Article & Photos by: Linda Carlson

Cincinnati, OH – Anyone up for a feel awesome, dance party concert that will leave you smiling and mysteriously…happy?  Then Magic Giant, with its charismatic free-spirited threesome, must certainly be on your bucket list.

These California sensations bring a mountain of bliss to their shows.  How they conjure up this level of pure energy night after night, show after show is… “magical.”  In this age of super heroes, perhaps their secret power is their unstoppable energy and optimism.

Lead vocalist and sometime-percussionist Austin Bisnow shares the spotlight equally with multi-instrumentalist Zambricki Li (viola, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, and the list goes on…) and Zang (guitar).  They jump, they hop (this is different from jumping…), they sing, they dance.  They have fun on stage, and the power of their liveliness is infectious. If you say you only tapped your feet during their performance, you are lying.

Their music is upbeat and positive, and their staging mirrors their bohemian style, with strands of colorful and mismatched torn fabric flowing from mic stands (and other stands) that form thread-bare curtains of moving color.  Bisnow and Zang, with ponytailed tresses, one with a headband, the other with an exotic necklace, contrast with Li, who wears a backwards tropical baseball cap over short wavy hair.  This delightful mix of mismatched visuals is a blur of ever-moving liveliness.

Mid-way through their set, they came into the crowd to perform an acoustic song, where fans were up close and personal.  It’s a testament to their commitment to their fans.  They are more than a band that performs on a stage…they come out to the audience and share their music up close.  Even after the show, they meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures with those who wait for them.  Really, it’s such a pleasant experience from start to finish.

Opener Weathers, a foursome from Los Angeles, did a fabulous job warming up the audience. Lead singer Cameron Boyer was dynamic and magnetic, and along with his band mates, delivered a highly entertaining set.  Castlecomer followed, made up of four cousins Kennedy and childhood friend Joe Neely from Sydney, Australia. Their set was derived from their recently released self-titled debut album.  Both Weathers and Castlecomer are continuing the tour with Magic Giant.

The Madison Live is an intimate venue, well-suited for this show.  The closeness of the bands to the audience enhanced the sense of community, and sheer fun, that the musicians shared that night.

Check Magic Giant’s website for touring information (www.magicgiant.com/#tour) and if they are performing anywhere remotely near you, go!