We all know the sound: a high-pitched scream coming from a girl aged anywhere from 15-30 years old. The cry of anticipation, the can’t-stop-smiling face waiting for them to appear. And once they did, the overpowering cheers roared through the Metro.
The indie rock sound of Magic Giant first appeared on the scene in 2015 with their EP Magic Giant followed by their 2017 album In the Wind. A band with tons of energy and enthusiasm to spare, their set was filled with an unparalleled amount of passion. Following the equally as spirited set of their openers Weathers and Castlecomer, Magic Giant engaged the audience with guided movement throughout their songs. The lead singer, Austin Bisnow, was a natural with the crowd and was often jumping around their intricately textured setup. There were cloth cutouts tied to instruments, the set pieces and microphone stands along with wooden boxes placed at the corners of the stage.
Zambricki Li, who plays the viola, fiddle, banjo, harmonica, cello, mandolin, octave mandolin, dobro, lap steel and does backup vocals (that’s all, right?) had the whole audience hooked with his eclectic instrumental skills. The other prominent band member is Zang, who plays acoustic guitar, cello, bass, percussion, and also does backup vocals. The whole band is a gathering of multi-talented souls who aim to please a crowd and create a fun sound. One song brought them out into the audience to play right next to wide-eyed young fans. They even sang a cover of Coldplay’s Yellow. At one point, the audience was so moved by their music that the band had to stand and wait for everyone to stop clapping and cheering, something usually seen only for the encore performances. A Rufio rooster crow from the band was echoed throughout the venue to bring them back for their final hit song, Set on Fire.
One young woman in the front row, Emily, has claimed to have seen the band perform over 60 times. “I’ve met so many great friends from seeing their shows,” she says. “Whenever I visit another city I always have a place to stay. We’re called the Magic Misfits.” The crowd was jam-packed with supporters like Emily, a full-time student and a full-time fan. This kind of devotion only proves that Magic Giant clearly has some magic to them that keeps fans hooked.