LIVE: Mac DeMarco - KOKO, Camden 28.07.16

It’s hard to write about Canadian indie star Mac Demarco without instantly breaking in to a goofy, content smile. Whether live or recorded, Mac’s charm is undeniable; and on Tuesday night he worked his trippy, tuneful magic on the sold out crowd at Camden’s KOKO.

Fresh from his incredible appearance at Glastonbury (minus the fashionable waterproofs), Mac and his band entered the stage to the cheers of hundreds of happy, excited fans; many of whom were sporting similar caps & baggy t-shirt combos in homage to the front man’s casual style. Videos of Kelsey Grammar portraying The Beast from the X-Men franchise were projected across the back of the stage, as Demarco and co. wasted no time in launching in to ‘The Way You’d Love Her’, the opening track from his 2015 album, Another One.

Mac has been “cooking up something good” for a while now, and with a grateful grin he delivered a feast of laid back indie numbers. The songwriter explained the set would consist of “some old ones and some new ones”, performing Salad Days tracks ‘Let Her Go’, & ‘Chamber Of Reflection’, and songs from Another One; ‘Without Me’, ‘No Other Heart’, & ‘Another One’.

The “new” ones came from his most recent release, 2; ‘The Stars Keep On Calling My Name’, ‘Freaking Out The Neighbourhood’, and the mind-melting glory of ‘Ode To Viceroy’. ‘My Kind Of Woman’ was dedicated to “the girl at the cafe” who the band had met earlier in the day, and whose unusual name is guaranteed to be mispronounced for the rest of her life; “all I’m getting is ‘creb’?”

Mac’s dreamy, unfaltering vocals matched the collective precision his band played with. They manged to make complicated musical manoeuvres – like playing a guitar solo with the instrument resting on the back of your head – look ridiculously easy. In between tunes, they had time for a quick Brexit dig, and guitarist Pierce called out a pointless fight he’d witnessed in the front row with the wise words; “your ego is not worth it”.

Throughout the set, bodies surfed and guests (both invited and uninvited) were present on stage. T-shirts were removed, jokes about bodily functions were made, and even the guy on the balcony looked nonplussed as the Canadian star chanted ‘FITCH FITCH FITCH’ at him – which will no doubt make fans wear slogan t-shirts to his future gigs in the hope of being picked out and playfully teased by the prankster. The atmosphere was equal parts inclusive and electric.

The penultimate track ‘Still Together’, was dedicated to Mac’s “sweetheart back in New York”. Mid-way through the song, an epic guitar-led instrumental gave the front man time to leisurely survey his band and his fans, before launching himself in to the crowd to surf on a sea of supportive hands.

He somehow managed to scale KOKO’s first balcony, and as he side-stepped his way along the railings; more hands reached out for congratulatory pats and hair ruffles. He took the time to wave and smile at individuals before falling with style back in to the hands of his fans, who delivered him safely in to the spotlight once more.

Having already broken curfew, and with the lights fully up; the band continued to play as the crowd dispersed, refusing to give in to the conventions of the clock.

Watching Mac DeMarco live is further proof that the Canadian is blessed with an irrepressible, Peter-Pan-like spirit; forever young, and forever excited for the next adventure (just substitute the fairy dust for beers and cigarettes).

Photo credit: Coley Brown

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut