REVIEW: Mac Demarco at The Mann Center

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PHOTOS/WRITTEN BY: Rita Thompson

Although you might think summer concert season is coming to an end, that is not the case this year at The Skyline Stage at The Mann Center. The place was packed last night as Mac DeMarco took the stage for an unforgettable show. Delivering an almost 2 hour set, the psychedelic rocker performed songs ranging from his well known hits like “Chamber of Reflection,” to throwbacks off of his debut album 2 such as “Freaking Out the Neighborhood.”

DeMarco had a relatively early start at around 8:15 p.m., immediately grasping the crowd with the groovy sounds of “On A Level”, my personal favorite slow jam off of This Old Dog. Showcasing Mac’s ability to deliver constant switch ups between consonant and dissonant chords, the track proved to be the perfect way to captivate the crowd, absolutely indulging listeners in the band’s funky sounds. Mac followed this track with his breakout hit, “Salad Days” to get the crowd ramped up with a chance to dance. The band’s infectious energy could be felt throughout the entire venue, evident from the subtle dances moves of the more introverted fan, to the roars of the more wild. I mean hey, when there’s a guy screaming and joking between songs, how would you not get at least a little hyped up?

Not only were Mac’s vocals and guitarism impressive, but the performance of the band was not left to be unheard. With each song that passed, guitarist Andy White made his presence more and more known through his hilarious commentary and banter with the other band members. Additionally, Pianist Alec Meen’s,’ ‘Mild High Club’ inspired synth riffs and ‘Mick Jagger’ inspired dance moves were another crowd favorite. The band couldn’t have done a better job executing the floaty meter and funky backbeat melodies of Mac’s song catalog, grooving through tracks like “My Old Man,” and “Moonlight On The River.”

Of course, it wouldn’t have been a Mac DeMarco concert without some twists, turns, and seriously personal moments. When we head out to a show, we all long for that “I know this wasn’t a part of their set” moment, and that’s exactly what we got. Sure, a crowd “Fuck Tom Brady” chant has become a part of every Philadelphia concert , but it’s certainly not typical for an artist to bust out a 5-minute improv, complementary to the rowdy chant. Good thing Mac DeMarco is anything but typical, and did just that. It was epic. Having the ability to captivate a crowd better than any other, the frontman then managed to get the whole place in pitch-black silence for one of his infamous covers, this time taking on 50 Cent’s “In Da Club.” After a solid few minutes of moshing to the classic club jam, the show took a more emotional turn with an absolutely unforgettable performance of “My Kind of Woman.” As the song began, an adorably nervous couple approached the stage for one of the coolest concert moments, like, ever. Backed by the ever-so-perfect love song, Nathan got down on one knee, popped the question and serenaded his fiance, eliciting tears from pretty much everyone in the place.

To put it simply, if you’re into psychedelic, jangle pop or just good ass music, you don’t want to miss out on the increasingly hard to find, intimate experience that a Mac DeMarco show delivers.

Setlist:

• On the Level
• Salad Days
• No Other Heart
• The Stars Keep On Calling My Name
• This Old Dog
• Cooking Up Something Good
• My Old Man
• Ode to Viceroy
• One More Love Song
• Freaking Out the Neighborhood
• In Da Club (50 Cent cover)
• My Kind of Woman (Mac brought up couple to propose)
• Moonlight on the River
• Chamber of Reflection
• Still Together