The Magic Gang confirm split & announce farewell live shows

Be brave, folks: we’ve got some sad news. The Magic Gang have confirmed they’re calling it a day after more than a decade as a band.

The quartet - made up of Jack Kaye, Kris Smith, Gus Taylor and Paeris Giles - have confirmed their plans to split after the release of two albums together - their 2018 self-titled debut and 2020’s ‘Death Of The Party’ - but will be playing a handful of live shows together later this year as a final celebration.

“This band started in 2013 in a bedroom in Kris’ parents house,” the band’s Jack Kaye reflects. “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.

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.

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.”

The band will bid farewell to fans when they play shows in Glasgow, Manchester and London this May.

MAY
21 Glasgow, St. Luke’s
22 Manchester, New Century Hall
23 London, Electric Ballroom

Tickets are set to go on sale this Friday (26th January) from 9am, so in the meantime, have a little sob to their banger ‘How Can I Compete’ below.