Magic City Hippie’s Night of Funk
What a night folks!
I showed up early knowing this was going to be a packed one at the Fine Line, and I was right. People were already drifting in before the opener- a band I hadn’t heard of before but immediately liked, Supertaste. The four piece from Brooklyn filled the room fast with some really funky basslines and a lot of synth, which fit perfectly with their clean guitars and snappy drums. For a Magic City Hippies opener they made total sense, and the vocalist did a great job pulling everyone in, even climbing up on the speakers at one point just to make sure the back of the room was part of it.
They tossed in a couple fun covers, some Daft Punk and a little Fleetwood Mac, but what I appreciated most was just how loose and happy they looked on stage. Finding out this was their first tour made it even more cool to watch! It felt like we were watching a band figure out how fun this whole thing can be in real time, and i really hope to see them again! If you’re already into the Hippies, definitely give Supertaste a listen, and if they come back through town, show up early!
After a short intermission and a lot of squeezing through what had turned into a very tight crowd, Magic City Hippies started taking the stage piece by piece. When the singer finally walked out to that big swelling note and they rolled straight into Intro, the whole place locked into the same groove at once. This was my first time seeing them live, and it was obvious right away how much they actually enjoy doing this. It didn’t feel rehearsed or stiff, they just wanted to take us on a ride right into their music.
The biggest reactions of the night came from High Beam, their cover of Blame It on the Moon, and of course Givin Up On Lovin, which had basically everyone singing along. After a few songs and getting the crowd involved, the guitarist took a moment to speak about what’s been going on in the country and how grateful he was to be playing in the current heart of America, calling the night a blessing to share with all of us. It was a simple moment but it fit the mood perfectly, feeling grateful and a little hopeful without feeling like a PR moment. I’m very appreciative of artists using their platform for good and for change, so this was nice! Plus, the bonus on top of it all was that right after we were still able to shake and move to some incredible drum solos and vocals after.
Now, I want to talk about Michael Fatum for a sec- the horn player of the night. This guy -and while all members are amazing and important during the show- stole the show completely. The incredible control he had over his horns made the crowd go nuts every time he moved forward with it, blaring melodies and trills, but also interacting with the crowd in a super fun way. I was most impressed by the ability to just keep going higher and higher in notes as well, and its clear the amount of time they’ve taken for their craft! I also am slightly biased because i got what i consider to be on of the best photos I've taken in a while of this guy, but regardless of that, it was amazing to see the stage presence and musical abilities displayed.
Overall this was such an incredibly fun show, between the bright stage colors, an interactive and chill crowd, and a band that looked genuinely happy to be there, the whole room just felt good. Hot and crowded, sure, but in a way where nobody really minded because the music made it worth it. A packed show like this is always fun, and the MCH tour made it stay that way 1000%. I do highly recommend going to see them live the next time they roll through town, because I don’t think there’s any way you can be disappointed from a show like this! Thanks for rolling through MSP!
