Photo by Brent Goldman
Audio By Carbonatix
For Magic City Hippies, taking the stage at ZeyZey on October 1st is more than just another tour stop. Returning home after two years away offers the band a chance to showcase their evolution as a group and reconnect with their longtime fans.
“It’s kind of like running into a favorite ex you’re on really good terms with,” guitarist John Coughlin tells New Times. “You want to show them how you’ve grown, what you’ve learned.”
That sense of growth defines the band’s latest chapter. Their newest album is laced with breakup songs, a theme that came together organically as each member weathered their own heartache over the course of a couple years. “At first we just thought of it as ‘sad bangers,’” drummer Pat Howard says with a laugh. “We wanted songs that hit you in the chest emotionally but still made you want to move.”
Emotional honesty is a throughline for the Magic City Hippies, whether exploring broader themes like partying or more intimate ones like relationships. “To really write a good breakup song, you can’t worry about the person hearing it,” Coughlin explains. “If you get too caught up in the details, you miss the universal part people actually connect with. Sometimes the simplest line, even if it’s not technically accurate, conveys the truth better than a long, complicated one.”
Their earnestness allows their songs to resonate deeply with their audience, creating lasting connections. Born out of Miami bar gigs and backyard jams, the group built its identity in close communication with the crowd, developing a sound that blends indie-pop, funk, and Caribbean rhythms. Even when the subject matter turns heavy, their tracks pulse with a vibe that hits you on a fundamental level.
“Miami is just baked into what we do,” Howard says. “Even the sad songs are rooted in groove. That’s because we came up playing for crowds that wanted to dance. You can’t fake that; you either keep people moving or you lose the gig. Those lessons never left us.”
In the studio, their approach is deliberate and technical, but the live shows have become more playful and spontaneous. Coughlin describes their concerts as “roller coasters,” carefully designed to send the crowd home exhilarated. “The goal is that you leave feeling like your hair’s been blown back,” he says. “We want it to be an experience, not just a show.”
Part of that comes from embracing live performance as its own medium. The band can lean harder into funk and rock elements, stretching songs with improvisation and big instrumental moments. “I think our roles have changed in the sense that if we’re having fun on stage, it’s going to translate to the audience,” Hunter says. His bandmates note that the shift is especially clear in his performances. Once a reluctant frontman, he now dives headfirst into the role, sometimes literally, often jumping into the crowd to make moments even more electric.
Sustaining that energy night after night while touring requires its own discipline. For a long time, Howard faced pre-show anxiety to the point of nausea. These days, he’s found a simple ritual that steadies him: “I’ll listen to a short playlist of drum parts that inspire me and just hit the pad for a bit. It gets me centered.” Coughlin’s pre-show routine starts earlier in the day and includes meditation, journaling, and hunting down good coffee shops in each city. “In the early days, every gig felt like a party,” he admits. “Now it’s about calm before the storm. The music itself provides the electricity once we step out there.”
All three core members expressed finding added motivation by what happens offstage after a show, too. Fans have shared deeply personal stories about how the band’s songs carried them through heartbreak, family struggles, or even the loss of loved ones. “Those conversations remind me why we do this,” Coughlin says. “You realize the music goes way beyond what it meant to you when you wrote it.”
That perspective fuels their excitement in returning to Miami, the city that shaped their sound and continues to serve as their creative compass. “We want to make Miami proud,” Howard says. “We started as a little trio hustling in bars, and now we’re coming back with this bigger live show. It feels like we’re bringing everything full circle.” For Magic City Hippies, the homecoming show is less about nostalgia than about proving what’s possible when a band stays true to its roots while continuing to evolve.
Magic City Hippies. With Rohna. 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 1, at ZeyZey Miami, 353 NE 61st St., Miami; zeyzeymiami.com. Tickets cost $35–$60 via shotgun.live
