It’s a fine line trodden by indie bands with strong pop sensibilities. It’s possible to openly embrace accessibility while still retaining some semblance of cool, but equally they can just end up feeling disingenuous and uninspired. Tonight’s support act Vitamin unfortunately fall into the later category. Sounding like they were grown in a petri dish by a major label, they may have the choruses and the coiffed, pouty frontman, but it all feels a bit soulless. Based on the lukewarm at best response from the crowd, I’m clearly not alone in thinking this.

Why The Magic Gang don’t fall into the same category – despite having equal commercial potential and singing about roughly the same things – isn’t something quantifiable. There’s just a lack of self-consciousness, a less considered presence that makes them feel more honest and open. It’s music you feel you can get something out of connecting to.

And there are a lot of people in the crowd tonight The Magic Gang clearly connect with. These aren’t just punters – coming to the show out of curiosity or familiarity with some of their songs – these are proper fans who know the words to most of the songs and recognise them all from the opening bar. The opening lines of ‘Alright’ are entirely given over to the crowd. It’s the (relative) oldies like ‘No Fun’ that get the biggest response, but the tracks from their most recent EP show a development in their sound, with a more melodically subtle and mature feel to them. Songs such as ‘Feeling Better’ have a flavour of late 50s and pre-Beatles 60s pop which makes them feel something more out of the ordinary.

They’re clearly appreciative of all the adoration and having the time of their lives, beaming and grinning from ear to ear throughout the duration of the show, even when a stray plastic beer glass hits lead singer Jack square in the chest.

The young median age of the crowd means it doesn’t take long for things to get a bit rowdy; the barrier is continuously being rearranged due to the weight of all the bodies being pushed against it. It doesn’t strike me as music designed for moshing, but then again I once successfully managed to mosh to Doves, so I guess anything is possible.

The guys don’t even have a chance to take their instruments off and leave the stage before chants of “one more tune” erupt in the crowd. I’ve honestly never felt so old at a gig. The Magic Gang are one of those bands that can mean everything to you when you’re sixteen and tonight I got a small reminder of what that felt like, and boy, did it feel good.

Louis Ormesher

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