing and encouraging the crowd to reduce themselves into a heap of tears and excitement.

But unlike the more traditional boy band of Take That, McFly continually try to build their audience into a fan fuelled frenzy. Only one song gives the audience a breather when lead singer Tom takes to a piano as secondary singer Danny brings forward the traditional boy band secret- the stool. This aside the band are similar to Lil’ Chris, running, jumping and causing as much havoc onstage as they can in front of a 6 year-old audience.

Bassist Dougie is clearly given newly added vocal parts to distract him from annoying other band members by instead annoying the audience through his whingeing voice. However this instantly seems to make him a favourite to the audience as the band decide to let the fans pick which cover they perform- a ridiculous idea considering everyone screams at anything said onstage. So it comes as a surprise to discover the band’s ‘popular’ cover of Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ is snowballed by the Ghostbusters Theme tune, something which the band deliver with a surreal sense of achievement.

Ending on 'Five Colours in Her Hair' the band run across the stage like they’ve taken too many M&Ms (tonight’s replacement for alcohol), as they collapse in a heap for the final note, leaving the audience ready and willing to rip out their vocal chords in exchange for another song.