The Magic Gang announce break-up and farewell shows
After two albums, The Magic Gang have announced their decision to part ways.
The indie band released their eponymous debut album in 2018, charting at 12 in the UK. The Magic Gang returned in 2020 with their second LP, Death of the Party, which arrived amid the global pandemic that prevented them from hitting the road.
Once restrictions lifted, The Magic Gang finally had the chance to play Death of the Party live in 2021, when they headed out on tour. In the summer of 2022, they played a series of festivals, including Glastonbury, but stayed silent throughout last year.
Now, The Magic Gang have revealed they are ending their journey, but first, they will play headline shows in Glasgow and Manchester before gracing the stage at the final time at the Electric Ballroom in London on April 23rd.
In a message to fans, singer Jack Kaye reflected: “This band started in 2013 in a bedroom in Kris’ parents house. I remember it was a sweltering hot day and me, Kris and Paeris were arguing over band names. Kris wanted to start a band with around ten members, playing an array of percussive instruments and acoustic guitars. With this in mind, we settled on The Magic Gang and Paeris wrote it on the front of a kick drum to make it official.”
“We recorded our first song ‘Bruises’ in our shared house in Brighton. Gus happened to be home at the time and was drafted in to play bass. There was something truly magical about that recording; a lightning-in-a-bottle moment you take for granted when you first start a band,” he continued.
Kaye added: “A decade on (and some time after our most recent gig), it’s clear to see how incredible the journey has been. We’ve travelled the world and have had the opportunity to share our music with anyone who cared to listen (and some who didn’t). We dedicated everything to the band and I’m so glad we did, because we got the world in return.”
Explaining why they’ve called time on The Magic Gang, Kaye said: “For now, we’ve decided to call time on The Magic Gang. This band has always been a sum of its parts – four songwriters working in collaboration and doing our best to honour each other’s ideas. The most natural thing now is for everyone in the band to spend some time exploring their own creative pursuits.”
“You’ll be hearing a lot more from all of us but for now, as The Magic Gang, we’d like to thank everyone who’s supported us over the years by playing a handful of extended shows. We’ll be playing a lot of songs we’ve not performed in years and covering everything from Bruises right up to now. Thank you and good night x,” Kaye concluded.
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