Live Review: Mac DeMarco, Scotdrakula, Jesse Davidson

Adelaide teenager Jesse Davidson has been picking up a bunch of cool support slots lately, but this is his first time to Brisbane, accompanied only by a drummer, his electric guitar and some very earnest but endearing love songs. Between songs Davidson tries a little too hard to be cool and nonchalant; if he relaxed a little it'd be a much more likeable set. However, his voice and melodies are strong, and would probably be even better in a full band format as the tracks get a little same-y towards the end.
ScotDrakula are from Melbourne via Canada and New Zealand – and it's a total mystery why they're not one of those huge garage bands that everyone drools over, 'cause this is one of the most fun sets of the year. Singer Matt Neumann is brimming with confidence, and it's immediately infectious – his scrappy, dynamic voice that effortlessly flows from low murmur to ear-splitting wail gives these tracks their unhinged charm – while drummer Evianne Camille's softer backing vocals add some nice balance. Singles, Burner and Break Me Up, go over great; both tracks build and build with more noisy excitement than a three-piece should be able to pull off, but these guys manage it effortlessly.
Mac Demarco is welcomed by ecstatic applause; it seems like every single person in this sold-out crowd is beaming wildly and craning their necks to catch a glimpse of this unlikely weird-pop hero. The band kicks off with Cooking Up Something Good, the opener off last year's album, 2, and as soon as that bouncy, grooving guitar comes in and Demarco croons that first line, “Mommy's in the kitchen”, the energy in the room jumps even higher, and doesn't let up for this entire set. Demarco's lyrics are full of mundane but perfect little images and observations that add up to beautiful (mostly love) stories, and that's largely what enables his songs to connect so strongly with so many people. The band backs up this strong opening with more slinky and seductive tunes from 2; Ode To Viceroy, with its throwaway hedonism – “Oh honey I'm smokin' till I'm dyin'” – is a favourite, along with the soft and sweet My Kind Of Woman. The only issue is Demarco's guitar, which sounds great but keeps breaking, forcing long breaks. The band cover well with improvised jazz jams and it's still fun, but not as fun as the couple of extra songs we could have heard in this time would have been. All is forgotten though when the band do a covers medley of Taking Care Of Business into Blackbird into Limp Bizkit's Break Stuff, and Demarco, along with members of ScotDrakula and a roped-in sound guy, crowdsurf to victory.