Concert Review: Mac Saturn / Tibbals @ Empire Underground, 02/05/2023

Mac Saturn touched down at Empire Underground on Sunday, with Albany as the tenth stop of their Until The Money Runs Out tour. Hailing from Detroit, Mac Saturn is comprised of lead singer Carson Macc, Nick Barone (guitar/synth), Angelo Coppola (drums), Mike Moody (guitar), and Jive Moses (bass). Billy Tibbals accompanies the band as the opening act for their first major headlining tour, and he didn’t hold back to set the tone for a memorable and groovy night of music.

Tibbals is joined by band members Tristan Dean (guitar), Reza Matin (drums), and Darby O’Mahoney (bass). From the moment the London-born singer and his band stepped on the stage, I couldn’t stop thinking to myself, “Wow, they are so cool.” With old-school British rock influences and Beatles-esque vibes, I could feel the confidence and joy radiating from their performance as they reeled the crowd in with their refreshing and nostalgic sound. The setlist consisted of original songs, including hits “Onwards and Upwards” and “Hollywood Baby” (which is also the lead single from his upcoming debut EP, Stay Teenage). I can honestly say that Billy Tibbals was one of the coolest openers I’ve seen. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and I’m excited to see where he goes next on his journey to bring back rock ‘n’ roll.

The intermission flew by, and finally, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for. The lights were dim, and the anticipation within the crowd increased as Barone, Coppola, Moody, Moses, and keyboardist Evan Mercer took the stage. The band began to play an extended intro of their hit song “Diamonds” as Macc strutted towards the mic at the center of the stage. The setlist consisted of a variety of original songs, including “Persian Rugs” and “Ain’t Like You” from their 2022 EP, Until The Money Runs Out. Moses stole the show as he began playing the bassline from their #1 streamed song “Mr. Cadillac,” and the crowd was ecstatic. They also surprised fans with a new and unreleased song titled “Sleep.”

The stage presence was incredible, and their energy was contagious. Moody silenced the venue with guitar solos that were rich with passion. Macc owned the stage with an array of fun dance moves, as well as switching between a cowbell, maracas, and a tambourine throughout the night. The band closed out their set with “Plain Clothes Gentleman” from their EP, and the night of new-age rock and roll came to end. Both bands happily stayed to meet and chat with fans after the show.

Mac Saturn has a certain charm about them that I can’t quite describe… but if you came to that show with me, I’m sure you’d feel it too. They’ve got big plans, and I’m looking forward to watching them grow as artists. I have their Spotify on repeat and already can’t wait until they come back to Albany.

Photo Gallery by Reid Schaefer