10 Gifts from Magic Man's Holiday Party

Magic Man finished 2014 with two special holiday concerts, one of which WBRU hosted on Thursday at Fete. The five-piece synth rock band had a big year: They released their new album, Before the Waves, in July and headlined a show for the WBRU Dunkin’ Donuts Summer Concert Series. They then joined Walk the Moon for Panic! at the Disco’s The Gospel Tour and performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Earlier this month, they even performed at the pre-show for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. WBRU last caught up with Magic Man in Boston during their nationwide fall tour so we were excited to see what the band had in store for Providence and they definitely did not disappoint. I picked out the 10 best moments from Thursday’s sold-out Holiday Party with Gentlemen Hall and the Novel Ideas. Check out the list (featuring awesome photos from some talented WBRU listeners) and let us know your favorite moment in the comments below!

1. Magic Man performed “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

At the end of the night, Magic Man vocalist Alex Caplow asked the crowd at Fete “Should we play another song?” Following massive cheers from the audience, Caplow put his Santa hat back on and the band ended the Holiday Party with a fun cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Halfway through the song, the Novel Ideas’ Daniel Radin, wearing an awesome elf hat, joined the band on tambourine and Gentlemen Hall’s Seth Hachen played the flute. Magic Man’s upbeat take on the Christmas classic kept the audience dancing and ensured that everyone left Fete with a smile that night.

2. Alex declared it “the best birthday” ever

December 18 also happened to be Alex’s 25th birthday and immediately after Magic Man’s performance of “Tonight,” all of Fete started singing “Happy Birthday” to him. Alex was caught off-guard by crowd’s warmth and his bandmates quickly and happily joined the audience in singing. After being left speechless for a few moments, Caplow declared, “I can safely say that this is the best birthday I’ve ever had in my life. No question.”

3. “Paris” was a massive sing-along

Magic Man’s penultimate song was “Paris,” their biggest single and whose music video now has 1.1 million views on YouTube. “Paris,” known for its dynamic tempo and strong chorus, was met with exceptional energy from the audience, who knew every word and either bounced or waved their hands to the song. Towards the second half of the song, I was pretty sure that I felt a slight breeze from the zealous waving of arms behind me.

4. The live energy of “It All Starts Here” was stadium-worthy

The power of Magic Man’s “It All Starts Here” becomes even more pronounced when translated onto a live stage. The song’s crescendo gains momentum from uplifting vocals and powerful drumming, all of which perfectly fit the optimistic and reassuring lyrics of the song. All of Fete was clapping along to “It All Starts Here” on Thursday and I was left with the impression that it could definitely move an entire stadium as well.

5. Gentlemen Hall’s covers crossed different genres

Much of the audience was surprised when they saw wind instruments put on the stage as Gentlemen Hall was preparing for their set. They were even more surprised when Gentlemen Hall broke out a cover of Young Thug’s “Stoner” as their second song. I never thought I’d hear a cover of “Stoner” that featured a flute, but Gentlemen Hall successfully pulled off the seemingly impossible task. The crowd was quick to get into the cover and sway along. Following the smooth cover, frontman Gavin Merlot revealed, “[That was the] first time we’ve ever done that.” Gentlemen Hall also performed covers of the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe.” Gentlemen Hall’s setlist had a distinct character, featuring songs that had a darker sound, full of heavy beats and experimental synth work. With the initial surprise set aside, the audience was into Gentlemen Hall’s genre-bending sound and unique flute work. If you want to experience Gentlemen Hall’s energy for yourself, then be sure to check out their January 27 show at Fete!

6. The Novel Ideas performed with Gabe from Magic Man

For their final song, “Old Ways,” the Novel Ideas announced to the crowd, “We have a special guest on this song.” That special guest was Magic Man’s bassist Gabe Goodman, who was met with loud cheers from the audience. Vocalist Sarah Grella then taught Fete the chorus to “Old Ways” and the song turned into a sweet and upbeat sing-along. The crowd embraced their interaction with the Novel Ideas, clapping along to the melodic song as well. “Old Ways” was a perfect ending to the Novel Idea’s set, which was full of warmth and nostalgia.

7. The Novel Ideas discussed an interesting experience from their last show at Fete

With their effortless harmonies, the Novel Ideas’ country folk sound brought a calming and peaceful atmosphere to Fete. Following a performance of their new song, “Montana,” the Novel Ideas shared a funny story about their last show at Fete. Daniel told that audience that when they arrived at the venue, a tour manager asked the band “What are you doing here?” After explaining that they were performing, the tour manager was still skeptical. Luckily, Thursday night’s show ran smoothly for the Novel Ideas and Daniel concluded the anecdote by assuring the audience that “Fete is our best friend.”

8. “Chicagoland” took on a new level of energy

In October, Magic Man talked to WBRU about how they try to bring a distinct atmosphere and level of energy to their live shows. Magic Man’s live version of “Chicagoland” has that special raw energy. Featuring heavier guitar riffs and Alex’s charismatic spirit, Magic Man’s performance of “Chicagoland” was a highlight of Thursday’s Holiday Party. At the start of the song, Alex told the crowd, “Let’s get those hands up Providence!” The enthusiasm during “Chicagoland” was widespread and much of the audience sang the song’s anthemic and hopeful chorus. “Chicagoland” is one of the songs that really exemplifies the infectious excitement from Magic Man’s live shows, proving that it’s worth it to experience Before the Waves in person.

9. Holiday gear was everywhere

In order for Magic Man’s Holiday Party to live up to its name, there had to have been a fair amount of holiday gear on Thursday. Thankfully, the audience and bands at Fete did not disappoint. Several elf and Santa hats graced the heads of the crowd. Even the Novel Ideas’ bassist, James Parkington, wore a white Santa hat throughout their entire set. During the show, Daniel Radin also acknowledged two audience members for their holiday sweaters that featured working icicle lights. He told them, “Make your sweaters flash! Why don’t you do a little spin?” The two audience members happily complied and the crowd got to see their over-the-top sweaters in all their glory. Magic Man’s Joey and Alex performed with Santa hats on, but Alex’s quickly fell off at the start of their set from his vigorous dancing. (He put it back on just in time for their cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”) Keyboardist Justine wore a classic red dress and Gabe complemented his forest green shirt with red suspenders that featured a pattern of Santa faces. The abundance of holiday gear and the intimate vibe of Fete helped Magic Man’s Holiday Party stand apart from a standard live show. The constant audience interaction in conjunction with the camaraderie and collaborations between the three Boston-based bands made Thursday night a true holiday party for everyone at Fete (thankfully without the awkwardness that you typically encounter at your family holiday gatherings).

10. Magic Man helped support Music & Youth

Magic Man held a charity raffle for Music & Youth, an organization that offers free after-school music education programs to young people in Greater Boston. The raffle prize included a bunch of great Magic Man gear, including these exclusive keychains/ornaments of all five band members. If you want to learn more about Music & Youth and contribute to their efforts, check out their website HERE.

Still can’t get enough of Magic Man’s Holiday Party? Check out more photos from the event and WBRU’s interviews with Magic Man below!

And don’t forget to tell us your favorite moment in the comments below!