Magdelena Bay brought their synthetic pop expertise to New Orleans with a show on their “Imaginal Mystery Tour” at the Fillmore on Wednesday, Oct. 15 in a hypnotizing triumph on the bounds of imagination.
The alternative pop duo from Miami consists of artists Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, who have been releasing music under the name Magdelena Bay since 2017. The pair self-describes as “synth pop straight from the simulation,” an ode to their inventive sound and psychedelic visuals. This is particularly prominent in their most recent project, “Imaginal Disk,” which was released in August 2024 to a positive critical response and serves as the subject of their current tour.
The show started promptly at 8 p.m. with Oxis, the solo project of artist Valentina Cy from Los Angeles, who played an experimental half-hour set on a loop station inspired by the deep sea. Songs with titles such as “Flounder” and “Nemo” set a dreamy tone as the audience swayed along.
A mashup of her song “Long Sardine” with The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” had the crowd swooning as Oxis reimagined the classic hit with an underwater feel. Though peculiar, Oxis’ set had an alluring vibe that carried into the more energetic energy of the main act.
45 minutes later, Magdelena Bay took the stage with an eruption from the crowd, beginning with the opening track off “Imaginal Disk,” “She Looked Like Me!” before transitioning to the inventive “Killing Time.”
What followed was something out of a dream world, almost reminiscent of Wonderland. Neon set pieces adorned the stage while multiple screens displayed mind-bending images in a colorful fashion.
Lead singer Tenenbaum changed costume multiple times, ranging from angel wings to a large sunflower headpiece, along with her signature balloon pants and top in blue and red. She juggled this all while displaying expert skill with the keytar —a keyboard instrument similar to a synthesizer. Alongside Tenenbaum, Lewin and the rest of the accompanying band shaped the atmosphere through their mercurial basses, keyboards, guitars and synthesizers.
The crowd did not fail to live up to the vivid atmosphere. Many attendees came dressed in sequins and blue face paint in reference to the cover of “Imaginal Disk.” Others donned the same half-CD Tenenbaum has protruding from her forehead in the album art.
As enthusiasm remained high, the show reached its first peak with the pop ballad, “Death & Romance,” a danceable track that kept the audience moving. Soon after came the sentimental “Vampire in the Corner,” my personal favorite from “Imaginal Disk,” which ended in a grand crescendo, giving Tenenbaum the opportunity to show off her impressive vocal range.
As a fan of Magdelena Bay, I am more familiar with their newer work, however I was pleasantly surprised by their inclusion of some older songs. Notably, they included the track “Top Dog” from their 2023 mixtape, “mini mix vol. 3,” whose catchy chorus had nearly everyone singing along.
Tenenbaum and Lewin opted for little audience engagement in lieu of maintaining a consistent, high energy, though I didn’t feel that the lack of extended speeches took anything away from their set. Rather, it was impressive that the crowd remained avidly engaged for the concert’s entirety. It is a testament to Magdelena Bay’s imaginative writing and production and an embodiment of the “imaginal mystery” that is the foundation of the tour.
The pair closed their main set with “The Ballad of Matt and Mica,” a reflective song about their experience with the Magdelena Bay project and their time on tour before moving into their three-song encore.
They began with the long-awaited and viral “Killshot,” mashing up both the original and “Slowed + Reverb” versions, their two highest streamed songs on Spotify, before transitioning to the recently released “Second Sleep,” which debuted on streaming on Sept. 26. Bringing it full circle, they closed with the older “The Beginning,” an enchanting end to a mystical set that left the crowd giddy.
The concert proved there is no way to imagine contemporary psychedelic pop without Magdelena Bay.