Andrew McClelland’s Mix Tape is a super funny rewind through the past few decades of popular music. The show explores the intimate relationship between music and memory; how songs bring whole stories flooding back.

McClelland shares the loves, laughter, losses and lessons he attaches to his personal soundtrack. He brings the audience with him, gently drawing out some of our own stories.

It was beautiful to see couples and friends in the audience glancing to each other, cracking up at a shared memory, shaking heads to some private embarrassment.

Andrew McClelland is a wonderful performer. He would be a great facilitator too. Right up front, he declares the room a safe space. There will be no humiliation, no meanness.

Then he sets about sharing the first story, doing the first dance, taking the first risk. A gentle invitation to ‘follow me’. The audience warms immediately to him and wants to make the room safe for him too. The connections and social cues McClelland establishes make the show meaningful and personal for everyone.

This guy knows his stuff too. He describes how he came to perform internationally as a DJ, gaining recognition and invitations to support global superstars. He is humble about it, but it adds credibility to the show knowing music really is his life.

The show relies upon the personality of its star performer. What a good decision! Andrew McClelland is warm, humble, self-aware, just flamboyant enough. He delivers a feel-good show filled with laughter and leaves us with a sense of connection with him, each other, and with our own personal mix tape.