Mac DeMarco at the Observatory North Park

Emerging onto the stage wearing camouflage over-alls, DeMarco and his crew began the set with “Salad Days” which electrified the crowd to sing along. The front of the audience— moist and energetic— swayed back and fourth in a trance. The engagement of the crowd had everyone tuned in, as people were crowdsurfing (including half the band) constantly. What added to the night is the fact that DeMarco and his band look like those dudes in high school that you thought were so strange; their endearing mangy demeanor, thrift-store clothing, basically hillbilly lookalikes who may or may not bathe in the fountains of Balboa Park. But everyone ate up their youthful energy and ignorance to the norm.

Besides the showmanship, the tunes were on point and killer sound quality from quality venue always helps. Songs were played from all over DeMarco’s discography, particularly his album Another One. The songs were sometimes embellished for dramatic effect, as a few tracks transformed into an all-out jam session, causing band members to dive into the crowd to continue the chaos. The last song before the encore had Mac himself diving into the crowd, as the rest of the band wailed on there instruments making the crowd even more psychotic.

DeMarco and company play like they have a chip on their shoulders, as plenty of charm and charisma put their performance over the top. Such playful sound making make for a refreshing musical experience.