Saturday afternoon gigs are a big thing in downtown Belfast these days and The Deer's Head in the city is one of the most popular venues for these musical treats. This time it is the turn of County Down teenage sensation, Zac Mac to grace the stage.
Hailing from Lurgan in County Down, young Zac Mac takes to the stage with the confidence and swagger of a musician who’s played for years. There’s no hanging around as he plays a superb set that consists of original material from his recently released solo album, ‘Supernatural’ mixed with covers and instrumentals.
Mac effortlessly runs through songs that others would balk at. A rocked up ‘Message in a Bottle’ hits hard and I doubt that even a reformed Police could pay it with amount of feeling. Covering Gary Moore’s ‘Still Got The Blues’ allows him to show his subtle guitar skills as he soulfully plays the memorable Moore song note for note.
Pulling shapes, Mac uses all of the stage to put on a show in the same way the late Rory Gallagher did and while at some points in the show this impacts of his vocals, the sheer exuberance of the young guitar player is a joy to behold.
Alongside the covers there are energetic versions of his own material. ‘Fluorescent’, ‘Everything’s Changed’ and ‘Supernatural’ all feature his trademark guitar pyrotechnics and suit the stripped down three piece band set up.
He might only be sixteen years of age, but Zac Mac plays like someone who has a lifetime of experience behind him, and he has a bright future ahead of him.
He is without doubt an artist who’s star is in the ascendency.