As part of their Magic Misfits tour, Magic Giant showed up in Ann Arbor right after playing in Columbus, OH. Naturally, the crowd at the Blind Pig automatically brought an energy and excitement unmatched from the night before in that one state, proving who the better fans are.
The Brevet opened the show, setting the stage with a rock vibe centered around lead singer Aric Chase Damm’s soul-and-country vocals to create the Americana sound the band centers around. Though I hadn’t heard of them before that night, I found myself instantly captivated by The Brevet’s unique and powerful sound, my head bopping and feet tapping to unfamiliar tunes that quickly found their way into my music playlist. Their set left me craving for more, and soon that hunger would be satiated.
After a quick set change, from the rising fog came a mystifying viola and guitar riff and a steady booming drum beat. Magic Giant emerged, and the crowd responded, jumping and singing along to the songs they know by heart as banjos, harmonicas, and cellos danced around onstage and performed fan favorites that kept the energy infectious and the night young, including “Jade”, “Glass Heart”, and “Celebrate the Reckless”.
Halfway through the show, they asked for total silence from the rowdy crowd that continuously screamed their love for this trio. After accomplishing this feat, Austin, Zambricki, and Zang left the stage to perform acoustic versions of “Nothin’ Left” and “The Great Divide” among the fans that heartfully relished in the intimacy that this acoustic proximity provided.
Then, they performed a new single still in the works, introducing a triple clap that will soon to ingrained in Magic Giant fans’ repertoire that currently includes “Woah, hey / Woooaah”s and turning small bodegas into Club Las Vegas. From this little sneak peek, there is much to be excited about for the future of Magic Giant. Until then, I’ll just continue listening to In the Wind and cherish their live charisma from this show as an unforgettable experience.
The Brevet and Magic Giant together electrified the crowd with their heart-pounding, soul-jumping music and their excited stage presence that captured their love for performing, transfusing that same love for music into us misfits and sharing their talented gift in a night full of magical happiness free of worries or pain. An escape from the daily struggle of life that weighs you down, their music lifts you up. Good vibes indeed.
