DeMarco debuts musical style on stage

MATTHEW FAIRORTH | CONTRIBUTOR | THE USD VISTA

Last Friday night,  hundreds of music lovers gathered outside Observatory North Park, in hopes of winning the lottery that was a Mac DeMarco concert ticket. Having been sold out for several weeks, there was no shortage of individuals longing to see the Canadian singer-songwriter.

At 25 years old Mac DeMarco released his fourth studio album, “Another One,” this year, cementing him as one of the best new solo artists in the music industry. Along with his distinctive, melodic sound and catchy lyrics, comes a unique personality rooted in comedy and nonconformity. These factors laid the foundation for a diverse crowd; a crowd hungry to see the live show of a dynamic character.

Typically, walking down the street in Gaslamp, many of these concert goers would stick out like a sore thumb. Yet, on Friday night, the quirkiness of their individual styles seamlessly fit together in North Park. Among the more popular outfits of the night were leather jackets with steel-tipped boots, flannel shirts with a well-worn pair of converse, and lastly, as an ode to DeMarco himself, light blue overalls. While wearing a nice pair of overalls out on a Friday night sounds like a recipe for a good time, few students at USD would make such a bold fashion statement.

For Mac DeMarco, and his crowd of nonconformists, dressing in a unique style is a form of expression. This is present on campus among a small group of individuals who enjoy dressing in a completely different way than the typical USD student. These are the individuals that make everyone question why they often conform to the unofficial school dress code, grounded in mainstream fashion.

When the lights dimmed, a roar of excitement escaped the crowd as the band entered the stage. Opening with “The Way You’d Love Her,” the audience was immediately mesmerized. It did not take DeMarco very long to reveal that not only is he one of the best up and coming studio musicians, but one of the best live performers as well.

Displaying an array of talent, his impressive rhythmic chords, melodic guitar solos, and strong vocal range stood out on stage. He immediately progressed into crowd favorites, such as “Salad Days,” “The Stars Keep on Calling My Name,” “Ode to Viceroy,” and “Let Her Go,” to name a few. DeMarco would go on to complete a well-balanced set list of old and new material, reflecting the diversity of his sound.

While many could have predicted DeMarco’s impressive sound few expected his unrelenting energy and humor. One of the most surprising moments of the night started early in the set when numerous individuals lifted each other up above the audience, surfing the crowd beneath them. DeMarco seemed to feed off this high energy as he began moving around the stage and told jokes about fellow band members. The highlight of the night came during the encore, when DeMarco decided to join the numerous fans who just recently checked crowd surfing off their bucket list, as he leaped off stage, surfing a crowd of over a thousand people. Mac Demarco is a one of a kind talent, whose artistry extends far beyond his music.