With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Magic Bullets @ The Echo 7/22
Magic Bullets
A simmering sextet from San Francisco, Magic Bullets may be the most ordinary-looking bunch of guys to start up a post-punk band. Their haircuts are short, and so are their songs. You might invite them over to mow your lawn, but you don’t expect them to churn out the kind of evocative, guitar-layered songs that instantly flood your mind with moody memories. Well, at least this mind (after a slew of free drinks – thanks KamranV!)
Sponsored message
Phillip Benson (lead singer) of Magic Bullets
Led by the towering Phillip Benson, the group formed in 2004 out of San Mateo County, which is not quite San Francisco and not quite Silicon Valley (maybe that explains the band’s lack of hipster irony). The Echo show was the group’s first stop on an extensive tour of the western states in support of their debut, "A Child But in Life Yet a Doctor in Love (Words on Music)". The strange title comes from a friend’s dream involving Paul Reubens. It’s best not to delve into that little nightmare.
Suffice to say, Magic Bullets make music with no pretense. “"We’'re just comfortable being ourselves,”" said drummer Colin Dobrin before the show. “I think it’s almost an anti-statement.”
It’'s lovely stuff driven by guitars, held down with bold bass lines and rhythmic keyboards, and finished off with sweet-but-sad vocals. You might be reminded of Band of Horses, French Kicks or The Walkmen. Catch ‘em when they return soon to LA.
More info: http://www.words-on-music.com/magicbullets.html
Written by Phat X. Chiem / Photos by Wathana Lim for LAist
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
