Some of us come out of college hoping to leave behind the sweaty, cramped house parties that leave your ears ringing for the rest of the night. Magic Man, on the other hand, thrived in that scene. Ever since their recent surge in popularity, the members of this Boston-based band — named after a curious character that Sam (guitar and keyboard) and Alex (lead vocals) met abroad — find they miss the dingy dungeons that got them to the venues they play in now. There’s something about “the energy that people have in a dark, sweaty basement” explains Sam, easily identified by his signature circular spectacles.
That’s not to say they aren’t enjoying their time at larger venues — Sam and Alex both name Cambridge’s The Sinclair as one of their favorite places to perform. Magic Man finds that Boston’s venues are part of what makes the scene such an inclusive community, especially for underground local acts. “You can always play at TT the Bears, Great Scott, Middle East Upstairs… We were able to get shows no matter how small our band was,” Alex says.
While the more established venues are key to Boston’s music scene, house shows still hold a special place in the band’s heart. “Some of the house venues, which we played at earlier back in college at Boston, really helped shape our band. Those were some of my favorite shows to play,” Sam tells me. However, recent police crackdowns have been stifling the scene, which is only bad news for local acts; house gigs are “a big part of what it means to be a band in Boston,” he explains.
Once in while, the band shuffles through the vinyl offerings at thrift stores and the record crates of local shops. Sometimes what they stumble upon makes its way onto an album — like the sample at the beginning of “Texas,” “one of the best things we ever found in those record bins,” according to Sam. But that little soundbite and the amateur magician who befriended Sam and Alex during their stay in France aren’t the only gems the band has happened upon. The photo on the cover of their EP You Are Here — a single smoke bomb trailing a colorful haze — was taken by a British art student whose work they came across online.
As for their upcoming gig at Boston Calling? When they’re not playing their indie electro-pop tunes on stage, they’ll be floating around with the rest of us, themselves fans of the likes of Modest Mouse and Tegan and Sara. The band is no stranger to summer festivals, but to them, Boston Calling stands out from the others. “Boston Calling is one that I personally am most excited about just because a lot of our friends and family will be able to come,” Sam says. We’d have to agree — we’re looking forward to hearing them perform in their hometown again.
Magic Man’s new album, “Before the Waves” comes out July 8.