Police Detain Mac DeMarco At His Own Show

Perhaps as a prelude for what to expect at his upcoming Laneway Festival shows, a Mac DeMarco gig at a California university ended in chaos when campus police arrested fans for disorderly conduct and detained DeMarco himself for crowd surfing and climbing in the venue’s ceiling beams.

According to the Santa Barbara Independent, University of California Santa Barbara campus police were first called to the gig, which was attended by only about 100 people, about ten minutes into the show. They arrested two punters – one for allegedly “challenging” concert-goers and security officers to fight and another for “moshing” and resisting an officer.

Despite that first interruption, the show continued, but police got involved again this time with their sights set on DeMarco. The singer stirred things up when he reportedly surfed the crowd and got them to prop him up into the building’s railings to get to the venue’s second floor.

According to the Independent, DeMarco walked down the stairs back to the stage where police officers detained him and shut down the show.

[UPDATE: Footage has now emerged of the detainment, showing DeMarco being led from the building by police as fans swarm and chant “We want Mac!” Watch below.]

UCSB Police Lt. Mark Signal told the publication that officers didn’t realise DeMarco was actually the performer everyone was there to see until they questioned him outside. Some concert-goers remarked they were surprised by police reaction at the small show.

“It was definitely not some Slayer concert,” said attendee Haley Snyder. “What was supposed to be an intimate concert turned into ‘I can’t believe the police are acting this way’…There was no danger in the crowd.”

DeMarco himself made light of the events via a photo on his Instagram account. “Had a good time with the #santabarbarapolicelastnight #thankyouforcomingout,” he wrote. See the image below.

Mac DeMarco will be bringing his rowdy show to Australian shores soon for a slot on the Laneway 2015 lineup and some extra sideshows. See those dates below.

Watch: Mac DeMarco escorted from gig by police

Mac DeMarco Laneway 2015 Sideshows

Friday, 30th January 2015

Metro Theatre, Sydney

Tickets: Ticketek

Tuesday 3rd February 2015

The Hi Fi, Melbourne

Tickets: Ticketek

Wednesday 4th February 2015SOLD OUT

The Hi Fi, Melbourne

Tickets: Ticketek

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