{{Short description|British indie band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = The Magic Gang | background = group_or_band | image = The Magic Gang supporting Wolf Alice at The Junction (17103491631).jpg | landscape = yes | caption = The Magic Gang performing in 2015 | origin = Brighton, England | genre = Indie rock, indie pop | years_active = 2013–2024 | label = Warner, YALA! Records, Telharmonium | website = | past_members = Jack Kaye<br />Angus Taylor<br />Kristian Smith<br />Paeris Giles }}
'''The Magic Gang''' were an English indie rock band formed in Brighton in 2013. The band consists of Jack Kaye and Kristian Smith who are vocalists and guitarists, bassist Angus Taylor, and drummer Paeris Giles.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Milton |first1=Jamie |title=The Magic Gang Did It Their Way |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-magic-gang-interview-debut-album-2018/ |website=Vice |access-date=25 November 2023 |language=en |date=23 March 2018}}</ref> Songs from the band have been described as having elements of power pop<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Paul |title=The Magic Gang - Interview |url=https://louderthanwar.com/the-magic-gang-interview/ |website=Louder Than War |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=21 October 2019 |quote=...packed full of their trademark melodic powerpop...}}</ref> and indie pop,<ref name=Daly2015/> and the group's vocal harmonies have been compared to those of the Beach Boys.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Balmont |first1=James |title=Good Vibrations: The Magic Gang |url=https://diymag.com/interview/good-vibrations-the-magic-gang-august-2020-death-of-the-party-interview |website=DIY |access-date=25 November 2023 |language=en |date=17 August 2020 |quote=...call on the stacked acapella harmonies of perma-influences The Beach Boys.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Picknell |first1=Kyle |title=The Magic Gang have no tricks up their sleeve, just great chorus after great chorus |url=https://www.joe.co.uk/music/the-magic-gang-review-201549 |website=JOE |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=27 September 2018 |quote=This is Britpop for millennials, Beach Boys harmonies and guitars cut from the same indie cloth as The Maccabees...}}</ref>
==History== The band members are originally from Bournemouth.<ref name=GQ/> Kaye and Smith met each other at Brockenhurst College. They moved in together with Taylor and Giles in Brighton after meeting them while studying at BIMM University.<ref name=GQ>{{cite web |last1=Conrad |first1=Anna |title=Meet The Magic Gang, the band championing feel-good guitar music |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/the-magic-gang-tour-interview |website=British GQ |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=13 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Magic Gang |url=https://www.prsformusic.com/m-magazine/new-music/featured-artist-magic-gang |website=www.prsformusic.com |access-date=25 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
The band released their first EP, ''The Magic Gang'', on 8 January 2016 on the record label Teleharmonium Records.<ref name=Daly2015>{{cite web |last1=Daly |first1=Rhian |title=The Magic Gang Delve Into Shuffling, Sensitive Indie-Pop On The Immediate, Classic-Tinged 'Jasmine' |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/the-magic-gang-delve-into-shuffling-sensitive-indie-pop-on-the-immediate-classic-tinged-jasmine-14317 |website=NME |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=9 November 2015}}</ref> They released their second EP, ''The Second EP From'', on 23 September 2016<ref>{{cite web |title=The Magic Gang - Only Waiting |url=https://diymag.com/review/the-magic-gang-only-waiting-track-review |website=DIY |access-date=25 November 2023 |language=en |date=23 September 2016}}</ref> and their third, ''EP Three'' on 24 March 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Richards |first1=Will |title=The Magic Gang - EP Three |url=https://diymag.com/review/ep/the-magic-gang-ep-three-review |website=DIY |access-date=25 November 2023 |language=en |date=24 March 2017}}</ref> ''EP Three'' was the first ever release on YALA! Records, a record label that had recently been founded by Felix White, guitarist from The Maccabees.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Magic Gang share new track 'How Can I Compete' |url=https://www.mysticsons.com/article/magic-gang-share-new-track-how-can-i-compete |website=Mystic Sons |language=en |date=7 February 2017 |quote=the first release through the newly-formed Yala! Records, founded by The Maccabees' Felix White}}</ref>
In 2018, the band released their debut album ''The Magic Gang''. The album reached number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and received a score of 71 on Metacritic which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Outlets who gave positive reviews of the album include NME, The Line of Best Fit, DIY Magazine, and The Guardian.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blake |first1=Jimmy |title=The Magic Gang: The band ready to 'get bigger and bigger' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44779177 |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=25 August 2018}}</ref> The band was also nominated for the "Best New Artist" award at the 2018 NME Awards.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Daly |first1=Rhian |title=VO5 NME Awards 2018: Introducing your favourite new acts – the Best New Artist supported by Vans nominees |url=https://www.nme.com/photos/vo5-nme-awards-2018-best-new-artist-2221768 |website=NME |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=7 February 2018}}</ref>
In March 2020, the band were meant to embark on a UK tour with Blossoms but the tour only commenced in August 2021 after it was postponed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=NME>{{cite web |last1=Lavin |first1=Will |title=The Magic Gang talk "dream" Blossoms tour and reveal plans for new EP |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-magic-gang-talk-dream-blossoms-tour-and-reveal-plans-for-new-ep-3030232 |website=NME |access-date=25 November 2023 |date=30 August 2021}}</ref>
The band released their second album, ''Death of the Party'', in August 2020.<ref name="NME" />
In January 2024, the Magic Gang announced that they are breaking up, allowing them to spend some time exploring their own creative pursuits.
==Band members== * Jack Kaye — vocals, guitar * Kristian Smith — vocals, guitar * Angus Taylor — vocals, bass * Paeris Giles — drums * Connor Clark - bass (2016)
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''The Magic Gang'' (2018) * ''Death of the Party'' (2020)
===Extended plays=== * ''The Magic Gang'' (2016) * ''The Second EP From'' (2016) * ''EP Three'' (2017)
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. -->{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Gang}} Category:English indie rock groups Category:Rock music groups from Brighton and Hove Category:Musical groups established in 2013 Category:Warner Music Group artists