For Magic Man, it all started with just Sam Lee and Alex Caplow, life long friends who found themselves musically inspired while abroad in the south of France. The two started playing seriously together, recruiting Gabe Goodman (bassist), Justine Bowe (keyboardist and vocals) and Joey Sulkowski (drummer) along the way. In the past year, they’ve rallied up a hard core fan base through relentless touring with bands like Walk The Moon and Panic! At The Disco.  

For the first time ever, Magic Man headlined their own show in LA at the El Rey. People funneled in to see the Boston quintet play through their album and more with unrelenting, theatrical energy. 

READ MORE: Magic Man Interview 

The four members (sans Alex) took the stage to deafening screams, playing slowed melodies to build up a proper entrance for Alex. When Alex Caplow took the stage, the screams escalated even more. The band kicked off the set with “Waves,” “Every Day” and “Out Of Mind,” three immensely upbeat cuts off of their debut “Before The Waves.” As everyone had already started dancing from the get-go, the band rolled on with another gem, “Nova Scotia,” a bright, yearning but hopeful track off their EP. This was a special treat for Magic Man fans as it is rarely played live. 

Pouring their hearts into their performance, Magic Man debuted a new track during the set, which featured familiar synths and guitars that fans have grown to love. 

After playing the upbeat “Texas,” the band proceeded to play slower tunes like “Honey,” a love song which sounds likes ethereal and oceanic at its core. Moving onto “Tonight,” Alex and the band got everyone to sing “Tonight, we’re all believers” in unison and it was truly something to behold. It shows the band’s growth and their fans undying belief in their talent and passion for their art. 

Dancing from right to left and left to right, Alex hopped to their tunes all night while the rest of the band jammed on their instruments. In the last half of their set, Magic Man played “It All Starts Here,” a hopeful track that fittingly ends their debut record with an empowering message of hope and optimism. 

After everyone in the audience and the band had sweated their fair shares, the band briefly left the stage before returning for an epic encore. Needing no introduction save an identifiable guitar riff, the band launched into their stellar cover of “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, a familiar jam to which everyone sang along. 

The sing along continued onto the last song of the night, “Paris” which dominated alternative radio last year. Everyone had their hands up, everyone had a good time. Looking into the crowd, Caplow gave his sincerest thanks to Los Angeles, to gave Magic Man such a warm welcome. But truthfully, the fans had them to thank. Magic Man’s show evokes nostalgia, hope and happiness; attending one of their shows feels like receiving a warm, affectionate hug. 

Reach Music Editor Joyce Lee here.