The night called for a show exactly like this.
As the desert city felt its first cool breeze and saw its first grey clouds roll in, Magenta Wave arrived to become the city's soundtrack. This marked the band’s first national tour, but it was far from their first time playing Las Vegas. The atmosphere in the room was palpable. It was a small, intimate space, but with the first strum of the guitar, the room could no longer contain their sound. It seeped straight into the crowd's veins and poured out into the next room. They were impossible to miss and even harder to ignore.
The four-piece skipped the usual backstage theatrics. As soon as their opening act, Junkyard Cats, closed out their set, Magenta Wave immediately took over the stage to hook up their own gear and test the lines. Having been to countless shows, seeing a headliner do their own tech work was a rare, refreshing sight.
Lead singer Grayson Thompson fell straight into the rhythm that has become his life. Taking full charge of the stage, his vocals instantly transported the audience deep into their musical world. There was something incredibly satisfying about watching the band genuinely enjoy every single minute of their set, and the crowd couldn't help but radiate that exact same energy.
As they worked their way through the setlist, they eventually landed on an older single, "Texas (Very Often)." The steady beat painted a vivid picture of the melancholy carried within the lyrics. It perfectly built up to a wave of pure longing for someone—a heavy crashing in your heart that aligned flawlessly as the rest of the band joined in on that steady, driving guitar strum.
Throughout the night, bassist Nathaniel “Landy” McCurley made sure to chime in and show some love to the audience. “Last time we played in Vegas, we were at The Griffin… maybe twenty-five people showed up," he told the room. "And I think this is the biggest crowd we’ve had yet.”
The locals couldn't help but erupt in cheers, feeling a surge of pride for the massive energy they had built in the room for the band.
Throughout the night, lead guitarist Taylor Mastin carried multiple solos,completely captivating the room with his shredding and how effortlessly in tune he was with his instrument. Watching Taylor zone in on his playing felt like a privilege just to witness. It was almost as if, in his own mind, the crowd had completely vanished—leaving just him and his guitar alone in that room. And as the band seamlessly weaved from one song into another, the familiar rhythm of "Ventriloquist" began to ring through the venue. the crowd instantly erupted with excitement the second they recognized that iconic, familiar plucking of the strings.
As the climax of the song built up and finally crashed, drummer Kellen Larsen beautifully intertwined his rhythm with Taylor’s guitar work. In that moment,Thier two distinct sounds merged into a single soul, perfectly locking into place as they bounced off each other’s rhythm.
Clearly, this group is made for one another, a bond that is deeply heard in their music and seen even more in the way they interact on stage. Their shared energy effortlessly bridges the gap between the stage and the floor, making the audience feel like an extension of the band itself. At the end of the day, everyone loves the thrill of catching a great band at the very beginning—knowing you got to experience them in an intimate room like this before they inevitably become the next big thing.
Catch the band on thier upcoming shows before the year is over—it’s something that shouldn’t be missed. Stream Magenta WAve on all major platforms.
