Mac DeMarco pairs introspective songs with playful antics at Carnegie Hall

Mac DeMarco brought a sold-out Carnegie Hall crowd a two-and-a-half-hour show that mixed playful antics with introspective songs. The review presents the concert as evidence that, despite growing up and stepping back from the spotlight, DeMarco remains an engaging live performer and a distinctive pop songwriter.

The career-spanning set included a radiant cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”, shirtless moments and reworked songs such as “Passing Out Pieces” and “Ode to Viceroy”. The audience included teenagers with parents and fans who had travelled from Wisconsin; the performance also highlighted how DeMarco’s once-raucous image has evolved alongside his more subdued recent music.