I hadn’t heard of Magdalena Bay when all of a sudden my social media feed was littered with jokes about their latest album Imaginal Disk. Wanting to be in the know, I gave it a listen. I was instantly hooked and immediately checked to see if the group was on tour. Impulsively buying a ticket for their second Chicago show on September 15th in the middle of the night afforded me the opportunity to witness one of the most flawlessly executed pop concerts I have ever seen.
It can often be overstated how otherworldly live music can be for people. However, there is no more appropriate term to describe a Magdalena Bay show. The alternative pop duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin brought their Imaginal Mystery Tour to Chicago for two sold-out nights at Thalia Hall. Like almost every genre, pop music has the struggle of being either formulaic or a blatant rip-off of what has come before. With this concert and their latest album, Magdalena Bay has defined themselves as a unique force to be reckoned with.
Thalia Hall is not the biggest venue in Chicago, but you’d swear Magdalena Bay were playing an arena thanks to their showmanship and energy.
September 15th in Chicago tends to be an extremely chaotic night, as it starts off Mexican Independence Day. Even though I couldn’t be out in the chaos with my people celebrating, there was plenty to celebrate during the opening set of the night. Hailing from Mexico City to open the show was experimental pop duo Valgur. Armed with a laptop, drum machine, and a sword, the duo started the night with gothic pop in Spanish.
The different language didn’t stop the crowd from dancing along. The infectious beats almost made it impossible not to. Both nostalgic yet futuristic, Valgur’s presentation was equal parts space-age and medieval. Needless to say, Valgur deserves their flowers. They played many tracks from their 2023 album Armaggedon. (an album ranked #6 on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Spanish-Language Albums of 2023). This act has the power to make it big, and they showcased it with all their might.
Much like the bombastic opening to Imaginal Disk, Magdalena Bay opened with “She Looked Like Me!” Accompanied by an ocean of blue lights and strobe lights, the aquatic and ethereal look felt homely and peaceful, much in part due to the beautiful voice of Mica Tenenbaum. This led to a wonderful rendition of “Killing Time” and “Image.” Utilizing an upholstered chair, Tenenbaum frequently sat in it next to Matthew Lewin while singing. The stage was also accompanied by an oval screen akin to a magic mirror, often passing images Tenenbaum would mimic.
The choreography, along with amazing backup musicians on drums and synth/guitar, only got better as the night went on.
As much as I have been raving about Imaginal Disk, those tracks weren’t the only ones played that night. Their debut album Mercurial World got some love with tracks like “Secrets (Your Fire)” and “You Lose!” One of the highlights was the epic performance of “Chaeri,” with lights so blinding and an electric guitar so heavy you’d think it was a metal show. It was during this song that Tenenbaum spoke to the crowd to lead them in a chant, one of the few times she spoke to the crowd. It was a bit jarring to hear her normal voice and not the angelic singing voice she had been using all night, but the attention was nice, and the crowd definitely responded positively.
The Imaginal Disk backdrop and lighting effects were aesthetically pleasing. Meanwhile, Tenenbaum’s wardrobe changes were equally as interesting. From her flower headpiece to angel wings, she commanded the stage with heavenly grace. Her vocal performance on “Cry For Me” was so exquisite, elevating the ABBA-esque song to a magnificent standard. Songs like “Vampire In the Corner” and “Angel on a Satellite” gave Tenenbaum more opportunities to flex her skills, while tracks like “Tunnel Vision” and “Death & Romance” gave Lewin and the backing band an opportunity to shine.
For me, I was hooked the first time I heard Magdalena Bay. Imaginal Disk has been on repeat and I bought both of their albums on vinyl almost immediately.
Their live show only solidified them as one of the most exciting things happening in pop music. As they neared the end of their set, I felt as if I had witnessed something truly special. Every Magdalena Bay track takes obvious inspiration from pop music that has come before but has made them fresh. Nostalgic, yet modern.
Closing out with “The Beginning” from Mercurial World, the bright, colorful lights engulfing the stage ignited the crowd into a dancing frenzy. That in itself only further proved my point. Magdalena Bay is having a moment right now, and it would be wise to give them the attention they deserve. They were able to effortlessly pull off a grand pop performance in an intimate venue, imagine what they could do with much more.
For more information on Magdalena Bay, please visit imaginaldisk.world
All photos by Oscar De Leon.