The always funky and soulful trio of musicians, known as the Magic City Hippies, came to town just in time to share some of their Miami heat with a Boston crowd this past Friday, who had been waiting out in the frigid nineteen-degree weather.
As the crowd thawed out on their way back from the coat-check, they were welcomed by the opener, singer-songwriter Josh Fudge from Oklahoma City. After a few tunes, another Florida-bred band, The Palms, came to the stage to further set the tone for the evening. Check out “Second Date” by Josh and “Levitate” by The Palms to get a taste of their sounds.
The Magic City Hippies were met with a welcoming reaction by the crowd as the band strolled out to take their positions. After a quick hello, the guys opened with their song “Indiana” from their 2019 album Modern Animal. The Miami influence of the group is at the forefront of everything they do. They’re dressed in a combination of white jeans, flowing Hawaiian shirts, and even a pair of green pants thrifted straight out of the 1970s. The stylistic influence doesn’t stop there. They have a clear Latin twist to several of their songs. The beachside feelings that their sound evokes borrow from the romantic melodies of Bossa Nova and, at times, choruses driven by nostalgic Reggae beats.
While it’s clear the Hippies are comfortable with the head-bobbing sound that teleports you back to summer vacation, they’re not afraid to let the guitars shred a bit. On songs like “Franny,” lead guitarist John Coughlin laid down a minute or so long solo to entice the crowd for more. This band keeps you on your toes as they clearly love the spectacle of a live show. At one point, the singer ran off stage and quickly reappeared sporting a Miami Vice-style blue suit, sunglasses, and a wig. Later in the set, the drummer announced he would be playing an entire song in mittens based on a dare the band members had placed on him earlier that day. The energy they bring to their music illustrates to listeners just how much fun these guys are having at every step of their creative process making music.
After a high-energy first half of the set, Coughlin trades his electric for an acoustic guitar, and as the lights dim, he explains the inspiration behind his song “Water Your Garden.” He reflects on a past relationship and the pleasures that come with helping support someone you love in the pursuit of their dreams and aspirations. Keys and trumpet accompany these slower moments of this song and the two to follow, once again showing the range and versatility of this joyful group of musicians.
After several more dance-worthy tunes, crowd sing-alongs, and a quick encore, the show is over. Before leaving, the frontman Robby Hunter assures fans that they are, in fact, working on a new album. I will be keeping an eye out when that is released, and if you’re a fan, I would expect them to be popping up on a few festival lineups once the weather starts to heat up.
CATCH MAGIC CITY HIPPIES ON TOUR HERE!
LISTEN TO MAGIC CITY HIPPIES HERE!
