Boston - Band of Brothers Tour: A Cliff Notes Version
Writer, and avid music consumer, Alyssa Mattei writes up a thorough abridged and unabridged recollection of the Magic Giant and American Authors Never-Before-Seen combined set.
Written & Photographed by Alyssa Mattei
It’s 1am, I’ve just walked into my bedroom. It’s the first time I’ve experienced complete silence in several hours. But the room is ringing. After walking towards my window and circling in the hallway I conclude that ringing is not, in fact, coming from outside: it’s in my ears. Though I hope that this tangling tinnitus radiating from my left ear drum is not a permanent side effect from standing 2 rows out at the concert I had just arrived home from, if it was a lasting damage to my hearing, it was worth it for this experience. After all, this wasn’t a concert for the ears, it was one for the soul.
Hours earlier my friend and I stood on the outside of a giant windowed second hand store. The line wound so subtly that it could almost appear as if people were queuing to enter the Goodwill. However, upon closer look, just one tilt of the head upwards, one would find the classic marquee lights of the Paradise Rock Club: “American Authors” emblazoned below in carefully placed letters. “25th Magic Giant” could be read by anyone approaching from the opposite side.
American Authors and Magic Giant paired up for a whirlwind “Band of Brothers” tour earlier this year. Traveling to 34 cities in 6 weeks. Their Boston gig was the second to last show on the schedule. The unique structure of a combined set between the bands and one of a kind structural line up for every performance, makes this tour arguably a first of its kind.
“This tour isn’t just about the music, it’s about making the effort to connect everyone in the whole room. It’s about taking the time to make people feel like they matter. It’s about making us remember that life, no matter how monotonous, or repetitive, is anything but ordinary.”
Unlike many songs on the radio these days, these songs aren’t only about relationships, fame & drugs. These songs are just about life. About running from it, and chasing towards it, losing home and finding it, making connections and breaking them; it's about keeping the door open to everyone, even if the whole world is burning, or if you feel like you're drowning. The tour title “Band of Brothers”' couldn't make more sense with it’s knock on your face obviousness; but there's a more subliminal underlining- it’s a band of brotherhood. You can see it in everyone’s face as they’re performing, the way each person looks at another band member, completely full of admiration, adoration, and respect for each other. And it wasn’t just a conglomerate band between them- it was the banding together of everyone: bringing in and spreading the love to their fans. It's the way Austin (Bisnow, the vocalist of Magic Giant) tells everyone in the audience to put an arm around someone else's shoulder in the middle of their biggest song, and shouts “Let’s unite this place,” before belting out another round of Window’s chorus. It's the way Zang watches Austin’s dance moves, the way Austin and Zac (Barnett, lead singer of American Authors) effortlessly join in on each other's choruses. How Dave (Author’s bassist) jumps around, waving his hands, and mouthing every word of the lyrics with an unbridled enthusiasm.
And it's the way Magic Giant comes out to the side of the stage after the show, and hangs out with everyone until every fan has gotten their photo and autograph; the way they look through a group of fans to pick out the two girls who had been waiting their turn but didn’t know what to say; the way Austin assures that “we don’t know how to start a conversations,” is in fact a great conversation starter. How Zambricki asks my name and tells me his, and takes the time to talk to me about the term “high knees” (an exercise he performs flawlessly, whilst fiddling, despite never having known what they were called) while we wait for our picture to get taken. This tour isn’t just about the music, it’s about making the effort to connect everyone in the whole room. It’s about taking the time to make people feel like they matter. It’s about making us remember that life, no matter how monotonous, or repetitive, is anything but ordinary. That each one is completely different and every person is inextricably linked. Love is beautiful. And it’s all worth fighting for.
Read the full review through Alyssa Mattei's website here. Follow Alyssa Mattei on Instagram @alymaphoto.
Illustration by Alyssa Mattei
