Mac Saturn is the hottest new band in town. This Detroit-born rock ‘n’ roll band returned to the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor for their 100th show to conclude their first solo tour, Until The Money Runs Out, and it left us all wanting more.
They sold out both nights in Ann Arbor on March 31 and April 1, celebrating their homecoming with their true fans and family that have been there from the very beginning. Fans drove across the state and waited hours before the doors opened, clutching handmade signs awaiting the much anticipated Mac Saturn experience. This isn’t just any band.
I was lucky enough to sit down and talk with lead vocalist Carson Macc, guitarist Mike Moody and keyboardist Evan Mercer before their 100th show, and you could just feel the excitement in the air. Guitarist Nick Barone, drummer Angelo Coppola and bassist Jive Moses were still setting up for the night, but their presence was definitely not missed on stage.
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“This tour that we’re on and we’re just finishing today has been the single most greatest experience of our lives,” Macc shared. They reflected on their time on the road together as a band and how these 100 shows impacted them.
“With this stage, not one night has gone by that we didn’t push it to the limit,” Moody added. As a whole, they grew together, built stronger bonds and perfected their unique sound. “We said it last night,” Mercer said. “There’s nothing we can’t do, especially at this point.”
This solo tour really pushed them to challenge each other and grow closer to unifying their sound. The brotherhood that they’ve created is the key to their electrifying sound, contagious energy and entrancing stage presence. Time flies when they become entranced by their music. “We’re just serving the music and serving the song so much that it’s just, like, we’re this unit,” Mercer said. “It definitely feels like another plane of existence.”
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While taking in the energy of the crowd, they’ve learned different ways to stay present and really savor the moment. “It’s a flow state,” Moody said, adding that he’s been trying to master the act of breathing while on stage, or even taking deep breaths after their performance to come back into their bodies. The excitement of the crowd fills the band with energy. “It always affects you and it always gives back to you,” Macc said.
With this mentality and state of mind, they give it their all in their show-stopping performances. You never know what’s going to happen next, and they always leave you wanting more. The band is so engaging and contagious that all you want to do is sing and dance to match their energy.
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Their performance brings you into the moment and makes you feel the music just like they do. “Every night we say to ourselves, without saying it out loud, ‘how are we gonna get everybody together and to ride this thing right there with us,’ you know what I mean? And last night you saw it,” Macc said.
The retro groove of their music transports you to the peak of rock in the 1970s, almost like watching the Rolling Stones in their early years. They’ve got the moves like Mick Jagger and there’s nothing holding them back. Their immaculate attention to detail in their sound stage presence really sets them apart from other bands. The whole audience is unified through their music and sound.
You can just feel it in your soul.
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One song after the other, they capture the audience’s attention until the very last song. There is no break in the utter awe of the crowd. This is all because of their careful attention to personifying the songs with what they’re wearing, what they sound like and how they’re moving on stage.
Macc explains that the band and their style go hand-in-hand, as the visual element is just as important as the music. “It’s a pretty beautiful relationship,” he said.
Their stage presence is incredible. The smooth sound of Moses’ bass sets the tone as Mercer tickles the ivories. Barone’s guitar riffs fill the room and Coppola’s drums resonate in your chest. One minute they’re dancing, and then Macc collapses to the ground, singing with his face to the floor. Moody starts rockin’ the stage with his wild hair and electrifying guitar solos, and the next thing you know, Macc takes off his shirt. The crowd goes wild.
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The screams of the crowd were so loud, they could make your eardrums burst.
The audience plays a key role in each show as the band explains the stage is a boundary between them and the crowd. “You only need one or two front rows of people that are going crazy to get the whole room worked up,” Macc explained. “It’s crazy.” Moody added that it’s like when one person starts dancing at a party, everyone else starts to dance because they made it cool. And that’s exactly what happened.
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Each band member brings a special part to the music and unique sound. This brotherhood that they have is the glue that keeps them together, makes them stronger and allows them to grow as one. It is clear that they aren’t afraid to be themselves and put it all out there. They own that stage.
“We just have such a comfortability and confidence with what we do and what we believe in,” Mercer shared. And after 100 shows, the amount of love and support they received from the crowds across the U.S. proved to them that they know how to show people a great time. “There’s no reason for you not to have a good time,” Macc stated. “And for the love of God, I mean, with everything going on in the world right now, you need a night out. Enjoy yourself.”
To put it into perspective, the last time they played at the Blind Pig was their 17th show on April 20, 2022, which “really kicked things off” for them. Now, to be back in Ann Arbor for their 100th show really meant a lot to them. Collectively, the band emphasized how special Ann Arbor and the Blind Pig are in the way they help the band reach people.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that they will only go further from here. The love they have for each other, their music and their fans is truly one of a kind. It was a privilege to ride that high with them two nights in a row. Spending time together to talk about their personal stories about the tour and what’s going on inside their minds was truly special. It was definitely a day I’ll never forget.
I’m looking forward to following this band during their summer tour alongside The Struts and seeing them at Bottlerock in Napa, Calif., at the end of May.
Rock and roll lives on through Mac Saturn and their newest EP, Until the Money Runs Out .
This is only the beginning.
Ashley Gray/Daily. Buy this photo. Staff Photographer Ashley Gray can be reached at ashleyis@umich.edu.
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