Everything Mac Saturn does is authentic, from their electrifying performances to their hand-crafted album artwork. And all their work is infused with a Detroit flair.
The rock ’n’ roll quintet comprises Angelo Coppola on drums, Nicky Barone on guitar and synth, Jive Moses on bass, Mike Moody on guitar, and Carson Macc as the band’s frontman.
The band most recently played The Stache in Grand Rapids on June 4. The crowd was buzzing with excitement the moment the lights dimmed. “This is our ninth time seeing Mac Saturn,” showgoers Esther Toy and Molly Scout said. “We first heard them play at Arts, Beats & Eats. We stumbled around and found our new favorite band. They bring this amazing energy to everything they do and we love it.” And they weren’t the only ones in the crowd who had seen Mac Saturn multiple times. Many attendees were singing along to songs that have not even been released yet. Those who were hearing their songs for the first time were certainly not feeling left out as they danced to the beat.
No surprise people keep coming back for more of Mac Saturn. Macc commands the attention of everyone in the crowd when he takes the stage. And it’s with smiles on their faces that the rest of the band keeps everyone in attendance captivated with their performance. They artfully combine elements of funk, rock, and Motown.
It’s no secret the band is having fun with each other and their fans on and off stage. It only takes one look at their TikTok account to see it. Their genuine enjoyment and love of what they do is part of what has drawn their audience. “We have this immense freedom to be ourselves when we make music. We’re grateful for the people who are listening to our music that allow us that,” says Barone. It has been a labor of love for all five band members. “We dedicate ourselves to this around the clock. When you’re fully into something, that’s what people can connect with,” he adds.
The band’s most recent single, “Mr. Cadillac” has surpassed one million streams on Spotify alone. “Mr. Cadillac” followed the highly anticipated release of their first single, “Diamonds.” The band has plans to release a third single in the near future and hopes for an EP on the horizon.
Of their creative process, Macc says, “Each song is like a film to us.” The music is heavily inspired by the five band members’ own love of storytelling through film. “We want to take people into our world and get them to stay a while,” adds Moody.
“If everyone was trying to play alike, we wouldn’t be Mac Saturn,” says Moses, of the band’s eclectic sound. Everyone’s tastes vary wildly, and nothing is off the table when they’re working on a song. “It works because we trust each other’s ears,” says Moody.
But this is just the beginning for Mac Saturn. “We have decades of music,” says Macc, who has been writing music with Barone since they were teens. All members of the band are well seasoned musicians, and have been playing music from a young age. But they were able to fine-tune their united sound amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
The choice to make music in Detroit was a no-brainer for the band. “We’re affected by our setting, and Detroit is as raw and pure as it gets,” says Macc. “We nurtured our sound here. We are proud that we are from Detroit,” he adds.
“Mac Saturn is so much more than a band,” says Macc. They not only work to make music together, but they live together in Detroit’s Historic Boston Edison District. Their home has even served as the setting for both the “Diamonds” and “Mr. Cadillac” music videos. “We chose to film the music videos at home because we love it here. We’re blessed to be living in this house and we want everyone to see it,” says Moody. They’ll continue to film at the house when it comes time to release a video for their third single.
It’s the support that they have behind them that has helped them get to where they are today and it will continue to help them as they grow. “We have our differences, sure, like any other family. But at the end of the day we all have the greater good in mind,” says Coppola. “We believe in each other so much. And when you have that your dream is not out of reach,” adds Moody.
Their family and friends pitch in to do their part as well. Whether it be Barone’s brother serving as the band’s resident photographer or Macc's brother putting his Wayne State University theater skills to use for a role in a music video. “When you have a support system like we do, it gives you the freedom to take the risk,” says Barone.
Mac Saturn is gearing up for an exciting summer. Just having returned from playing SummerCamp Music Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois, they will be hitting the road again with a stop at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, July 9.
This fall is sure to be just as busy for Mac Saturn as they’ll be joining Dirty Honey on their "California Dreamin’ North American Tour."
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