On a cold November evening in the centre of London, Magdalena Bay graced the stage at HERE at, an underground venue capable of holding 2,000 people, and transported us all to their own ethereal and cosmic world.

Across 21 songs, with their newest record Imaginal Disk being played in full, the duo showcase their innovative sound with flair. The Imaginal Mystery tour group consists of Mica Tenenbaum, the lead singer and frontwoman, and Matthew Lewin, backing vocals and instrumentalist. Throughout the set, we are treated to elaborate set design and various changes in Mica’s and Matthew’s costumes which all help in immersing the audience and bringing extra life and nuance into the songs. Mica’s outfits stole the stage. With three main pieces in blue, then red and then finally in white. There are small additions such as a crown piece and a flower headpiece; with the best outfit being the final white dress with angel wings. Heavily stylised, the outfits all help in creating the world and add greatly to the performances.

Starting with ‘She Looks Like Me’, the show opens with the first four tracks from the critically acclaimed sophomore record. The setlist is such that the LP is played out in full and in order with the addition of songs from their first album Mercurial World and also a song from their EP A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling. This helps to break up the flow and showcase the very strong discography that the group already have.

The flow of Imaginal Disk lends itself to a live performance as the track builds tension and excitement, and the pace slows down between songs with interludes and even tracks that are more like a ballad than an alternative-pop song. ‘True Blue Interlude’ acts as a beautiful intro into ‘Image’, similar to that of ‘Angel on a Satellite’ where the beautiful piano part helps ease into the penultimate track of the entire night ‘The Ballad of Matt & Mica’, which is another infectious dance song that builds into explosive choruses.

The energy is intense, with Mica in her element on the stage. From the moment they’re on stage, the audience is wilfully at their mercy. The crowd feeds into the energy, enabling exciting moments seen in ‘Image’ or ‘Death & Romance’ where the cathartic choruses that have been built and built are sung along loudly by the fans. Matthew also has moments to shine where he takes centre stage, momentarily taking focus away from Mica, to deliver tour-exclusive guitar solos or perform guitar riffs that get the crowd even more energetic.

From the very front by the barricade to the very back of the venue by the bar, every single attendee was enthralled by the duo’s presence. When Mica asked for hands in the air, every hand went up dutifully. When she asked London how they were doing or to sing along a certain part of a song, the crowd obediently did as they were told. Her presence on the stage was hypnotic, an alternative rockstar that felt at home on the stage in elaborate, theatrical outfits. Her movements were fluid, a delicacy to each step as she constantly went from one edge of the stage to the other, unknown to the audience if she was suddenly going to glide away if not anchored by Matthew and the rest of the band, grounding her with heavy bass lines and drums that shook the floor.

Magdalena Bay performing at HERE at Outernet, Denmark Street, London on Monday 18th November 2024.
Picture: Beau Goodwin

The performance is very theatrical. The elaborate narrative element has been prevalent since the album first came out but in the context of a live show, the addition of the visual element and the ability to improve and feed off of energy in the moment means that the world can become even more elaborate and out there. It’s fun and playful yet never manages to undermine itself.

The background visual being a cyber/futuristic and cosmic reimagining of the hand of God reaching for Adam has a disk in the middle to reference their newest release – and for many people, their newest album does feel like one of God’s creations. There’s also a screen on the side, playing videos and often being used during instrumental moments or outfit changes for Mica that helps to keep the audience both engaged and immersed.

Magdalena Bay’s return to London was met with extreme hype and adoration. The trailblazers of synth/alternative-pop gave a stunning and flawless tour of their discography with brilliantly over-the-top visuals and a maintained high level of energy during each song. The work with the audience, feeding off of their enthusiasm, ensured that each performance was effortful and memorable. This show, and the tour as a whole, was unforgettable and will become iconic in the band’s history. As they continue to innovate their sound and produce some of the most interesting music at this time, their live shows prove that they are also fantastic performers, able to captivate 2,000 people and deliver one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Words by Beau Goodwin

order tickets for Magdalena Bay HERE