Magic City Hippies @ 9:30 Club

To say I was bundled up for my first concert of the season would be a drastic understatement. Dressed in four layers, gloves, and a hat, I headed into DC last Sunday, January 14th. One might think that below freezing temperatures and a whole lot of wind would deter people from generally leaving their homes but not this night. With a surprising amount of traffic and a surprising amount of people on the metro, I shouldn’t have been surprised in the least that the 9:30 Club was packed for the Magic City Hippies show, with openers Josh Fudge and The Palms.

Josh Fudge

The first opener for the tour was Josh Fudge, a singer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Oklahoma City. This was Fudge’s fourth night on tour, and he most certainly did not disappoint. While it should go without saying that Fudge is incredibly musically talented, that’s not even my biggest takeaway from his performance. When you’re in the pit working hard to get the best pictures, you can forget what it’s like to be a fan who is pressed up against the barricade watching your favorite artist perform songs that are literally the soundtrack to your life. Fudge’s set reminded me exactly what it is that makes concerts so special!

Let me set the scene:

Two girls are pressed right up against the barricade. Fudge enters to applause from the room before the two girls erupt in yelling his name clearly excited to see him. One even sports Josh Fudge merch as her outfit. Their enthusiasm continues through the first song. During the second song I notice out of the corner of my eye, one of the best things to see at a show: They’re dancing, backs pressed together, singing along at the top of their lungs.

And for a split second, I’m back at my first concert ever with my best friend doing the exact same thing before I crash land back into reality and capture a picture of them living their best lives. That’s what concerts are all about! And not to mention Fudge clearly loves his fans, as he made a point to find the setlist on stage and hand it to the girls after his set was over.

The Palms

After a phenomenal set by Josh Fudge (seriously I’m now going to be one of his biggest fans moving forward), The Palms, a band from Los Angeles, took the stage for what was also their fourth show on tour. Honestly, this band’s vibes are immaculate. It reminds me of the type of music I would love to listen to while laying in bed with one of those galaxy light projectors on my ceiling. Their music has pop undertones but with an overall slower and calmer sound than what I typically think of as pop music.

They did a wonderful job matching the vibes of their lighting design to the vibes of their music. The whole set was relatively dark with back lighting in predominantly cool tones. Overall their whole set was one cohesive masterpiece that made me feel like their music would be the perfect choice to listen to when I’m feeling anxious.

Fun fact: During The Palms’s set, Josh Fudge could be seen capturing video content for them (which was later posted on their Instagram) in the photo pit. We love to see a talented interdisciplinary artist supporting their tour-mates!

Magic City Hippies

And last but certainly not least, the headlining act, Magic City Hippies, took the stage. They are undoubtedly one of the best types of acts to both watch and photograph (in my humble opinion). Versatile, playful, and just straight up having a good time, the images speak for themselves.

The band spent the performance coming up to the edge of the stage to lean out over the crowd. They got into the upper balconies and played instruments from the crowd. Went out onto the floor to sing amongst the fans, nearly starting a mosh pit in the process. AND crowd surfed at the end of the show. Champagne was even popped at one point. When I say this show had everything, I mean it had EVERYTHING! I can’t imagine a more fun way to spend an evening! And even then these fun moments couldn’t overshadow how impressive their music and stage presence is. Trust me when I say, if Magic City Hippies ever comes back to DC, I will be the first in line to relive this night again.

Magic City Hippies is currently on tour, with continued support from Josh Fudge and The Palms, through the beginning of March with stops in both the US and Canada. If they’re coming to a city near you, I can’t recommend enough getting a ticket to see this lineup!