Mac DeMarco was polite enough to swing by Milwaukee on his 2019 tour through the United States. He made a quick stop at Riverside Theater and showcased some tracks from his newest album “Here Comes the Cowboy.”
Coincidentally enough, he opened up the concert at 9 p.m. to the intro of the album. The venue quickly filled, leaving only two or three rows empty; everyone was as close as they could get. The pit was filled with people shoulder to shoulder, all swaying left to right under the influence of the music (and possibly a bit of alcohol).
As people of all demographics came pouring in, I couldn’t help but notice how happy people were heading into the venue; everyone seems like a huge fan of Mac and I would soon see just how devoted his fan base is.
While he opened the show with slow transient vibes, he slowly picked up the pace just like the storm that was brewing over our heads. With hypnotic videos playing on white screens in the back that slowly turned into wrestling propaganda and other weird but interesting videos, fans felt like they were floating on a boat down a long river listening to Mac and his lonely songs. Once the storm started to set in, he started to pick up the pace with his set and his whimsical quips in-between every song.
Everyone was as close as they could be with a bunch of people in the farther rows with their drinks in hand still enjoying the show. Fans singing along, every word spot on with the same passion as the creator himself. It was amazing to see everyone being such big fans and all the applause this artist received through the night.
Being a fan of DeMarco and finally being able to see him live was amazing. It felt like the person you saw in the interviews and read about online was exactly the person you thought it would be all along. There isn’t any facade surrounding Mac, he is just unapologetically himself and continues to be. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy his music so much.
My favorite part of the night was witnessing the band’s live performance. Always hearing these guys play and create amazing and wonderful things but never seeing them in real life was something that never crossed my mind until I finally witnessed them. Seeing the faces of the background musicians and seeing how confident and impressive they were with their playing was truly exciting.
The weather didn’t affect too much of the concert till the end when people started leaving because of the severe thunderstorm warning, and then eventually the flash flood amber alert. Sadly I was one of them… We filed out and ran towards our Ubers or Lyfts or the nearest parking garage we thought we parked at.
In conclusion, Mac puts on one hell of a live show, from energy, to funniness, to sheer effort. He definitely gets the job done and is someone to see live if you are a fan of his music.
