Magic City Hippies Flip Expectations on their Head at Chicago's Metro

Walk up to any fan of the HBO series Game of Thrones and say the words "subvert expectations" and see what kind of reaction you get. Don't blame me if you get spit on or slapped.

The downfall of that show, going from what looked like a strong contender for Best Show in Recent Memory through its first through seasons to botching the landing so hard the entire series is all but swept under the rug of pop culture's collective consciousness, was truly something to behold. And in the middle of the worst of it, the showrunners for GOT were doing interviews where they constantly talked about "subverting expectations" aka "doing the opposite of what the audience is expecting so we can surprise them at every turn". Not a terrible strategy to have. After all, shock and awe are what keep us coming back to our favorite forms of entertainment. Being predictable is almost worse than being bad.

Unfortunately, the biggest expectation that they wound up subverting was that the show would be good.

You might be asking yourself why I've devoted about 200 words to kick things off here beating a dead horse about the demise of a show that ended almost six years ago. Believe me, I didn't wake up this morning intending on hitting Game of Thrones with this many strays. But the more that Magic City Hippies are on my mind, the more I keep thinking about the concept of 'subverting expectations' and how it can actually be done in a positive way when you don't force it just for the sake of being different.

If you're anything like me, when you hear the name 'Magic City Hippies', there are a lot of things that jump to mind: psychedelics, tie dyed shirts, long unkept hair and beards, etc. Obviously my brain gravitates more toward visualizing the 'Hippies' part. But really, the emphasis falls on the 'Magic City' portion of the name (Magic City is the nickname for Miami for those of you who haven't bought an NBA City Edition jersey in a while), because an overall Miami vibe and look is what they bring to the stage with them. Rolling into Chicago's famed Metro with Mustard Service on an unseasonably warm January weekend seemed like a good omen.

Kicking things off, Mustard Service contributed their own funky jazzy poppy (these are all highly scientific terms mind you) sound to the Miami-fused evening. And going with the theme of subverting expectations with their name, there was no mustard served. Instead, the capacity crowd was treated to what Mustard Service self-describe as "zest pop" (also the name of their 2017 debut). Take a thick indie rock/pop base, mix in a few handfuls of surf rock and jazz basslines, and imagine yourself drinking a margarita on the beach. That's what Mustard Service bring to the table and proved themselves to be a great opener for Magic City Hippies' vibe and sound. You might think that having an opener with a bit more contrast in musical styles might be the way to go, but again, check those expectations at the door before we have to subvert them here in front of everyone.

Magic City Hippies didn't even start out as Magic City Hippies. Their original name was Robby Hunter Band (after singer/guitarist Robby Hunter) and the name of Robby Hunter Band's debut album was...Magic City Hippies. Realizing that the album name was also the superior band name, they pulled a switcheroo straight out of Seinfeld and somehow made that album a self-titled debut after the fact. Expectations: SUBVERTED!

It takes a certain kind of confidence to make a switch like that and that exact type of cool confidence is something pumped into every Magic City Hippies song in a live setting. With Hunter in front and backed by bandmates Pat Howard and John Coughlin (as well as a few touring musicians rounding out the group), the band kicked things off with 'I Can't Let You Go' and 'Enemies', the latter being one of the singles off their brand spankin' new album Enemies (it's been out less than a month). And while it's customary for bands on tour to devote the majority of their set to the new album, the Hippies threw caution to the wind and subverted that expectation as well, playing just as many songs off past releases Water Your Garden and Hippie Castle.

Part of the confidence that the band carries on stage has to come from the fact that no matter what they play, old or now, they write songs that are both catchy as hell and whose danceability is off the charts. While all the musicians in the band are top notch, the true secret weapon when it comes to the Magic City Hippies has to be the keyboards. No matter what direction any of their songs go in, the keys are a true chameleon adapting to whatever sound is called for. Alternating between groovy synth vibes, electric piano R&B riffs, and straight up baby grand sounds (sometimes in the same song), it's the glue that not only holds each song together, but frees up everyone else in to band to go in some wild and funky directions. When I talk about them having the "Miami vibe", that's largely what it is. Confidence in their music knowing that it's some of the catchiest shit you've heard in a while. And knowing they have the live chops to elevate their studio material to another level. When looking for a band to go out and spend your evening with, you can't really ask for much more than that. They even rewarded the late night crowd with a handful of masterful covers woven into their set, ranging all the way from Ginuine's 'Pony' to The Strokes' 'Reptilia' to Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs' (yes, seriously).

Fortunately for you, the Magic City Hippies tour hasn't even reached the halfway point yet, meaning there are plenty of chances for you to catch them rolling through a city near you in the next few weeks. And even if they aren't close to you, it's worth making the pilgrimage to experience their vibe in person. Dates, cities, and tickets can be found here.

Magic City Hippies Setlist - Metro, Chicago 1.31.25

I Can't Let You Go
Enemies
BRNT
Little Bit of Love
Pony
What We Wanna
Bull Ride
Indiana
Lonely People
Ghost on the Mend
Water Your Garden
Franny
SPF
Reptilia
Diamond
Limestone
Givin' Up On Lovin'
High Beams
Queen
Fanfare
War Pigs
Hush