Mac DeMarco is arguably the closest thing we have to a contemporary Jerry Garcia. He lives on the principles of having fun, loving everyone, and making music. His fans remind me of less-committed Dead-Heads: worshipping the very ground DeMarco walks, ingesting maybe too much weed before and during the show, and acting like teenagers in love as they sway to each guitar riff.
DeMarco has been making waves in the alternative universe for several years now, leading the new sound of psychedelia and surf-rock that alternative rock has recently adopted. DeMarco is indie music’s goofy, fun-loving prince and his fans were more than happy to welcome him back to San Francisco for his show at Bill Graham on May 18th.
DeMarco’s set featured a wide range from his discography, only playing five songs off his most recent album, Here Comes the Cowboy (2019). The audience met each song with incredible vivacity, regardless of which era it was from. The night had a brilliant energy as couples danced lovingly to “My Kind of Woman” and then later moshed to “Freaking Out the Neighborhood.” Whatever DeMarco was ready to serve, the crowd was desperate to eat up.
The show made me appreciate Here Comes the Cowboy more. His latest album originally came across tired and uninspired, but his live performance suggested that maybe the music is intended to be jammed and danced to. I was surprised by the choice to incorporate “Choo Choo” into their set, but DeMarco reworked it into a lively dance tune similar to that of the Dead’s “Truckin.”
The night was full of DeMarco and his band’s typical antics. Notably, Andy White, DeMarco’s guitarist, ended the night with Dr. Evil’s rap “Just the Two of Us” from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). The band’s enjoyment and love for one another almost felt like a physical presence within the auditorium as they bantered amongst each other and the audience.
It’s clear that Mac DeMarco is determined to have fun and do what he loves, and in the process he seems to make a lot of other people happy, too. I’d recommend DeMarco to anyone, as a show with Mac allows you to lose your mind in tandem with your body.
Article and photos by Makaila Heifner