During his Feb. 22 performance at the Variety Playhouse, Michael Marcagi brought his characteristic nostalgic and homey vibe to a full audience. His Atlanta show was the eighth stop of a 27-show spring tour with fellow musician and opener Ashley Kutcher.
Kutcher kicked off the night by creating a fun atmosphere through her country-inspired music. Between jokes with her guitarist, Bryan Kotsher, Kutcher sang songs the audience could relate to — tracks about crushes, obsessions and Pinterest boards.
Although he has only nine songs in his discography, Marcagi was able to transport his audiences to the middle of the woods with his indie-folk melodies. After joking about his limited musical catalog, Michael covered “Falling” (2019) by Harry Styles followed by a new original song called “Flyover State” (2025), which he later released on Feb. 28.
Hailing from Cincinnati, Marcagi threads his Midwest identity into his lyrics. Songs like “Midwest Kid” (2025) and “Good Enough”(2024) bring up memories of childhood and hit home for people from small towns and Midwest cities.
The crowd cheered Marcagi on between each song, screaming “OHIO” in reference to his home state and silly nicknames like “M&M.” One audience member held up a sign announcing that it was her birthday. This caught Marcagi’s attention, and he prompted the audience to join him in singing “Happy Birthday” to her.
As the night came to an end, Marcagi finished with his 2023 hit “The Other Side,” leaving the audience excited for his future as an artist.
