A member of the Detroit rock band Mac Saturn faced a stark detour from their rise to fame when keyboardist Evan Daniel Mercer was arrested on child pornography charges right before their biggest Michigan concert. The arrest occurred hours prior to the band's Friday show at The Fillmore Detroit, reported The Detroit News. Mercer, 30, has been charged with enticement of a minor and producing, attempting to produce, and possessing child pornography, according to federal court documents.
The tour opener for Mac Saturn, The Thing with Feathers, announced their withdrawal from the upcoming North America headline tour following the arrest. "While we were hoping to see our dearest friends and fans across North America over the coming months, we simply cannot continue in light of the recent revelations," the band said in a statement on social media. The band cancelled its performance at The Fillmore Detroit slated for the same day as Mercer's arrest and plans to return to Tennessee to continue work on the new record, as stated in their announcement.
Investigation into Mercer's activities began in September 2023 after his ex-girlfriend discovered screenshots of Mercer on the video chat website Omegle engaging in explicit acts with minors, some apparently under the age of 10. As detailed by the ex-girlfriend to the Ferndale police, her discovery stemmed from Mercer's cell phone being linked to her laptop. She saved the material to a USB drive and turned it over to authorities, leading to the current charges, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
Mac Saturn frontman Carson Macc addressed the crowd before their Friday performance amid the controversy. "The news of today has been shocking and horrifying to all of us. We came here tonight to see you guys face to face and play this music that we have worked so hard on for you. Let's try and have a good time tonight. Thank you for coming out," Macc told MLive. The band also released a statement confirming Mercer's departure: "We are shocked to learn about the horrifying allegations involving Evan Mercer, a recent addition to the band... he is no longer a member of the band. Our focus continues to be on our new record, the current tour, and our amazing fans." The concert continued as scheduled without a keyboardist and the band has not provided details on a replacement.
Following his court appearance, Mercer was ordered to be held in jail pending a detention hearing scheduled for the Monday after his arrest. The news shook the foundation of what was meant to be a celebratory event for Mac Saturn, coinciding with the release of their debut studio album "Hard to Sell."
