With a laid-back style and people packed up in every aisle, Mac DeMarco sold out Roadrunner on his fifth stop of the tour on September 9th, 2025 in support of his latest album, Guitar. Around the venue, people lined up and wrapped around the block, waiting for Mac to bless their ears and souls with unforgettable music and even more unforgettable dialogue in the middle of each song.
People rushed to get the best seats in the house, finding their way to the barricade for those who wanted a lower angle while others found themselves moving up to the upper floor for a view on one of the balconies – all of them getting ready to get the best glimpse of Mac on a beautiful Tuesday night.
Opening out the night, we had DeMarco’s bassist, Darryl Johns, who energized the crowd with echoes bouncing off the walls throughout each song like the screams of the crowd, with pieces that slow down and pick back up like a rollercoaster sending you all over the place. The last couple of seconds of each song would end out with fast and dramatic finish, segwaying right into the next song with minimal notice and and an event more unnoticed fade into another track. Repetition was a staple, the way the phrases would build on each other. Not only that, but Darryl would occasionally echo a nice wide scream in the middle of the song and as the band jammed out, it would fade into nothing while the band built up into way more. This opening act for Mac delivered a unique and vibey performance, blending calm R&B and hard crashing elements together. With their soundscape-like music, they captivated the crowd, building anticipation and energy for the next set and preparing the fans for what was next.
Darryl concludes his set with his final echoes and walks off stage, leaving the venue pulsed with an electric buzz. Conversations arose and swirled throughout the atmosphere, flowing with laughter, shouts, and speculations about Mac DeMarco’s upcoming set. The air became thick as more and more time passed, with people more than ready for what was about to be put in front of them. A little more conversations as house music played with people shifting and moving on their feet and recounting the moments from the opener. It wasn’t just quite a pause between sets but rather a breath for people to process everything that they were going to see that night. The clock hit 9:15 PM and the lights dimmed and the crowd went silent for one second and then roared the next. Enough time passed and it became time.
Mac opened up his set with Shining, the first track off of his recent release, Guitar. The lyrics rose up as the crowd sang along and chanted along to ask if the “sun is still shining down on her” as the stage lights made the room not much brighter than the tone of Mac’s voice and band. His voice is so soft and light, filling the room and making the air settle down. While fans enjoyed his most popular songs like “For The First Time” and “Heart to Heart”, fans of the new album and of his oldest stuff were all satisfied with this set, with songs like “Salad Days” and “Passing Out Pieces” bringing us back to his album, “Salad Days” from 2014 and tracks from his newest album like “Sweeter” and “Phantom” all being played in the first half of his set. People all around the room enjoy the moment, phones holding phones in the air, eternalizing the moment or holding their loved ones close – everyone united by their love for DeMarco’s music. Every single song ends off with a hit that holds out as the crowd screams and chants, ecstatic for more.
With anticipation and people guessing the next songs, Mac would surprise his fans with different and extravagant moves and words. This whole tour, Mac has been meeting his crowd in the middle of his songs with people screaming out ridiculous things at him and he replies before beginning his next song. Sometimes, he is being asked to “lift his shirt up” or calling Boston “pigs” for wanting that to happen. Or he is the one speaking out, and sends fans into laughter as he says “This place is hell, I’m Satan.” Regardless, he lifted his shirt up as he has done at countless stops on the tour.
As he reaches the end of his set, he plays “Freaking Out The Neighborhood”, but he’s just getting ready to freak out the room and was met with a memory and a surprise for everyone in the room. A fan by the name Danny, who later reported using a sub wrapper from earlier to write to Mac to let him go up on stage and play with him, was called up onto the stage and performed “My Kind of Woman” on the bass, where he was then sent off and loved by fans.
Closing out the night, we hear the last notes of “Chamber of Reflection” and this constant use of ringing out and letting echoes breathe hears its final notes. Fans prepare to end the night, ready to leave and slowly but surely start moving to the exit while others stay at the barricade, prepared for an encore. Mac then comes out, surprising those who didn’t think there would be an encore, but turned around quick to witness his final song as those who knew stayed ‘till the very end and enjoyed the encore, “Nobody”, sending off his fans stunned and with memories that will last for a lifetime.
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