The Magic Gang at Thekla live review
Posted on: 2018-03-29
Our rating:
The Magic Gang are a band on the march, their debut has been critically acclaimed and their brand of effortless, sunshine pop is going to be everywhere this summer.
This was the first time that the Brighton four-piece have played at Thekla and it’s likely to be the last, with bigger venues surely on the horizon.
With a sell-out crowd, and a recently released debut album, there was a feeling of tension in the air before The Magic Gang hit the stage. All of that tension dissipated into sunny melodies the second that they walked on.
As they launch into Oh, Saki it’s clear that they’re onto something. The infectious nature of their music is apparent from the outset and despite their first album having only been released this month, the audience already know every word.
They’ve been labelled an ‘indie band’ which probably says more about the current state of music in this country than it does The Magic Gang themselves. They may look like an indie band but with pop sensibilities like they have it seems inaccurate, and with song writing like theirs that is no bad thing to be labelled as pop.
That said, they sound louder and all together more beefier, live. Their second track All This Way in particular builds into something more rowdy than it is on the record. The crowd responds in turn and the energy builds from here on out through the rest of the performance.
It’s worth praising the venue here, a true Bristol icon the Thekla is an institution. It’s intimacy and unique setting give it something that other venues can’t touch and despite it turning into a sweat-box it helps create a very special atmosphere for any band lucky enough to be playing here.
With three of the members having been frontmen before forming The Magic Gang it’s no surprise that they share vocal duties, with each man adding something different.
The crowd cheered loudly as Getting Along begins and whilst watching this I was hit by how reminiscent of another band it sounded. The vocals, the warm fuzz on the guitars, the driving rhythm section, it all reminded me of Weezer. Watch The Magic Gang play or listen to their new album and you’ll constantly find yourself thinking of other bands. Their ear for a pop hook and their well-crafted songs could have been from any decade in the last fifty years, giving their sound an effortless and timeless feel. There’s almost something of The Beatles about the band, both in terms of their sound and their song writing.
The only low moment of the entire evening, and I’m being harsh here, was when they played Take Care near the end of their set. Take Care sounds unlike the rest of their catalogue with an almost 80’s pop sound and is crucially driven along by the keyboard. The keyboard itself didn’t sound quite right on the night and it didn’t quite work with the rest of the performance.
Your Love was next, with it’s jangly-pop sound reigniting the crowd and driving the show forward. It’s arguably their best song and a great display of their key skills as a band, the tight sound and the McCartney-esque song writing.
A two-song encore ended with All I Want Is You, an ambitious, exciting slab of sing-a-long pop which set Thekla alive. An inspired choice to close the show it had members of the audience crowd-surfing and provided the perfect ending by giving us one final reminder of the band’s strengths.
The Magic Gang are a band on the march, their debut has been critically acclaimed and their brand of effortless, sunshine pop is going to be everywhere this summer. Their sound is even better live, sounding heavier and rockier than on record and they need to be seen on their next, and more than likely bigger, tour.
Article by:
Sam moved to Bristol for University and loved the place so much that he ended up staying. Big into sport, music and culture he can be found on Twitter at @FarleyWrites.
