While the east coast shovels snow, we’re over here in Phoenix soaking up our gorgeous mid-80s temperatures and sunshine before we start melting into the pavement again— the perfect cocktail for an evening of grooving with Magic City Hippies. We worked up a sweat through dancing, which I’d venture to say most of us here in Phoenix personally prefer over simply walking outside for 1 minute in the summer. With support from Supertaste, The Van Buren was packed with groovers and lovers, and it was nothing short of a party.
I hadn’t dived deep into Supertaste’s music before the show, but I was drawn in right off the bat from the first song. If you like Bad Suns, Daft Punk, and maybe a sprinkle of Mutemath and The 1975 with a psychedelic disco twist, I’m hereby cordially inviting you to see them live and support their music however you can. A perfect mix of funky, beachy, bass-heavy beats and dreamy, moody vocals, with some wah-wah pedal and even some subtle blues and jazz influences here and there. Super tasty. Their name suits them well. Even the security guys were bobbing their heads.
Apparently, this was their first time touring. I was actually shocked when I heard that— they sounded like they’d been touring together for years. It was clear they’ve put in a ton of work to polish and perfect their sound. If not for their music, their confidence and stage presence alone will continue to catapult them into bigger and bigger spotlights. Vocals were spot on, beats were infectious, synths added glorious layers, and the drummer? He was putting in WORK. I hadn’t seen a drum set placed on the edge of the stage before, but now I wish every band did this. At one point the bass player took a break from strumming and took the mic for a song, and he too had a gorgeous voice. "Supernova" was my personal favorite from their set. The bandmates are cute in the ways they interact with each other, like when the keyboardist walked over and gave the bass player a shoulder massage as he played. I’d see them again either as an opener or a headliner, without a doubt. They were the perfect opener to get us grooving and warmed up for Magic City Hippies.
We were thrown into darkness (to which an audience member somewhere behind me correctly screamed, “IT’S DARK IN HERE!!!”), and the six-piece band joined the stage one by one, with lead vocalist and guitarist Robby Hunter joining last to rowdy applause. Light filled the venue as the music swelled into the first song. The guys were all dressed appropriately in 60s/70s-esque outfits– floral button-ups, flared pants, shaggy hair… this millennial was the closest she’d ever been to experiencing what Woodstock must have been like (minus the pot-scented air, obviously, but I’d bet money there would be joints galore if this was an outdoor show). Side note, while there wasn’t a whiff of pot to be sniffed, there was at least one crowd member who kept blowing bubbles up into the air. Wholesome alternative.
This was my first time hearing Magic City Hippies live, and it won’t be the last. They sound even better live than they sound in their recordings. Robby's live voice could have been a touch louder in comparison to the rest of the band; it wasn't like I couldn't hear him, but the sound mixing emphasized the background music just a smidge more than his vocals. Otherwise, he has a bit of rasp to his voice at times, which adds some good flavor. I was immersed in their kinetic energy on stage and loved seeing the band members absolutely letting loose and having the time of their lives. It’s extra fun when the band seems like they genuinely enjoy performing together.
A highlight for me was Michael Fatum’s trumpet solos. The audience clearly adored him and cheered whenever he snuck up from the back of the stage to take his place front and center. I’m a lifelong band kid, so I love a good trumpet solo moment— especially when it’s in tune. Michael’s personality is exuberant and silly. A standout moment was when he crawled off the stage and stood on the barrier, blasting notes inches above the front row’s grinning faces. I was also impressed by the variety of other instruments he played, including a couple of plastic cowbells, a shaker, and a few other percussion instruments. You wouldn't think those would add a whole lot in a loud concert setting sound-wise, but when I listened for whatever instrument he was playing, I could actually hear it, and it did add to the music. That was something I noticed about all the members, actually; they all seem to be multi-instrumentalists, and they display an extraordinary level of musical talent. It all added to the overall experience and made for a well-rounded, engaging show.
The set list was stacked with the majority of the songs coming off the most recent record, Enemies (2025), but there was also a good mix of favorites from the previous records. "Franny" was a fun one to hear live, with the audience all jumping in to scream "FRANNY" during the chorus. There was a cute moment just before they played one of their slower, more romantic songs, "Limestone," when Robby shouted out his girlfriend, whom he had met 3 years ago to the date. This is one of my favorite things about Magic City Hippies— they can bend genres and get a crowd moving, then slow it down a little and allow the lovers a chance to cuddle up and sway together without losing the overall audience’s interest.
Fanfare was my personal favorite of the night: Robby’s moment to flex his rap skills, the audience throwing their hands up and waving their arms back and forth, and the drums hitting hard. There was a particularly juicy drum break in that one, and the crowd ate it up. Closing out the show with “I Can’t Let You Go” and “High Beams” was a solid choice. Everyone lost their minds when Jake Pinto took the front of the stage with his keytar, long shaggy hair drooping into his face as he strutted around shredding the keys.
But wait, there’s more! The show had wrapped, but the audience chanted, “ONE MORE SONG!” A single golden spotlight illuminated the keyboardist… then the trumpet player… then the whole band had their own spotlights. We got not one, but two encores: a cover of “Something About Us” by Daft Punk (complete with Hunter replicating that unmistakable DigiTech Talker effect we know and love) and “Hush.” Ending the night with that one last push of groovy goodness was the cherry on top of a dance-filled evening. Magic City Hippies has just one week left of their 2026 "Winter Tour," so if you have a chance to see them with Supertaste, definitely go.
SET LIST:
INTRO - HEAVY MOTION
BRNT
FRANNY
JUST NOT OVER
QUE PASO
LITTLE BIT OF LOVE
CHAMPAGNE ON THE RIDER
QUEEN
DIAMOND
LET IT RING
GIVIN UP ON LOVIN
ENEMIES -> END OF BEGINNING ->
WHAT WE WANNA
BLAME IT ON THE MOON
LIMESTONE
FANFARE
I CAN'T LET YOU GO
HIGH BEAMS
ENCORE:
SOMETHING ABOUT US
HUSH
Check out our previous review of Magic City Hippies from 2023:
Music Scene Media
