Mac DeMarco plays blistering and tender set at Alexandra Palace

Mac DeMarco doesn't seem daunted as he struts on stage at the cavernous Alexandra Palace, his biggest UK show to date.

The 29-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter kicked off his UK winter tour with a wild set at the 10,000-strong venue last night, featuring cuts from each of his five albums and LP Another One.

Mac has built a devoted following since the release of 2012's Rock and Roll Night Club, adored for his unique slacker rock and trademark jangly guitar.

The indie legend is also well-known for his on-stage antics and bizarre sense of humour – last year, he made a four-minute jazz video about a cat that lives behind his garage.

Mac brings all of this energy to Ally Pally, opening with the hypnotic and synth-washed On The Level before the anthemic yodel of Salad Days.

The setlist covers his entire discography, including fan favourites such as Ode To Viceroy, Freaking Out The Neighbourhood, and My Kind of Woman.

Mac plays three songs from this year's Here Comes The Cowboy – tear-jerker Nobody, the haunting Finally Alone, and Choo Choo, which segues into an extended jam and some searing guitar solos.

There's a contrast between Mac's raucous on-stage persona – his sweary rants are relentless and hilarious – and the delicate acoustic songs that defines his live shows.

Almost apologetic, he debuts I Like Her halfway through the set – a dreamy and melodic new track – before the sombre Still Beating.

Mac tells the audience "I'm getting old, fat and bald" beforehand, a preoccupation that runs through his last two introspective albums.

However, this doesn't prevent him from doing a handstand before My Old Man.

  • Live review: Masked cowboy Orville Peck wows London's Scala

Mac also claims to be ill with a "f***ed up" voice, but his crooning falsetto is on point throughout the set.

Towards the end of the gig, guitarist Andy White randomly announces he's looking for a teacher on Reddit, and Mac reveals that the psychedelic Chamber Of Reflection was actually written by J.K Rowling (who knew?).

The concert nears its end with one last chorus of Together, a sweet ballad often dedicated to his long-time girlfriend Kiera.

Read More

Today's Top Stories

  • Eastbourne hotel fire
  • Snow forecast for UK
  • Grace Millane killer guilty
  • Brit gunned downin Costa del Sol

It's followed a with a blistering version of Metallica's Enter Sandman, habitually covered by the band, with Mac chucking his guitar into the audience.

It tops off a fantastic and varied set, with Mac and the rest of his posse at the top of their game.

He continues his tour tomorrow with a show at Manchester's O2 Apollo, before stops at Glasgow, Birmingham, and Liverpool.

Source: Read Full Article